Spitzer MIPS images in the Bootes field of the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey have revealed a class of extremely dust obscured galaxy (DOG) at z~2. The DOGs are defined by very red optical to mid-IR (observed-frame) colors, R - [24 um] > 14 mag, i.e. f_v (24 um) / f_v (R) > 1000. They are Ultra-Luminous Infrared Galaxies with L_8-1000 um > 10^12 -10^14 L_sun, but typically have very faint optical (rest-frame UV) fluxes. We imaged three DOGs with the Keck Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics (LGSAO) system, obtaining ~0.06'' resolution in the K'-band. One system was dominated by a point source, while the other two were clearly resolved. Of the resolved sources, one can be modeled as a exponential disk system. The other is consistent with a de Vaucouleurs profile typical of elliptical galaxies. The non-parametric measures of their concentration and asymmetry, show the DOGs to be both compact and smooth. The AO images rule out double nuclei with separations of greater than 0.1'' (< 1 kpc at z=2), making it unlikely that ongoing major mergers (mass ratios of 1/3 and greater) are triggering the high IR luminosities. By contrast, high resolution images of z~2 SCUBA sources tend to show multiple components and a higher degree of asymmetry. We compare near-IR morphologies of the DOGs with a set of z=1 luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs; L_IR ~ 10^11 L_sun) imaged with Keck LGSAO by the Center for Adaptive Optics Treasury Survey. The DOGs in our sample have significantly smaller effective radii, ~1/4 the size of the z=1 LIRGs, and tend towards higher concentrations. The small sizes and high concentrations may help explain the globally obscured rest-frame blue-to-UV emission of the DOGs.
We present high spatial resolution optical and near-infrared imaging obtained using the ACS, WFPC2 and NICMOS cameras aboard the Hubble Space Telescope of 31 24um--bright z~2 Dust Obscured Galaxies (DOGs) identified in the Bootes Field of the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey. Although this subset of DOGs have mid-IR spectral energy distributions dominated by a power-law component suggestive of an AGN, all but one of the galaxies are spatially extended and not dominated by an unresolved component at rest-frame UV or optical wavelengths. The observed V-H and I-H colors of the extended components are …
We present a study of 81 I selected, spectroscopically-confirmed members of the X-ray cluster MS1054-03 at z=0.83. Redshifts and spectral types were determined from Keck spectroscopy. Morphologies and accurate colors were determined from a large mosaic of HST WFPC2 images in F606W and F814W. Early-type galaxies constitute only 44% of this galaxy population. Thirty-nine percent are spiral galaxies, and 17% are mergers. The early-type galaxies follow a tight and well-defined color-magnitude relation, with the exception of a few outliers. The observed scatter is 0.029 +- 0.005 magnitudes in restf…
We present spectroscopy from the Keck telescope of three sets of objects in the Hubble Deep Field which have lens-like morphologies. In the case of J123641+621204, which is composed of four objects with similar colors and a mean separation of <= 0.8", we find at least two distinct components at redshifts of z=3.209 and z=3.220 which are separated by 0.5" spatially. Each of these components has narrow Ly-alpha emission, and possibly NV emission and SiIV and CIV in absorption or with a P-Cygni profile. The second case is J123652+621227, which has an arc-like feature offset by 1.8" to the southwe…
The results of spectropolarimetry surveys of obscured AGNs are reviewed, paying special attention to their implications for the existence of two populations of type 2 Seyfert galaxies -- hidden Seyfert 1s and "true" Seyfert 2s. In this context, the results from our Keck spectropolarimetry survey are presented. Similar to previous work, we have detected hidden broad-line regions (HBLRs) in about half of our sample. However, owing to different selection methods, we find that differences in the properties of HBLR and non-HBLR objects are much less pronounced than prior reports have indicated. Spe…
