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E. Steinbring (U. Victoria, Canada), D. Crampton, J. B. Hutchings (DAO, NRC of Canada)
We have undertaken a program of high-resolution imaging of high-redshift radio galaxies (HZRGs) using the Adaptive Optics Bonnette (AOB) of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). We report on deep imaging in J, H, and K bands of 6 HZRGs in the redshift range 1.1 to 3.8. At these redshifts, near-infrared bandpasses sample the restframe visible galaxian light. Our deep imaging (total exposures ~ 1000 to 15000 seconds per band) at high-resolution (PSFs at the target location generally with FWHM < 0.2 arcseconds) allows us to study the entire stellar environment of these HZRGs. The radio galaxy itself is resolved in all the fields and is generally elongated along the axis of the radio lobes. It is typically residing in a small group of compact galaxy companions which is also aligned with the radio lobes. There is also evidence that this local environment is embedded in a larger cluster scale environment. We compare our images with archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Wide-Field Planetary Camera (WFPC2) optical observations of the same fields. The radio galaxy morphology in restframe ultraviolet and visible light is generally very similar - comprised of a string of bright compact knots and diffuse elongated structures. We discuss the evidence for evolution of morphology and number density of galaxy companions and their interaction with the AGN host galaxy.
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