Title:
        
First Science Results from GOODS




Bahram Mobasher
Space Telescope Science Institute



Abstract:

I present a brief overview of the Great Observatories Origins Deep
Survey (GOODS). Using the final data products from the multi-waveband
observations with HST/ACS and ground-based ancillary data, I will
discuss the very first scientific analysis of the GOODS/ACS
observations.  The exquisite sensitivity, high spatial resolution and
the large area covered by the GOODS - 0.1 sq. deg., 33 times larger
than the two HDFs - has provided the best sample to date for various
investigations. I will present a study of the ultraviolet luminosity
density and the star formation density of Lyman Break Galaxies out to
z~6 (less than 7% of the cosmic age). Using the wavelength coverage
and high angular resolution of the GOODS, I will discuss the
rest-frame morphology of star-forming galaxies and show evidence that
a significant fraction of star formation activity is triggered by
mergers/ interaction. Moreover, I will present results from the first
study of the evolution of galaxy sizes in the range z~6 to z~1, and
comparison with hierarchical model predictions concerning merging of
smaller galaxies into the larger ones. Using photometric redshifts, I
will present constraints on bulge formation in galaxies at 1 < z <
2.  Finally, I will discuss the search results leading to discovery
of 15 Type Ia SNe at z > 1, used to measure the SNe rates and their
relation to star formation rate and to constrain cosmological
parameters.