Clustering Properties of Low-Luminosity Star-Forming Galaxies at z = 0.24 and 0.40 in the Subaru Deep Field

Abstract

Abstract We present our analysis on the clustering properties of star-forming galaxies selected by narrow-band excesses in the Subaru Deep Field. Specifically, we focus on H$\alpha $ emitting galaxies at $z$$=$ 0.24 and $z$$=$ 0.40 in the same field, to investigate possible evolutionary signatures of clustering properties of star-forming galaxies. Based on an analysis on 228 H$\alpha $ emitting galaxies with 39.8 $\lt$ log$L$(H$\alpha $) $\lt$ 40.8 at $z$$=$ 0.40, we find that their two-point correlation function can be estimated as $\xi$$=$ ($r/$1.62$^{+0.64}_{-0.50}$Mpc)$^{-1.84\pm0.08}$. This is similar to that of H$\alpha $ emitting galaxies in the same H$\alpha $ luminosity range at $z$$=$ 0.24, $\xi$$=$ ($r/$1.88$^{+0.60}_{-0.49}$Mpc)$^{-1.89 \pm0.07}$. These correlation lengths are smaller than those for a brighter galaxy sample studied by Meneux et al. (2006) in the same redshift range. The evolution of the correlation length between $z$$=$ 0.24 and $z$$=$ 0.40 is interpreted by the gravitational growth of the dark-matter halos.