[32.04] Cloning Drop-outs: Implications for Galaxy Evolution from $z\sim6$ to $z\sim2$ using HST ACS/WFPC2 data.

AAS 201st Meeting, January, 2003
Session 32. Galaxy Evolution and Surveys: ``Far Away"
Oral, Monday, January 6, 2003, 2:00-3:30pm, 608-609

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[32.04] Cloning Drop-outs: Implications for Galaxy Evolution from z~ to z~ using HST ACS/WFPC2 data.

R. Bouwens, G.D. Illingworth (UCO/Lick Obs.), T.J. Broadhurst (Racah Inst. Physics, Hebrew U.), D. Magee (UCO/Lick Obs.), H.C. Ford (JHU), M. Clampin, G. Hartig (STScI), N. Ben\'itez, D.R. Ardila (JHU), F. Bartko (Bartko Sci. & Tech.), J.P. Blakeslee (JHU), R. Bouwens (UCO/Lick Observatory), R.A. Brown, C. Burrows (STScI), E. Cheng (GSFC), N. Cross, P.D. Feldman (JHU), M. Franx (Leiden Obs.), D.A. Golimowski (JHU), C. Gronwall (Pennsylvania State Univ.), L. Infante (Pontificia Univ. Catolica de Chile), R.A. Kimble (GSFC), J. Krist (STScI), M. Lesser (Steward Obs.), A.R. Martel, F. Menanteau, G.R. Meurer (JHU), G. Miley (Leiden Obs.), M. Postman (STScI), P. Rosati (ESO), M. Sirianni (JHU), W.B. Sparks (STScI), H.D. Tran, Z.I. Tsvetanov (JHU), R.L. White (STScI), W. Zheng (JHU)

The current set of deep HST WFPC2 and ACS images provides us with highly detailed information on both the size and luminosity of galaxies at high redshift from z>2 to z~ and even beyond. The interpretation of these data is complicated, however, by the many selection effects at work over such a large redshift range. Our approach is to use a cloning technique, where we project a low redshift (z~) U-dropout population to higher redshifts to generate a no-evolution benchmark for comparison with the observations. Our cloning technique treats each galaxy as a set of pixels that are k--corrected to higher redshift, accounting for resampling, shot-noise, surface-brightness dimming, and the cosmological model. An initial investigation on the HDF-N and HDF-S WFPC2 data provides one main result: star forming galaxies show significant size evolution from z~ to z~.5. In addition, we find a modest increase in the mean UV luminosity over this same interval. We will report on the first results from the deep ACS images from both the GTO and GOODS fields. The resolution, sensitivity and survey area of the ACS will greatly enhance our characterization of the formation of galaxies at high redshift. ACS was developed under NASA contract NAS5-32865, and this research is supported by NASA grant NAG5-7697.

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