We identify a population of 640 obscured and 839 unobscured AGNs at redshifts 0.7<z<~3 using multiwavelength observations of the 9 deg^2 NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey (NDWFS) region in Bootes. We select AGNs on the basis of Spitzer IRAC colors obtained by the IRAC Shallow Survey. Redshifts are obtained from optical spectroscopy or photometric redshift estimators. We classify the IR-selected AGNs as IRAGN 1 (unobscured) and IRAGN 2 (obscured) using a simple criterion based on the observed optical to mid-IR color, with a selection boundary of R-[4.5]=6.1, where R and [4.5] are the Vega magnitudes …
We summarize multiwavelength properties of a sample of galaxies in the CDF-N and CDF-S whose Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) exhibit the characteristic power-law behavior expected for AGN in the Spitzer/IRAC 3.6-8micron bands. AGN selected this way tend to comprise the majority of high X-ray luminosity AGN, whereas AGN selected via other IRAC color-color criteria might contain more star-formation dominated galaxies. Approximately half of these IR power-law galaxies in the CDF-S are detected in deep (1Ms) Chandra X-ray imaging, although in the CDF-N (2Ms) about 77% are detected at the 3sig…
We compare high-resolution optical and radio imaging of 12 luminous submm galaxies at z=2.2+/-0.2 observed with HST and the MERLIN and VLA at comparable spatial resolution, 0.3" (2kpc). The radio emission traces the likely far-infrared morphology of these dusty, luminous galaxies. In ~30% of the sample the radio appears unresolved, suggesting that the emission is compact: either an obscured AGN or nuclear starburst. However, in the majority, ~70% (8/12), the radio emission is resolved by MERLIN/VLA on scales of ~1" (10 kpc). For these galaxies the radio morphologies are broadly similar to thei…
We report results based on 35 new spectroscopic redshifts obtained with the Keck Telescope for field galaxies that also have photometry and morphology from survey images taken by the refurbished HST. A sample of 24 redshifts for galaxies fainter than I = 22 has a median redshift of z ~ 0.81. This result is inconsistent with the lower median redshift of z ~ 0.6 predicted by the ``maximal merger models'' of Carlberg (1996), which otherwise fit existing data. The data match an extrapolation of the CFRS, as well as predictions of certain mild luminosity-evolution models. Nearly half of the redshif…
We investigate the nature of the faintest radio sources detected in 3 VLA surveys, to faint limits 8 microJy at 8.5 GHz. Using the Keck Low Resolution Imaging Spectrograph in BRI and the Near Infra Red Camera in K, we image 51 radio sources, and identify probable optical counterparts for 50. With LRIS spectroscopy, we successfully acquire new redshifts for 17 sources, and 9 have redshifts from previous data. Of this sample of 26, about 60 per cent are disk galaxies with high radio to optical ratios, indicating ongoing or very recent starbursts, at redshifts z=0-1. Others are normal, non-intera…
We have obtained Keck Low Resolution Imaging Spectrograph images in V and I of the newly discovered Local Group dwarf galaxies Pegasus dSph and Cassiopeia dSph and their surrounding field. The first stellar luminosity functions and color-magnitude diagrams are presented for stars with V <~ 25 and I <~ 24. The distances to the new dwarfs are estimated from the apparent I mag of the tip of the red giant branch to be: D_MW (Peg dSph) = 830 +/- 80 kpc and D_MW (Cas dSph) = 760 +/- 70 kpc, consistent with their belonging to the extended M31 satellite system. Both galaxies are dwarf spheroidals (dSp…
The efficiency of mid-infrared selection methods for finding obscured AGN is investigated using data in the \chandra Deep Field North. It is shown that samples of AGN candidates compiled on the basis of mid-infrared colours only suffer substantial contamination from normal galaxies. X-ray stacking analysis reveals a soft mean X-ray spectrum for these sources, consistent with Gamma~2.1. This suggests that star-forming galaxies and not obscured AGN dominate the stacked signal. In contrast AGN selection methods that combine mid-infrared with optical criteria are more successful in finding heavily…
