Resolving the stellar populations in a z=4 lensed galaxy

Citation
Aj. Bunker et al., Resolving the stellar populations in a z=4 lensed galaxy, ASTROPHYS J, 531(1), 2000, pp. 95-117
Citations number
81
Categorie Soggetti
Space Sciences
Journal title
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
ISSN journal
0004637X → ACNP
Volume
531
Issue
1
Year of publication
2000
Part
1
Pages
95 - 117
Database
ISI
SICI code
0004-637X(20000301)531:1<95:RTSPIA>2.0.ZU;2-9
Abstract
We present deep near-infrared Keck Near-Infrared Camera (NIRC) imaging of a recently discovered 4.04 galaxy. This is lensed by the rich foreground clu ster Abell 2390 (z approximate to 0.23) into highly magnified arcs 3"-5" in length. Our H and K' band NIRC imaging allows us to map the Balmer + 4000 Angstrom break amplitude. In combination with high-quality archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) WFPC2 data, we can spatially resolve stellar populati ons along the arcs. The WFPC2 images clearly reveal several bright knots, w hich correspond to sites of active star formation. However, there are consi derable portions of the arcs that are significantly redder, consistent with being observed greater than or similar to 100 Myr after star formation has ceased. Keck Low-Resolution Imaging Spectrograph (LRIS) long-slit spectros copy along the arcs reveals that the Ly alpha emission is spatially offset by approximate to 1" from the rest-UV continuum regions. We show that this line emission is most probably powered by star formation in neighboring H I I regions and that the z = 4 system is unlikely to be an active galactic nu cleus.