Clumpy Galaxies in the Early Universe

Abstract

AbstractClumpy galaxies are prominent in the early Universe. We present morphological and photometric properties of a wide range of galaxy types and their star-forming clumps in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. Sizes, scale lengths, and scale heights suggest that galaxies grow by a factor of 2 fromz= 4 to the present, and that thick disks are present in the early Universe. The largest clumps of star formation are 107–109M⊙in different galaxies, much more massive than large star-forming complexes in local galaxies. Dissolved clumps may account for both the exponential disks and the early thick disks of spirals and proto-spiral galaxies.