The Center for Adaptive Optics Treasury Survey (CATS) aims to combine deep HST images in the optical with deep Keck adaptive optics (AO) data in the near-infrared (NIR) to study distant galaxies, AGN, and supernovae. We recently achieved an important new milestone by securing the first Keck laser guide star AO image of faint galaxies. Six galaxies with redshifts ranging from 0.3-1.0 were targeted in one pointing in the GOODS-S field. Two are Chandra Deep Field South sources, XID-56 and XID-536, with complex morphologies suggestive of recent merger activity. Substructures seen in the NIR AO ima…
Perhaps as many as 10% of high redshift radio galaxy (HzRG; z > 2) candidates that are selected using an Ultra Steep radio Spectrum (USS) criterion fail to show optical emission (continuum, lines) in deep Keck exposures. Their parent objects are only detected in the near-IR and are probably heavily obscured and/or at very high redshift. To search for signatures of dust and help constrain the nature and redshifts of these ``no-z'' radio galaxies, we have conducted a program of submillimeter and millimeter observations. Here we report the first results of a detailed study of one of these objects…
We have obtained spectra with the 10-m Keck telescope of a sample of 24 galaxies having colors consistent with star-forming galaxies at redshifts 2<z<4.5 in the Hubble Deep Field (HDF). Eleven of these galaxies are confirmed to be at high redshift (median z=3.0), one is at z=0.5, and the other 12 have uncertain redshifts but have spectra consistent with their being at z>2. Combined with 5 previously confirmed high-redshift galaxies in the HDF, the 16 confirmed sources yield a comoving volume density of n>2.5^-4 h50^3 Mpc^-3 for q0=0.05, or n>1.2^-3 h50^3 Mpc^-3 for q0=0.5. These densities are …
This paper presents infrared spectra taken with the newly commissioned NIRSPEC spectrograph on the Keck II Telescope of the High Redshift Radio Galaxy MRC 2025-218 (z=2.63) These observations represent the deepest infrared spectra of a radio galaxy to date and have allowed for the detection of Hbeta, [OIII] (4959/5007), [OI] (6300), Halpha, [NII] (6548/6583) and [SII] (6716/6713). The Halpha emission is very broad (FWHM = 9300 km/s) and luminous (2.6x10^44 ergs/s) and it is very comparable to the line widths and strengths of radio loud quasars at the same redshift. This strongly supports AGN u…
We have identified a clustering of red galaxies from deep optical/IR images obtained as part of the Institute for Astronomy Deep Survey. Photometric spectral-energy distributions indicate that most of these galaxies comprise nearly pure old stellar populations at a redshift near 1.4, and Keck spectroscopy of the three brightest red galaxies confirm this interpretation and give redshifts ranging from 1.335 to 1.338. Four of the galaxies are close together on the sky and less than 30" from an R=13.5 star, and we have obtained deep adaptive-optics imaging of this group. Detailed analysis and mode…
Deep VLT optical spectroscopy, HST+ACS (GOODS) imaging and VLA observations are used to unveil the nature of a complete sample of 47 EROs with R-Ks>5 and Ks<20. The spectroscopic redshift completeness is 62%. Morphological classification was derived for each ERO through visual inspection and surface brightness profile fitting. Three main ERO morphological types are found: E/S0 galaxies (30-37%), spiral-like (24-46%) and irregular systems (17-39%). The only ERO detected in the radio is likely to host an obscured AGN. The average radio luminosity of the star-forming EROs undetected in the radio …
We present infrared spectroscopy of the Antennae Galaxies (NGC 4038/4039) with NIRSPEC at the W. M. Keck Observatory. We imaged the star clusters in the vicinity of the southern nucleus (NGC 4039) in 0.39" seeing in K-band using NIRSPEC's slit-viewing camera. The brightest star cluster revealed in the near-IR (M_K(0) = -17.9) is insignificant optically, but coincident with the highest surface brightness peak in the mid-IR (12-18 um) ISO image presented by Mirabel et al (1998). We obtained high signal-to-noise 2.03-2.45 um spectra of the nucleus and the obscured star cluster at R = 1900. The cl…
