A narrow-band near-IR search for H(alpha)-emitting galaxy clusters at z similar to 1

This dissertation details a search for star-forming galaxies at {dollar}z {lcub}sbsp{lcub}sim{rcub}{lcub}>{rcub}{rcub} 1,{dollar} using narrow-band near-infrared filters to detect redshifted {dollar}rm Halpha{lcub}+{rcub}lbrack NIIrbrack {dollar} emission from objects in fields containing QSOs or absorption-line systems. The observations were obtained at Lick observatory with the UCLA Two-Channel Near-Infrared Camera on the Shane 3 m telescope and at Keck Observatory with the Near Infrared Camera on the 10 m Keck I telescope. A pilot project was first conducted to demonstrate the validity of the observing and data reduction techniques. JHK photometry of the intermediate redshift clusters Abell 370, Cl 0024+1654, Abell 963, and Cl 0909+4408 was obtained.; The search for {dollar}rm z {lcub}sim{rcub} 1 Halpha{dollar}-emitting galaxies has revealed two emission-line galaxies with inferred Star Formation Rates of 12.5 and 25.5 {dollar}rm Msb{lcub}odot{rcub}yrsp{lcub}-1{rcub}.{dollar} The search also detected several fields containing excess faint galaxies. More than 0.05 {dollar}rm degreesp2{dollar} were observed with {dollar}5sigma{dollar} limiting sensitivities of at least J = 20.5 and {dollar}rm Kspprime = 19.{dollar} Infrared number counts were prepared and the {dollar}rm Kspprime{dollar} data were in good agreement with other published results. The J-band number counts are amoung the first to be obtained to this depth. They show less of a faint-end turnover than K-band counts.; The {dollar}z > 2{dollar} search has revealed 10-12 {dollar}rm Halpha{dollar}-emitting galaxies in small groups, typically within 250kpc of the QSO line of sight; they are resolved but compact, with average {dollar}rm SFR = 30Msb{lcub}odot{rcub}/yr.{dollar} The search has covered more than 8 square arcminutes. Comparison of the Spectral Energy Distribution for the {dollar}rm Halpha{dollar}-emitters with Bruzual and Charlot spectral synthesis models suggest that these galaxies may have formed at redshifts close to z = 5.5. Optical and infrared spectroscopy confirm the redshift of one {dollar}rm Halpha{dollar} detection. The high density of Emission Line Galaxy detections suggest that these {dollar}rm Halpha{dollar}-emitters may be clustered with the QSOs and absorbers. The two-point correlation function of {dollar}rm Halpha{dollar}-emitters in the volume surved is at least ten times that for field galaxies in the present epoch.