Adaptive Optics Imaging Survey of Lyman Break Galaxies at z 3
Abstract
To reveal the stellar mass distributions of z 3 galaxies, we are conducting K-band imaging observations of U-dropout Lyman Break Galaxies (LBGs) with Adaptive Optics (AO) systems. The results of the intensive observations with Subaru/AO36NGS/IRCS indicate that 1) the z 3 Mv* LBGs and serendipitously observed Distant Red Galaxies (DRGs) have flat profiles similar to disk galaxies in the local universe, and 2) the surface stellar mass densities of the Mv* LBGs are 3 times larger than those of disk galaxies at z=0-1. Because in the local universe, such high density disks are rare, the z 3 LBGs need to evolve dynamically between z=3 to z=0. Considering the lack of n>2 systems among the luminous LBGs and DRGs, and their strong spatial clustering, we infer that the dense n<2 disks evolve into the n>2 spheroids of nearby galaxies through violent relaxations due to merger events.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #210
- Pub Date:
- May 2007
- Bibcode:
- 2007AAS...210.0812A