CONSTRAINTS ON THE ASSEMBLY AND DYNAMICS OF GALAXIES. I. DETAILED REST-FRAME OPTICAL MORPHOLOGIES ON KILOPARSEC SCALE OF z {approx} 2 STAR-FORMING GALAXIES
Journal Article
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· Astrophysical Journal
- Max-Planck-Institut fuer extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstrasse, D-85748 Garching (Germany)
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1547 (United States)
- Department of Physics, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, CA 93106-9530 (United States)
- California Institute of Technology, MS 105-24, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)
- INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Largo E. Fermi 5, I-50125 Firenze (Italy)
We present deep and high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope NIC2 F160W imaging at 1.6 {mu}m of six z {approx} 2 star-forming galaxies with existing near-infrared integral field spectroscopy from SINFONI at the Very Large Telescope. The unique combination of rest-frame optical imaging and nebular emission-line maps provides simultaneous insight into morphologies and dynamical properties. The overall rest-frame optical emission of the galaxies is characterized by shallow profiles in general (Sersic index n < 1), with median effective radii of R{sub e} {approx} 5 kpc. The morphologies are significantly clumpy and irregular, which we quantify through a non-parametric morphological approach, estimating the Gini (G), multiplicity ({Psi}), and M{sub 20} coefficients. The estimated strength of the rest-frame optical emission lines in the F160W bandpass indicates that the observed structure is not dominated by the morphology of line-emitting gas, and must reflect the underlying stellar mass distribution of the galaxies. The sizes and structural parameters in the rest-frame optical continuum and H{alpha} emission reveal no significant differences, suggesting similar global distributions of the ongoing star formation and more evolved stellar population. While no strong correlations are observed between stellar population parameters and morphology within the NIC2/SINFONI sample itself, a consideration of the sample in the context of a broader range of z {approx} 2 galaxy types (K-selected quiescent, active galactic nucleus, and star forming; 24 {mu}m selected dusty, infrared-luminous) indicates that these galaxies probe the high specific star formation rate and low stellar mass surface density part of the massive z {approx} 2 galaxy population, with correspondingly large effective radii, low Sersic indices, low G, and high {Psi} and M{sub 20}. The combined NIC2 and SINFONI data set yields insights of unprecedented detail into the nature of mass accretion at high redshift.
- OSTI ID:
- 21574735
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 731; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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