On the nature of the stellar content of galaxies in the distant universe

Details On the nature of the stellar content of galaxies in the distant universe On the nature of the stellar content of galaxies in the distant universe

Sep 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002phdt........12p&link_type=abstract

Thesis (PhD). THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, Source DAI-B 63/03, p. 1396, Sep 2002, 234 pages.

Mathematics

Logic

5

Scientific paper

In this dissertation I have analyzed HST/WFPC2, and HST/NICMOS data for the Hubble Deep Field North (HDF-N), augmented with Ks observations from the ground. This has formed the basis for detailed investigations into the stellar content of the HDF-N galaxies, and the sub-arcsecond resolution offers a excellent vantage with which to study the morphological structure of these galaxies in their rest- frame optical wavelengths out to z ˜ 0 3, which spans roughly 85% of the total cosmic time. Comparing the photometry for Lyman-break galaxies from the HDF-N to a suite of stellar-population synthesis models, I have derived constraints on their total stellar masses. For galaxies with L* UV luminosities, the inferred masses are ˜1010 M&sun; , or roughly 1/10th that of a present-day, L* galaxy. There is a marked absence of evolved objects for z ≳ 2 that would correspond to the fading stellar populations with stellar masses comparable to those seen forming in LBGs observed at z ˜ 3. This implies that previously formed stellar populations (formed at z ≳ 3) must reside beneath the glare of the LBGs. I have constrained the maximum LBG masses: on average, a hypothetical old stellar population could contain up to ≈ 3 8× more stellar mass compared to those estimates inferred from there current star-forming population. The galaxy characteristic radius, measured in the rest- frame optical also decreases from z ˜ 1 to z ˜ 3. Typical half-light radii for the LBGs are small, with a range for bright galaxies [MB≲M*B( z=0)] of 1 ≲ r1/2 ≲ 3.5 kpc, and with a median value of 2.5 kpc. The LBGs have half-light radii approximately two-thirds those inferred from z ˜ 1 galaxies of comparable optical luminosity. The HDF-N galaxies at z ˜ 1 show greater heterogeneity in their stellar populations relative to the LBG population. Simple, pure, luminosity evolution of the LBG population fails to reproduce the luminosity-size distribution at z ˜ 1. Using simple models, I argue that the observed trends are arguably consistent with the growth of star-forming disks about the evolving (small), older populations, and I discuss the implications for galaxy evolution. Investigating the evolution of the stellar-mass distribution for all HDF-N with 0.4 ≤ z ≤ 3.0 provides a direct measure of the evolution of the global stellar-mass. A synthesis of the results suggests a sequence for the stages and growth of massive galaxies. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

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