Resolved observations of star-forming galaxies at cosmic noon with the Hubble Space Telescope and large ground-based facilities provide a view on the spatial distribution of stars, gas and dust, and probe gaseous motions revealing the central gravitational potential and local feedback processes at play. In this paper, we review recent insights gained from such observations, with an emphasis on results obtained through optical/near-infrared imaging and imaging spectroscopy. Their context and implications are documented more fully in a forthcoming review article by Förster Schreiber & Wuyts (in prep).

HST and integral-field spectroscopic observations of star-forming galaxies at cosmic noon provide a view on the spatial distribution of stars, gas and dust, and probe gaseous motions revealing the central gravitational potential and local feedback processes at play. In this paper, we review recent insights gained from such observations, with an emphasis on results obtained through near-infrared imaging spectroscopy. Their context and implications are documented more fully in a forthcoming review article by Förster Schreiber & Wuyts (in prep).

We use Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) Integral Field Unit (IFU) observations of a sample of 5 bright nearby Seyfert galaxies to map their emission-line flux distributions and kinematics at a spatial resolution ranging from 110 to 280 pc. For all galaxies, the gas kinematics show two components: a rotation and an outflow component.

Red Geysers are quiescent galaxies that show a bi-polar outflow, but the mechanism that produces this outflow is still unclear. Using MaNGA data, we find that Red Geysers correspond to ∼1.6% of the sample of galaxies already observed by MaNGA. About ∼16% of the Red Geysers show clear evidence of Active Galactic Nuclei, as revealed by emission-line ratios.

We use Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph integral Field Unit observations of the inner 285 × 400 pc2 region of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 5643 to map the [S iii]λ9069 emission line flux distribution and kinematics, as well as the stellar kinematics, derived by fitting the Ca iiλλλ8498,8542,8662 triplet, at a spatial resolution of 45 pc. The stellar velocity field shows regular rotation, with a projected velocity of 100 km s−1 and kinematic major axis along a position angle of –36°. A ring of low stellar velocity dispersion values (∼70 km s−1), attributed to young/intermediate age stellar populations, is seen surrounding the nucleus with a radius of 50 pc. We found that the [S iii] flux distribution shows an elongated structure along the east–west direction and its kinematics is dominated by outflows within a bi-cone at an ionised gas outflow rate of 0.3 M⊙ yr−1. In addition, velocity slices across the [S iii]λ9069 emission line reveal a kinematic component attributed to rotation of gas in the plane of the galaxy.

We present a new method for the detection and characterization of large scale expansion in galaxy discs based on Hα Fabry-Perot spectroscopy, taking advantage of the high spatial and velocity resolution of our instrument (GHαFaS). The method analyses multi-peaked emission line profiles to find expansion along the line of sight on a pixel-by-pixel basis. At this stage we have centred our attention on the large scale structures of expansive gas which show a coherent gradient of velocities from their centres as a result of both bubble shape and projection effect. The results show a wide range of expansion velocities in these superbubbles, ranging from 30-150 km/s, with the expected trend of finding the higher velocities in the more violent areas of the galaxies. We have applied the technique to the Antennae and M83, obtaining spectacular results, and used these to investigate to what extent kinematically derived ages can be found and used to characterize the ages of their massive star clusters.

Superbubbles and large scale expansion in galaxies are important indicators of activity in galaxies: they are formed in starbursts and around active nuclei. Superbubbles can be used to give information about the star-forming region which produced them. We present in-depth results of our study of kinematically detected superbubbles using a method based on Fabry-Perot spectroscopy, which allows us to map regions of expansion across the entire disk of a galaxy. Three objects have been selected for this poster based on the interest of the results they show: two interacting galaxies, the Antennae and Arp270, at different stages of galaxy interaction, and the more isolated galaxy M83. We present the kinematic expansion maps, as well as a census of detected superbubbles and a dynamical study of their properties.

Ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (LIR > 1012L⊙) are locally rare, but appear to dominate the co-moving energy density at higher redshifts (z > 2). Many of these are optically faint, dust-obscured galaxies that have been identified by the detection of their thermal dust emission in the sub-mm. Multi-wavelength spectroscopic follow-up observations of these sub-mm galaxies (SMGs) have shown that they are massive (Mstellar ~ 1011M⊙) objects undergoing intense star-formation (SFRs ~ 102–103M⊙ yr−1) with a mean redshift of z ~ 2, coinciding with the epoch of peak quasar activity. Furthermore, the presence of AGNs in ~ 28–50% of SMGs has been unveiled in the X-ray and near-IR. When both AGN and star-formation activity are present, long-slit spectroscopic techniques face difficulties in disentangling their independent contributions from integrated spectra. We have observed Hα emission from a sample of three SMGs in the redshift range z ~ 1.4–2.4 with the integral field spectrograph OSIRIS on Keck, in conjunction with Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics. The spatially resolved, two-dimensional spectroscopic insight that these observations provide is the only viable probe of the spatial distribution and line-of-sight motion of ionized gas within these galaxies. We detect multiple galactic-scale sub-components, distinguishing the compact, broad Hα emission arising from an AGN from the more extended narrow-line emission of star-forming regions spreading over ~ 8–17 kpc. We explore the dynamics of gas in the inner galaxy halo to improve our understanding of the internal dynamics of this enigmatic galaxy population. We find no evidence of ordered orbital motion such as would be found in a gaseous disk, but rather large velocity offsets of a few hundred kilometers per second between distinct galactic-scale sub-components. Considering the disturbed morphology of SMGs, these sub-components are likely remnants of originally independent gas-rich galaxies that are in the process of merging, hence triggering the ultraluminous SMG phase.