We present a new sample of distant ultraluminous infrared galaxies. The sample was selected from a positional cross--correlation of the IRAS Faint Source Catalog with the FIRST database. Objects from this set were selected for spectroscopy by virtue of following the well-known star-forming galaxy correlation between 1.4 GHz and 60 micron flux, and by being optically faint on the POSS. Optical identification and spectroscopy were obtained for 108 targets at the Lick Observatory 3m telescope. Most objects show spectra typical of starburst galaxies, and do not show the high ionization lines of ac…
We present infrared spectroscopy of the Antennae Galaxies (NGC 4038/4039) with NIRSPEC at the W. M. Keck Observatory. We imaged the star clusters in the vicinity of the southern nucleus (NGC 4039) in 0.39" seeing in K-band using NIRSPEC's slit-viewing camera. The brightest star cluster revealed in the near-IR (M_K(0) = -17.9) is insignificant optically, but coincident with the highest surface brightness peak in the mid-IR (12-18 micron) ISO image presented by Mirabel et al. (1998). We obtained high signal-to-noise 2.03 - 2.45 micron spectra of the nucleus and the obscured star cluster at R ~ 1…
We present archival Hubble Space Telescope images of the nuclear regions of 43 of the 46 Seyfert galaxies found in the volume-limited, spectroscopically-complete CfA Redshift Survey sample. Using an improved method of image contrast enhancement, we create detailed high-quality structure maps that allow us to study the distributions of dust, star clusters, and emission-line gas in the circumnuclear regions (100-1000 pc scales) and in the associated host galaxy. Essentially all of these Seyfert galaxies have circumnuclear dust structures with morphologies ranging from grand-design two-armed spir…
We present optical spectropolarimetric and imaging polarimetric observations of four high-redshift radio galaxies (HzRGs) obtained with the 10-m Keck I telescope. A broad Mg II emission line is detected in the total and polarized flux spectra of 3C 265 and 3C 277.2. The fractional polarization is high, and both it and the position angle are constant with wavelength after accounting for dilution by unpolarized starlight of the host galaxy, which can contribute substantially. An extended unpolarized continuum similar to that observed in other AGNs is also detected. Imaging polarimetry reveals a …
We imaged a set of 15 intermediate redshift (z~0.8) luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) with the Keck Laser Guide Star (LGS) AO facility. These galaxies were selected from the GOODS-S field, allowing us to combine the high spatial resolution HST optical (B, V, i, and z-bands) images with our near-infrared (K'-band) images to study the LIRG morphologies and spatially resolved spectral energy distributions (SEDs). Two thirds of the LIRGs are disk galaxies, with only one third showing some evidence for interactions, minor, or major mergers. In contrast with local LIRG disks (which are primarily ba…
A 10-arcmin field around the HDF(N) contains 92 radio sources >40 uJy, resolved by MERLIN+VLA at 0".2-2".0 resolution. 55 have Chandra X-ray counterparts including 18 with a hard X-ray photon index and high luminosity characteristic of a type-II (obscured) AGN. >70% of the radio sources have been classified as starbursts or AGN using radio morphologies, spectral indices and comparisons with optical appearance and MIR emission. Starbursts outnumber radio AGN 3:1. This study extends the VO methods previously used to identify X-ray-selected obscured type-II AGN to investigate whether very luminou…
Deep 1.1 mm continuum observations of 1E0657-56 (the "Bullet Cluster") taken with the millimeter-wavelength camera AzTEC on the 10-m Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment (ASTE), have revealed an extremely bright (S$_{\rm{1.1mm}}=15.9$ mJy) unresolved source. This source, MMJ065837-5557.0, lies close to a maximum in the density of underlying mass-distribution, towards the larger of the two interacting clusters as traced by the weak-lensing analysis of Clowe et al. 2006. Using optical--IR colours we argue that MMJ065837-5557.0 lies at a redshift of $z = 2.7 \pm 0.2$. A lensing-derived mass…
We present high resolution imaging observations of a sample of previously unidentified far-infrared galaxies at z < 0.3. The objects were selected by cross-correlating the IRAS Faint Source Catalog with the VLA FIRST catalog and the HST Guide Star Catalog to allow for adaptive optics observations. We found two new ULIGs (with L_FIR equal to or greater than 10^{12} L_sun) and 19 new LIGs (with L_FIR equal to or greater than 10^{11} L_sun). Twenty of the galaxies in the sample were imaged with either the Lick or Keck adaptive optics systems in H or K'. Galaxy morphologies were determined using t…
