A Redshift Limit for the Faint Blue Galaxy Population from Deep U Band Imaging
Abstract
We have obtained a definitive upper limit for the redshift of the population of faint blue galaxies found in deep imaging surveys. The U- B_3_, and particularly the B_3_-R, colors of these objects show a blueing trend toward fainter magnitudes. A typical galaxy at R = 26 has colors that are only slightly redder than a flat (constant F_v_) spectrum. For any reasonable Lyman limit break, this constrains 93% (a conservative lower limit) or more of the galaxies to under z ~ 3, beyond which the break gets redshifted through the U band. The galaxies appear to be undergoing relatively recent evolution with rest frame spectra that are approximately flat down to the Lyman limit.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- July 1990
- DOI:
- 10.1086/185754
- Bibcode:
- 1990ApJ...357L...9G
- Keywords:
-
- Dark Matter;
- Galactic Evolution;
- Red Shift;
- Charge Coupled Devices;
- Color-Color Diagram;
- Data Processing;
- Lyman Spectra;
- Astrophysics;
- DARK MATTER;
- GALAXIES: EVOLUTION;
- GALAXIES: REDSHIFTS