Surveys for Z>1 Field Galaxies; David Crampton

Abstract

In the course of the comprehensive CFRS redshift survey to I = 22.5 with the CFHT MOS/SIS spectrograph, we have observed ~25 field galaxies with z > 1. However, it is clear that almost an equal number, predominantly red galaxies, have likely been missed largely because of limitations in the observed wavelength range. The properties of the observed galaxies and the reasons for the presumed incompleteness are briefly discussed in this contribution, and strategies for improving our methods of observing high redshift galaxies are explored. In particular, it is demonstrated that sky subtraction to the required limiting magnitude is possible even with very low spectral resolution, and that new IR arrays and new optical designs for multi-object spectrographs will allow us to easily reach field galaxies at z > 1.