We present 2-D mapping and analysis of the gaseous kinematics of the inner 7″ × 5″ of one of nearest (z = 0.0414) and brightest post-starburst quasars (PSQ) by using spectra obtained with the Integral Field Unit (IFU) of the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph on the Gemini North Telescope (Allington-Smith et al. 2002). Such quasars are broad-lined AGNs that also show the Balmer jumps and the high-order Balmer absorption lines from A stars typical of massive post-starburst populations of a few hundred Myrs (Brotherton et al. 2007). From measurements of the emission-line profiles, we constructed two-dimensional maps for the flux distributions, line ratios, radial velocities and gas velocity dispersions for the Hβ and [Oiii] emitting gas, similar to those of previous studies by our group (e.g., Barbosa et al. 2009).

DEEP, AEGIS, and CATS are examples of spectroscopic, multiwavelength, and adaptive optics surveys, respectively, that are pushing the frontiers of stellar population studies of distant galaxies. Together, these surveys affirm the unprecedented richness of high quality information that can already be gathered using today's generation of ground and space telescopes. We highlight several results in extracting the stellar and dynamical masses, chemical abundances, ages, and frequency of galactic winds for galaxies at redshifts up to z ~ 1.4.

We present a study of remarkably luminous and unique dwarf galaxies at redshifts of 0.5 < z < 0.7, selected from the DEEP2 Galaxy Redshift survey by the presence of the temperature sensitive [OIII]λ4363 emission line. Measurements of this important auroral line, as well as other strong oxygen lines, allow us to estimate the integrated oxygen abundances of these galaxies accurately without being subject to the degeneracy inherent in the standard R23 system used by most studies. [O/H] estimates range between 1/5–1/10 of the solar value. Not surprisingly, these systems are exceedingly rare and hence represent a population that is not typically present in local surveys such as SDSS, or smaller volume deep surveys such as GOODS.

Our low-metallicity galaxies exhibit many unprecedented characteristics. With B-band luminosities close to L*, thse dwarfs lie significantly away from the luminosity-metallicity relationships of both local and intermediate redshift star-forming galaxies. Using stellar masses determined from optical and NIR photometry, we show that they also deviate strongly from corresponding mass-metallicity relationships. Their specific star formation rates are high, implying a significant burst of recent star formation. A campaign of high resolution spectroscopic follow-up shows that our galaxies have dynamical properties similar to local HII and compact emission line galaxies, but mass-to-light ratios that are much higher than average star-forming dwarfs.

The low metallicities, high specific star formation rates, and small halo masses of our galaxies mark them as lower redshift analogs of Lyman-Break galaxies, which, at z ~ 2 are evolving onto the metallicity sequence that we observe in the galaxy population of today. In this sense, these systems offer fundamental insights into the physical processes and regulatory mechanisms that drive galaxy evolution in that epoch of major star formation and stellar mass assembly.

Three new and still on-going surveys that combine the power of spectroscopy or adaptive optics from the Keck Telescopes with HST images are DEEP, AEGIS, and CATS. The advantages of each for the study of distant bulges are accompanied by a few highlights. We find that the vast fraction of luminous distant bulges appear very red, independent of the bulge luminosity, bulge fraction, disk color, and environment. Yet early-type galaxies appear to be relatively young at redshifts z ~ 1, are less numerous then, host many X-ray AGN's with some that are highly obscured, and have low but increasing dry-dry and dry-wet merger rates over time.

The existing stellar kinematic evidence for massive black holes at the centers of galaxies is based on ≲ 30% discrepancies between constant M/L models and kinematic data. We show that asymmetries in the observed velocity distributions may introduce systematic errors in the data/model comparisons which are of the same order and have the same sign as these discrepancies. Existing modeling has so far failed to account properly for these asymmetries. Major axis data of M32 are analyzed as a specific example.

We discuss the striking kinematic properties of the S0 galaxy NGC 4550. A detailed analysis of the line-of-sight velocity distribution (LOSVD) along the major axis shows that this galaxy contains two cold, cospatial, counterrotating disks with indistinguishable scale lengths and luminosities. The two disks, twins save the signs of their spin, are also found to have exponential luminosity profiles. We discuss qualitatively how this system might have formed.