We describe progress in a programme to study a sample of sources typical of those which contribute a large fraction of the hard X-ray background. The sources are selected from the fields of approximately 10 ks Chandra cluster observations with follow-up in the near-infrared and optical. The X-ray data indicate that many of these are powerful, obscured sources. Two hard objects which are lensed by the cluster are good candidates for X-ray type-2 quasars, with luminosities of the order 10^{44}-10^{45} erg s^{-1} and obscuring column densities of the order 10^{23} cm^{-2}. We find that the source…
Observations of GRB host galaxies and their environments in general can provide valuable clues about the nature of progenitors. Bursts are associated with faint, <R> ~ 25 mag, galaxies at cosmological redshifts, <z> ~ 1. The host galaxies span a range of luminosities and morphologies, and appear to be broadly typical for the normal, evolving, actively star-forming galaxy populations at comparable redshifts and magnitudes, but may have somewhat elevated SFR per unit luminosity. There are also spectroscopic hints of massive star formation, from the ratios of [Ne III] and [O II] lines. The observ…
We used the Near Infrared Camera on Keck I to obtain Ks-band images of four candidate high-redshift radio galaxies selected using optical and radio data in the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey in Bootes. Our targets have 1.4 GHz radio flux densities greater than 1 mJy, but are undetected in the optical to fainter than 24 Vega mag. Spectral energy distribution fitting suggests that three of these objects are at z > 3, with radio luminosities near the FR-I / FR-II break. The other has photometric redshift 1.2, but may in fact be at higher redshift. Two of the four objects exhibit diffuse morphologies…
We explore the role of AGN in establishing and/or maintaining the bimodal colour distribution of galaxies by quenching their star-formation and hence, causing their transition from the blue to the red cloud. Important tests for this scenario include (i) the X-ray properties of galaxies in the transition zone between the two clouds and (ii) the incidence of AGN in post-starbursts, i.e. systems observed shortly after (<1Gyr) the termination of their star-formation. We perform these tests by combining deep Chandra observations with multiwavelength data from the AEGIS survey. Stacking the X-ray ph…
We present deep near-IR images of high redshift radio galaxies obtained with NIRC on the Keck I telescope. In most cases, the near-IR data sample rest wavelengths at ~4000 Angstroms, free of strong emission lines. At z > 3, the rest frame optical morphologies generally have faint, large-scale emission surrounding multiple components of ~10 kpc size. The brightest of the small knots are often aligned with the radio structures. At z < 3, the morphologies change dramatically, showing single, compact structures without radio-aligned features. The sizes and luminosities of the individual components…
We have discovered a concentration of extremely red objects (EROs; R-K>6) in the field of the z=2.69 quasar QSO 1213-0017 (UM 485), which is significantly overabundant compared to the field ERO surface density. The optical/near-IR colors of the EROs and numerous other red galaxies in this field are consistent with elliptical galaxies at z=1-2. HST optical images for a subset of galaxies show regular morphologies, most of them being disky or diffuse and without any obvious evidence for interactions. Ground-based IR images show similar morphologies, indicating any dust reddening in these objects…
Near-infrared, sub-arcsecond seeing images obtained with the W. M. Keck I Telescope of show strong evolution at rest--frame optical} wavelengths in the morphologies of high redshift radio galaxies (HzRGs) with 1.9<z<4.4. The structures change from large--scale low surface brightness regions surrounding bright, multiple component and often radio--aligned features at z>3, to much more compact and symmetrical shapes at z<3. The linear sizes (~10 kpc) and luminosities (M_B~-20 to -22) of the individual components in the z>3 HzRGs are similar to the total sizes and luminosities of normal, radio--qu…
