November 2, 2005
Dr. Duilia de Mello
Catholic University,
NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center
"Census of the Star-forming Galaxy Population at Intermediate Redshifts"
TALK ABSTRACT: -------------- A key question in galaxy evolution is the physical nature of the intermediate redshift galaxies and their present-day counterparts. It is known that the star formation rate density increases rapidly from z=0 to z=1-2. However, the type of galaxies that contribute to the rise of the star formation density is still debatable. In principle, a steep luminosity function where most of the star formation is in newly-formed dwarf galaxies or a population of massive galaxies undergoing modest but continuous star formation can produce similar star formation rate density at a given redshift. Therefore, a census of the star-forming galaxy population as a function of time is needed in order to help us better understand how galaxies acquired their present morphology. In this talk, I will discuss the physical properties of a sample of UV-bright galaxies at intermediate redshifts which was compiled using GOODS/ACS data and the deepest U-band images ever obtained with HST using WFPC2 as part of the parallel observations of the UDF. I will conclude by showing that galaxies of all types, sizes and shapes are forming stars at intermediate z.