The VIMOS VLT Deep Survey - Evolution of the luminosity functions per galaxy type up to z=1.5 from first epoch data

We present luminosity functions of galaxies per spectral type derived from the first epoch observations of the VIMOS VLT Deep Survey (VVDS) out to z=1.5. The VVDS data allow for the first time to study from the same sample and with good statistical accuracy the evolution of the luminosity functions per galaxy type in several rest frame bands from a purely magnitude selected sample, covering ~70% of the life of the Universe. Galaxies have been classified in four spectral classes using their colours and redshift, from early type to irregular galaxies, and luminosity functions have been derived for each type in redshift bins, from z=0.05 to z=1.5, in the U, B, V, R and I rest frame bands. In all the considered rest frame bands, we find a significant strong steepening of the luminosity function going from early to late types. The characteristic luminosity M^* of the Schechter function is significantly fainter for late type galaxies and this difference increases in the redder bands. Within each of the galaxy spectral types we find a brightening of M^* with increasing redshift, ranging from =