A sample of 27 ultraluminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) systems has been imaged at 1.6 microns using the HST Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS). These ULIRGs are from a larger sample also imaged with HST in the I-band. Images and catalog information for the NICMOS subsample, as well as brief morphological descriptions of each system are presented. Inspection of the infrared images and a comparison with optical images of these systems shows that at least 85% are obviously composed of two or more galaxies involved in a close interaction or merger event, with as many as 93% …
We have obtained spectroscopic redshifts for 24 red galaxies from a sample with median Ks=18.7 and F814W - Ks > 4, using the Keck telescope. These EROshave high resolution morphologies from HST (Yan & Thompson 2003). Among the 24 redshifts, the majority (92%) are at $ 0.9 < z < 1.5$. We derived the rest-frame J-band luminosity function at $z_{median} =1.14$. Our result suggests that the luminosity evolution between bright EROs at $z\sim 1$ and the present-day $>$L$^*$ massive galaxies is at most about 0.7 magnitude. Combining the morphologies and deep spectroscopy revealed the following proper…
We present optical spectroscopy of 62 objects selected from several samples of ultra steep spectrum (USS) radio sources. 46 of these are from our primary catalog, consisting of 669 sources with radio spectral indices alpha < -1.30 (S_nu ~ nu^alpha); this first spectroscopic sub-sample was selected on the basis of their faint optical and near-IR identifications. Most are identified as narrow-lined radio galaxies with redshifts ranging from z=0.25 to z=5.19. Ten objects are at z>3, nearly doubling the number of such sources known to date. Four of the USS radio sources are identified with quasars…
Deep SCUBA surveys have uncovered a large population of massive submm galaxies (SMGs) at z>~1. Although it is generally believed that these galaxies host intense star-formation activity, there is growing evidence that a substantial fraction also harbor an AGN. We present here possibly the strongest evidence for this viewpoint to date: the combination of ultra-deep X-ray observations (the 2 Ms CDF-N) and deep Keck spectroscopic data. We find that the majority (~75%) of the spectroscopically identified SMGs host AGN activity; the other ~25% have X-ray properties consistent with star formation (X…
Studies of the cosmic gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and their host galaxies are now starting to provide interesting or even unique new insights in observational cosmology. Observed GRB host galaxies have a median magnitude R ~ 25 mag, and show a range of luminosities, morphologies, and star formation rates, with a median redshift z ~ 1. They represent a new way of identifying a population of star-forming galaxies at cosmological redshifts, which is mostly independent of the traditional selection methods. They seem to be broadly similar to the normal field galaxy populations at comparable redshifts a…
Images of the Hubble Deep Field at 3.2 um, taken with the 10-m Keck Telescope, are presented. The images cover a total area of ~2.5 arcmin^2. To a 5-sigma limit of [3.2](total)=17.5 mag (Vega-relative), 11 sources are detected, 9 of which are extragalactic. The integrated galaxy number counts are therefore ~1.3x10^4 deg^{-2} to this depth. The galaxies detected at 3.2 um have a median redshift of z=0.56. All 3.2 um sources have 1.6 um, 1.1 um and visual counterparts, all of fairly regular morphologies; several also have 6.7 um, 15 um, 850 um, 8.5 GHz, or 1.4 GHz counterparts. No sources are fo…
There has been remarkable progress recently in both observational and theoretical studies of galaxy formation and evolution. Largely due to a combination of deep Hubble Space Telescope imaging, Keck spectroscopy, and COBE far-IR background measurements, new constraints have emerged on the emission history of the galaxy population as a whole. While the bulk of the stars present today appears to have formed relatively recently, the existence of a decline in the star-formation density above z=2 remains uncertain. The study of the transition from the cosmic `dark age' to an ionized universe popula…
