The spatial distribution function of galaxies at high redshift

Abstract

This is the first exploration of the galaxy distribution function at redshifts greater than about 0.1. Redshifts are based on the North and South GOODS Catalogs. In each catalog we examine clustering in the two redshift bands 0.47 < z < 0.8 and 0.9 < z < 1.5. The mean redshifts of the samples in these bands are about 0.6 and 1.1. Our main result is that at these redshifts the galaxy spatial distribution function fV (N) has the form predicted by gravitational quasi-equilibrium dynamics for cosmological many-body systems. This constrains related processes such as galaxy merging and the role of dark matter in the range of these redshifts.