Morphological Evolution of Galaxies to z=4

Abstract

Galaxies have clearly evolved since the universe was 1 Gyr old, but methods to trace and quantify this evolution are still in their infancy. In this paper I demonstrate that with the careful use of a `physical morphology&#39; it is possible to determine quantitatively how the process of galaxy evolution is occurring out to z=4. Using a system of parameters that traces star formation and galaxy interactions, I show how distinct galaxy populations at high-z can be identified in deep high-resolution optical and NIR images. These tools are also used to measure a potential merger fraction of galaxies from 0<z<4. If these methods are reliable, as is suggested by a local galaxy calibration, the merger fraction of galaxies scales as (1+z)^{2.1+/-0.5}, peaks near z=2, and declines thereafter. I also discuss how this system is likely part of the ultimate physical classification of galaxies.