Using a combination of near-infrared and optical photometry, along with multi-object spectroscopy, we have confirmed the existence of a high-redshift cluster of galxies at z = 0.96. The cluster was found using a wide-angle tailed radio source selected from the VLA FIRST survey as a cluster signpost. These types of radio sources are often found in clusters, and are thought to attain their C-shaped morphologies from the relative motion between the radio source host galaxy and the intracluster medium. We present optical/near-infrared color-magnitude diagrams which show a concentration of cluster …
We report the detection of 1.3mm continuum and near-infrared K-band (2.2-micron) emission from the submillimeter galaxy SMM J00266+1708. Although this galaxy is among the brightest sub-mm sources detected in the blank-sky surveys (L~10^{13} L[sun]), SMM J00266+1708 had no reliable optical/near-infrared counter-part. We used sensitive interferometric 1.3mm observations with the Owens Valley Millimeter Array to accurately determine the position of the sub-mm galaxy. Follow-up near-infrared imaging with the Keck I telescope uncovered a new faint red galaxy at K=22.5 mag which is spatially coincid…
Using the HST WFPC2 we perform deep I-band imaging of 9 radio-selected (limit 14 microJanskys at 8.5 GHz) faint galaxies from Roche, Lowenthal and Koo (2002). Two are also observed in V. Six of the galaxies have known redshifs of 0.4<z<1.0. Radial intensity profiles indicate that 7 are disk galaxies and 2 are bulge-dominated. Four of the six with redshifts have a high optical surface brightness compared to typical disk galaxies. Two of the 9 galaxies are in close interacting pairs, another two are very asymmetric and three have large, luminous rings resembling the collisional starburst rings i…
We have obtained near-infrared (1.6 micron) images of 11 powerful 3CR radio galaxies at redshifts 0.8 < z < 1.8 using NICMOS on board HST. The high angular resolution permits a detailed study of galaxy morphology in these systems at rest-frame optical wavelengths, where starlight dominates over the extended, aligned UV continuum. The NICMOS morphologies are mostly symmetric and are consistent with dynamically relaxed, elliptical host galaxies dominated by a red, mature stellar population. The aligned structures are sometimes faintly visible, and nuclear point sources may be present in a few ca…
We present optical and near-infrared Keck spectroscopy of CXOHDFN J123635.6+621424 (hereafter HDFX28), a hard X-ray source at a redshift of z = 2.011 in the flanking fields of the Hubble Deep Field-North (HDF-N). HDFX28 is a red source (R - K_s = 4.74) with extended steep-spectrum (alpha > 0.87) microjansky radio emission and significant emission (441 microJy) at 15 microns. Accordingly, initial investigations prompted the interpretation that HDFX28 is powered by star formation. Subsequent Chandra imaging, however, revealed hard (Gamma = 0.30) X-ray emission indicative of absorbed AGN activity…
We present the results of a spectroscopic survey with the Keck I telescope of more than 280 star-forming galaxies and AGN at redshifts 1.4<z<3.0 in the GOODS-N field. Candidates are selected by their UGR colors using the ``BM/BX'' criteria to target redshift 1.4<z<2.5 galaxies and the LBG criteria to target redshift z~3 galaxies; combined these samples account for ~25-30% of the R and K-band counts to R=25.5 and K(AB)=24.4, respectively. The sample of 212 BM/BX galaxies and 74 LBGs is presently the largest spectroscopic sample of galaxies at z>1.4 in GOODS-N. Extensive multi-wavelength data al…
This paper presents infrared spectra taken with the newly commissioned NIRSPEC spectrograph on the Keck Telescope of the High Redshift Radio Galaxy MRC 2025-218 (z=2.630) and an extremely red galaxy (R-K > 6 mag) 9'' away. These observations represent the deepest infrared spectra of a radio galaxy to date and have allowed for the detection of Hbeta, OIII (4959/5007), OI (6300), Halpha, NII (6548/6583) and SII (6716/6713). The Halpha emission is very broad (FWHM~6000 km/s) and strongly supports AGN unification models linking radio galaxies and quasars. The line ratios are most consistent with a…
