10644(  1) - 04/05/05 12:14  - [  1]

    PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS   ST ScI Use Only
                                                       ID:      10644
                                                       Version: 1
                                                       Check-in Date: 05-Apr-2005
                                                                      16:14:14

1.Proposal Title:
Morphologies and MgII/CIV Absorption in 85 Intermediate Redshifts Galaxies
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2. Proposal For  3. Cycle  4. Parallel Pointing Tolerance
AR               14        <none>
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5. Investigators
                                                                                     Contact?
    PI: Prof. Christopher W. Churchill    New Mexico State University
   CoI: Mr. Glenn G. Kacprzak             New Mexico State University                   N

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6. Abstract

We propose to analyze archival WFPC-2 images of 85 MgII absorption selected
intermediate redshift galaxies, FOS spectra for 81 of these systems, and STIS quasar
spectra for 23 of these systems. Our goal is to chart the connections between the
kinematics, spatial distribution, and ionization conditions of the extended gaseous
components of earlier epoch galaxies and the morphologies, sightline orientations,
kinematics, and stellar populations of the host galaxies. The galaxy kinematics and
stellar populations are being obtained with ground based spectra of the galaxies.
The gas properties are studied from their absorption signatures in both ground based
and HST quasar spectra. The galaxy moprhologies are studied using the high-spatial
resolution HST images. The archival HST data will also be used to study the
quantified morphological properties of all detected galaxies within 100-200 kpc of
the quasar. We should be able to perform this analysis on galaxies with m_r<24.
Thus, we will exploit the HST data beyond their originally proposed science goals by
undertaking an ambituous study of very weak and "non-absorbing" galaxies in these
fields. Overall, our goal is to perform an unprecedented study of the galaxy-gas
connection in intermediate redshift galaxies. We will increase the sample size by a
factor of ten over previous studies and we will, for the first time, include
quantified morphological information on the galaxies. Due to the large field of view
and high spatial resolution of the HST images and to the very high sensitivity of
the HIRES spectra (by a factor of ten over previous studies), we will be able to
perform a thorough analysis of "non-absorbing" galaxies. We aim to measure the
absorbing gas physical extent and covering factor as a function of MgII column
density and compare this with the high ionization absorption and galaxy
morphological properties.
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                                                10644(  1) - 04/05/05 12:14  - [  2]

            Summary Form for Proposal  10644

  Item                         Used in this proposal
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  Proposal Category            AR
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