2000ApJ...540..593V

New near-infrared galaxy counts in the J and K bands are presented over a total area of 0.70 and 0.97 deg², respectively. The limiting magnitudes of the deepest regions are 19.5 in J and 18.0 in K. At J>16 and K>15, our J- and K-band number counts agree well with existing surveys, provided that all data are corrected to a common magnitude scale. There are real differences from field to field, and the European Large-Area ISO Survey (ELAIS) N1 and N2 fields show an overdensity of J<16, K<15 galaxies. The slopes of logN(m)/dm are ∼0.40-0.45 at 15<K<18 and 16<J<19.5. Our counts favor galaxy models with a high normalization of the local luminosity function and without strong evolution.