Large High Redshift Spectroscopic Surveys

Abstract

AbstractDeep spectroscopic redshift surveys have become an important tool for observational cosmology, supported by a new generation of wide field multi-object spectrographs. They bring high redshift accuracy and a wealth of spectral features necessary for precision astrophysics and have led to the outstanding progress in our understanding of the different phases of galaxy evolution. The measurement of the evolution of volume quantities like the luminosity and mass functions or the correlation function, has enabled a deep insight into galaxy evolution since redshifts z ≃ 7. The redshift distribution N(z,m) is a basic property but is still difficult to be reproduced by models. We have now a global perspective on the history of star formation with a peak at z = 1−2 but the decline in SFRD at higher redshifts is still to be confirmed. The evolution of the stellar mass density with a fast growth in red passive galaxies between z = 2 and z = 1 is well established. The contribution to galaxy mass assembly of key physical processes like merging or cold accretion is now well documented. However, the pioneer measurements at the high redshift end z > > 1 remain to be consolidated with robust sample selection and statistical accuracy from large spectroscopic redshift surveys, a challenge for the years to come.