Rest-Frame Optical Properties of Star-Forming Galaxies at z ~ 2

Abstract

We present preliminary results from Hα spectroscopy and deep K-band imaging of UV-selected star-forming galaxies at z~2. We see evidence for relatively mature, massive galaxies in the form of an increase in the mean velocity dispersion and the mean R−K_s color from z~3 to z~2, and in the approximately solar metallicities of a significant number of the z~2 galaxies. There appears to be substantial diversity in the z~2 sample, as other kinematic measurements suggest that some of the galaxies are still in the process of formation.

Additional details