AAT Imaging and Microslit Spectroscopy in the Southern Hubble Deep Field

We present a deep photometric (B- and R-band) catalog and an associated spectroscopic redshift survey conducted in the vicinity of the Hubble Deep Field South. The spectroscopy yields 53 extragalactic redshifts in the range 0<z<1.4 substantially increasing the body of spectroscopic work in this field to over 200 objects. The targets are selected from deep AAT prime focus images complete to R<24 and spectroscopy is 50% complete at R=23. There is now strong evidence for a rich cluster at z\simeq 0.58 flanking the WFPC2 field which is consistent with a known absorber of the bright QSO in this field. We find that photometric redshifts of z<1 galaxies in this field based on HST data are accurate to \sigma_z/(1+z)=0.03 (albeit with small number statistics). The observations were carried out as a community service for Hubble Deep Field science, to demonstrate the first use of the `nod & shuffle' technique with a classical multi-object spectrograph and to test the use of `microslits' for ultra-high multiplex observations along with a new VPH grism and deep-depletion CCD. The reduction of this new type of data is also described.Comment: From the better late than never department: AJ in press (2006). 16 pages, 2 tables, 6 figures, final data release + Appendix at http://www.aao.gov.au/hdfs/Redshifts

Hybrid Lateral Transshipments in a Multi-Location Inventory System

In managing networks of stock holding locations, two approaches to the pooling of inventory have been proposed. Reactive transshipm nts respond to stockouts at a location by moving inventory from elsewhere within the network, while proactive redistribution of stock seeks to minimise the chance of future shocks. This paper is the first to propose a hybrid approach in which transshipments are viewed as an opportunity for stock redistribution. We adopt a quasi-myopic approach to the development of a strongly performing hybrid transshipment policy. Numerical studies which utilise dynamic programming and simulation testify to the benefits of using transshipments proactively. In comparison to a purely reactive approach to transshipment, service levels are improved while a reduction in safety stock levels is achieved. The aggregate costs incurred in managing the system are significantly reduced, especially so for large networks facing high levels of demand.

Color bimodality: Implications for galaxy evolution

We use a sample of 69726 galaxies from the SDSS to study the variation of the bimodal color-magnitude (CM) distribution with environment. Dividing the galaxy population by environment (Sigma_5) and luminosity (-23<M_r<-17), the u-r color functions are modeled using double-Gaussian functions. This enables a deconvolution of the CM distributions into two populations: red and blue sequences. The changes with increasing environmental density can be separated into two effects: a large increase in the fraction of galaxies in the red distribution, and a small color shift in the CM relations of each distribution. The average color shifts are 0.05+-0.01 and 0.11+-0.02 for the red and blue distributions, respectively, over a factor of 100 in projected neighbor density. The red fraction varies between about 0% and 70% for low-luminosity galaxies and between about 50% and 90% for high-luminosity galaxies. This difference is also shown by the variation of the luminosity functions with environment. We demonstrate that the effects of environment and luminosity can be unified. A combined quantity, Sigma_mod = Sigma_5/Mpc^{-2} + L_r/L_{-20.2}, predicts the fraction of red galaxies, which may be related to the probability of transformation events. Our results are consistent with major interactions (mergers and/or harassment) causing galaxies to transform from the blue to the red distribution. We discuss this and other implications for galaxy evolution from earlier results and model the effect of slow transformations on the color functions.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, in AIP Conf. Proc., The New Cosmology, eds. R. E. Allen et al. (aka. The Mitchell Symposium), see http://proceedings.aip.org/proceedings/confproceed/743.jsp ; v2: replaced Figure 5 which was incomplete in original submissio

The Redshift One LDSS-3 Emission line Survey (ROLES) II: Survey method and z~1 mass-dependent star-formation rate density

Motivated by suggestions of 'cosmic downsizing', in which the dominant contribution to the cosmic star formation rate density (SFRD) proceeds from higher to lower mass galaxies with increasing cosmic time, we describe the design and implementation of the Redshift One LDSS3 Emission line Survey (ROLES). ROLES is a K-selected (22.5 < K_AB < 24.0) survey for dwarf galaxies [8.5<log(M*/Msun)< 9.5] at 0.89 < z < 1.15 drawn from two extremely deep fields (GOODS-S and MS1054-FIRES). Using the [OII]3727 emission line, we obtain redshifts and star-formation rates (SFRs) for star-forming galaxies down to a limit of ~0.3 Msun/yr. We present the [OII] luminosity function measured in ROLES and find a faint end slope of alpha_faint ~ -1.5, similar to that measured at z~0.1 in the SDSS. By combining ROLES with higher mass surveys, we measure the SFRD as a function of stellar mass using [OII] (with and without various empirical corrections), and using SED-fitting to obtain the SFR from the rest-frame UV luminosity for galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts. Our best estimate of the corrected [OII]-SFRD and UV SFRD both independently show that the SFRD evolves equally for galaxies of all masses between z~1 and z~0.1. The exact evolution in normalisation depends on the indicator used, with the [OII]-based estimate showing a change of a factor of ~2.6 and the UV-based a factor of ~6. We discuss possible reasons for the discrepancy in normalisation between the indicators, but note that the magnitude of this uncertainty is comparable to the discrepancy between indicators seen in other z~1 works. Our result that the shape of the SFRD as a function of stellar mass (and hence the mass range of galaxies dominating the SFRD) does not evolve between z~1 and z~0.1 is robust to the choice of indicator. [abridged]Comment: Resubmitted to MNRAS following first referee report. 20 pages, 16 figures. High resolution version available at http://astro.uwaterloo.ca/~dgilbank/papers/roles2.pd

A faint galaxy redshift survey to B=24

Using the multislit LDSS-2 spectrograph on the {\it William Herschel Telescope} we have completed a redshift survey in the magnitude range $22.5<B< 24$ which has produced 73 redshifts representing a 73\% complete sample uniformly-selected from four deep fields at high Galactic latitude. The survey extends out to $z>1$ and includes the highest redshift galaxy ($z=1.108$) yet discovered in a field sample. The median redshift, \zmed=0.46, and form of the redshift distribution constitute compelling evidence against simple luminosity evolution as an explanation of the large excess of faint galaxies ($\simeq\times$2--4 no-evolution) seen in this magnitude range. Rather we identify the excess population as blue objects with $z\sim 0.4$ and $B$\, luminosities similar to local $L^*$ galaxies indicating a dramatic decrease in the density of such objects over the last Hubble time, confirming the trends found in brighter redshift surveys. We also find a marked absence of {\it very} low redshift galaxies ($z<$0.1) at faint limits, severely constraining any significant steepening of the local field galaxy luminosity function at low luminosities.Comment: uuencoded compressed postscript. The preprint are also available at URL http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/preprint/PrePrint.htm