Andreas Burkert

Subject:  Dynamics of redshift 2 galaxies


The redshift 2 Universe ist one of the most interesting epochs of
galaxy evolution. It is the era with the peak of the cosmic star
formation rate. Between redshift 3 and 1 the total stellar mass
density in galaxies increased from 15% to 70%. It is also the time of
rapid galaxy assembly and the epoch where galaxy morphology was
determined.

I will discuss recent results of the SINS survey, a Spectroscopic
Imaging survey of z=2 galaxies in the Near infrared with SINFONI.  The
SINS data show a diversity of galactic systems at redshift 2 with
physical properties that are unparalleled in the z=0 Universe.  These
observations have opened a fascinating window into early galaxy
evolution, revealing a rich variety of interacting dynamical processes
that at the moment are far from being understood.