Related papers: Optically identified QSO absorption systems and ga…

Aims: In this work the luminosity function of QSOs is measured in the redshift range 3.5<z<5.2 for the absolute magnitude interval -21<M_{145}<-28. The determination of the faint end of the luminosity function at these redshifts provides…

We present a short review of the current quasar (QSO) absorption line constraints on possible variation of the fine structure constant, alpha = e^2/(hbar*c). Particular attention is paid to recent optical Keck/HIRES spectra of 49 absorption…

This is the first paper in a series devoted to review the main properties of galaxies designated S0 in the Hubble classification system. Our aim is to gather abundant and, above all, robust information on the most relevant physical…

We have collected optical follow-up observations from the ground and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) for 13.74 square ' of archival images taken with the Near Infrared Camera and Multi Object Spectrograph (NICMOS). We use two criteria to…

We report the discovery of a strong CIV 1548,1550 absorption system at z_abs = 5.7238 in the near-infrared spectrum (J-band) of the z_em = 6.28 QSO SDSS J1030+0524. These observations, obtained with the Infrared Spectrometer And Array…

The Lyman decrement associated with the cumulative effect of HI in QSO absorption systems along the line of sight provides a distinctive feature for identifying galaxies at z>2.5. The Hubble Deep Field (HDF) observations offer the…

We present the first results on the history of star formation in the Universe based on the `cosmic spectrum', in particular, the volume-averaged, luminosity-weighted, stellar absorption line spectrum of present day galaxies from the 2dFGRS.…

We present multicolour images of the hosts of three z=2 QSOs previously detected in R-band by our group. The luminosities, colours and sizes of the hosts overlap with those of actively star-forming galaxies in the nearby Universe. Radial…

We are exploring galaxy evolution in low density environments exploiting smooth particle hydrodynamic simulations including chemo-photometric implementation. From a large grid of simulations of galaxy encounters and mergers starting from…

We present a search for metal absorption line systems at the highest redshifts to date using a deep (30h) VLT/X-Shooter spectrum of the z = 7.084 quasi-stellar object (QSO) ULAS J1120+0641. We detect seven intervening systems at z > 5.5,…

We present new limits on cosmological parameters from the statistics of gravitational lensing, based on the recently revised knowledge of the luminosity function and internal dynamics of E/S0 galaxies that are essential in lensing…

In this paper we present Monte-Carlo simulations of Lyman alpha absorption systems which originate in galactic haloes, galaxy discs and dark matter (DM) satellites around big central haloes. It is found that for strong Lyman alpha…

We present results from a search for galaxies that give rise to damped Lyman alpha (DLA), subDLA, and Lyman limit system (LLS) absorption at redshifts 0.1 ~< z ~< 1 in the spectra of background quasars. The sample was formed from a larger…

We report on the observed properties of the plasma revealed through high signal-to-noise (S/N) observations of 54 intervening O VI absorption systems containing 85 O VI and 133 H I components in a blind survey of 14 QSOs observed at ~18 km…

We present Gemini/GMOS-S multi-object spectroscopy of 31 galaxy cluster candidates at redshifts between 0.2 and 1.0 and centered on QSO sight-lines taken from Lopez et al. (2008). The targets were selected based on the presence of a…

We describe J,H,K deep imaging of 90 arcmin fields around 4 QSOs and one Radio galaxy at redshifts in the range 0.06 to 0.30, and show their images, luminosity profiles, and NIR 2-colour diagrams of objects. We find that the QSO hosts are…

We present high signal-to-noise optical spectra for 67 low-redshift (0.1 < z < 0.4) galaxies that lie within close projected distances (5 kpc < rho < 150 kpc) of 38 background UV-bright QSOs. The Keck LRIS and Magellan MagE data presented…

We report on the evolution of the number density and size of early-type galaxies from z~2 to z~0. We select a sample of 563 massive (M>10^{10} Msun), passively evolving (SSFR<10^{-2} Gyr^{-1}) and morphologically spheroidal galaxies at…

The environment of high-redshift galaxies is characterized by both wind-driven outflowing gas and gravitationally infalling streams. To investigate such galaxy-IGM interplay we have generated synthetic optical absorption line spectra…

[ABRIDGED] Using the Gaussian+Schechter composite luminosity functions measured from the ESO-Sculptor Survey (de Lapparent et al. 2003), we obtain evidence for evolution in the late spectral class containing late-type Spiral (Sc+Sd) and…