Title:


The clustering of galaxies from z~2 to z~4




Henry Joy mcCracken
IAP/Obs. de Paris



Abstract:

In my talk I will discuss the clustering properties of two interesting
populations of high-redshift galaxies: B-dropout Lyman-break galaxies
at z~4 and J-band balmer break objects at z~2. Using deep imaging data
collected with the cfh12k camera as part of the VIRMOS imaging survey
we have isolated several hundreds of these objects in several fields
separated widely on the sky. For the balmer-break objects, the total
area covered is around ~400 sq arcmin, and for the Lyman-break
population it is around one square degree. For the Balmer break
objects, we derive a correlation length of ~8 h^{-1}~Mpc; for our
Lyman-break population, we find a value of ~9 h^{-1}~Mpc, making these
objects amongst the most highly clustered objects ever
discovered. Finally, our large angular coverage allows us for the first
time to measure accurately the slope of the angular correlation
function for the z~4 Lyman-break population, and I will discuss this
result in terms of our current "best guess" models for structure
formation. Finally, if there is time, I will also present some
preliminary work currently underway with the Canada-France legacy
survey.