We combine optical morphologies and photometry from HST, redshifts from Keck, and mid-infrared luminosities from Spitzer for an optically selected sample of~800 galaxies in GOODS-N to track morphology evolution of infrared luminous galaxies (LIRGs) since redshift z=1. We find a 50% decline in the number of LIRGs from z~1 to lower redshift, in agreement with previous studies. In addition, there is evidence for a morphological evolution of the populations of LIRGs. Above z=0.5, roughly half of all LIRGs are spiral, the peculiar/irregular to spiral ratio is ~0.7, and both classes span a similar r…
Observations for seven infrared luminous starburst galaxies are reported in the mid-infrared from 8 - 18 microns using the Keck Telescopes with spatial resolution approaching the diffraction limit. All of the galaxies observed show evidence of strong interactions based on optical morphologies. For these galaxies, a substantial fraction, usually more than 50%, of the infrared luminosity is generated in regions ranging in sizes from 100pc -- 1 Kpc. Nuclear starbursts often dominate the infrared luminosity, but this is not always true. In some galaxies, most notably NGC 6090, substantial infrared…
We present a pilot study of the stellar populations of 8 AGN hosts at z~1 and compare to (1) lower redshift samples and (2) a sample of nonactive galaxies of similar redshift. We utilize K' images in the GOODS South field obtained with the laser guide star adaptive optics (LGSAO) system at Keck Observatory. We combine this K' data with B, V, i, and z imaging from the ACS on HST to give multi-color photometry at a matched spatial resolution better than 100 mas in all bands. The hosts harbor AGN as inferred from their high X-ray luminosities (L_X > 10^42 ergs/s) or mid-IR colors. We find a corre…
We present data from mid-infrared Keck Telescope imaging of 18 radio-selected ultra-compact HII region candidates at diffraction-limited resolution. The goal of these observations is to determine the sizes, luminosities, and morphologies of the mid-infrared emitting dust surrounding the stellar sources. All 18 sources were imaged at 11.7um and at 17.65um, and 10 of them were imaged also at 24.5um. All the sources were resolved. We have generated dust temperature and optical depth maps and combine them with radial velocity measurements and radio data (1.4 and 5 GHz) to constrain the properties …
We present new H alpha and [O III] 5007 narrow band images of the starbursting dwarf galaxy NGC 4214, obtained with the WFPC2 onboard HST, together with VLA observations of the same galaxy. The HST images resolve features down to physical scales of 2-5 pc, revealing several young (<10 Myr) star forming complexes of various ionized gas morphologies (compact knots, complete or fragmentary shells) and sizes (10-200 pc). Our results are consistent with a uniform set of evolutionary trends: The youngest, smaller, filled regions that presumably are those just emerging from dense star forming clouds,…
We present near-infrared spectroscopic observations for a sample of ten optically faint luminous infrared galaxies (R-[24]> 14) using Keck NIRSPEC and Gemini NIRI. The sample is selected from a 24 micron Spitzer MIPS imaging survey of the NDWFS Bootes field. We measure accurate redshifts in the range 1.3<z<3.4. Based on either emission line widths or line diagnostics, we find that all ten galaxies harbor luminous AGN. Seven sources are type I AGN, exhibiting broad (>1900 km/s) Halpha or Hbeta emission lines; the remaining three are type II AGN. Given their large mid-IR luminosities and faint o…
We present extensive observations of a sample of distant, submm galaxies detected in the field of the massive cluster lens, A1835, using SCUBA. Taken in conjunction with earlier observations of other submm-selected sources (Ivison et al. 1998; Smail et al. 1999; Soucail et al. 1999) we now have detailed, multi-wavelength observations of 7 examples of the submm population, having exploited the combination of achromatic amplification by cluster lenses and lavish archival datasets. These sources, all clearly at z > 1, illustrate the wide range in the radio and optical properties of distant submm-…
