[32.02] H$\alpha$ Rotation Curves of Star-Forming Galaxies at $z \sim 2$

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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[32.02] H\alpha Rotation Curves of Star-Forming Galaxies at z ~2

D.K. Erb, A.E. Shapley, C.C. Steidel (Caltech), M. Pettini (IoA), K.L. Adelberger (CfA), M.P. Hunt (Caltech)

We present observations of H\alpha emission in 16 star-forming galaxies at z ~2, obtained with the near-infrared spectrograph NIRSPEC on the Keck II telescope on Mauna Kea. About 40% of the objects exhibit evidence of velocity shear, in the form of a spatially extended and tilted emission line. Rotation curves for these objects reveal projected velocities of up to ~ 260 km s^-1 at radii of up to 10 kpc, indicating that massive, rotating galaxies exist at this epoch.

We acknowledge support from NSF grant AST-0070773 and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: dke@astro.caltech.edu

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