Galaxies and Large Scale Structure at z~3

TL;DR

This paper reports on a redshift survey of over 400 galaxies at z~3, revealing strong clustering and bias relative to mass, supporting hierarchical galaxy formation models.

Contribution

It provides new observational data on galaxy clustering at z~3 using Lyman break selection, highlighting their strong bias and large-scale distribution.

Findings

Galaxies at z~3 are strongly clustered with correlation lengths similar to present-day galaxies.

Lyman break galaxies are biased tracers of the mass distribution at high redshift.

Results support hierarchical galaxy formation models with massive halos hosting these galaxies.

Abstract

We summarize the status of a ``targeted'' redshift survey aimed at establishing the properties of galaxies and their large scale distribution in the redshift range 2.5 < z < 3.5. At the time of this writing, we have obtained spectra of more than 400 galaxies in this redshift range, all identified using the ``Lyman break'' color-selection technique. We present some of the first results on the general clustering properties of the Lyman break galaxies. The galaxies are very strongly clustered, with co-moving correlation length similar to present-day galaxies, and they are evidently strongly biased relative to the mass distribution at these early epochs, which is consistent with hierarchical galaxy formation models if Lyman break galaxies trace the most massive halos at z ~ 3. Prospects for large surveys for galaxies beyond z ~ 4 are discussed.