(Proposal ID) S13A-096

(PI) Kajisawa, Masaru

(Proposal Title)
Probing Massive Galaxies in a Proto-cluster Selected by LAEs at z~2.4

(Abstract)
A proto-cluster around a radio galaxy 53W002 at z=2.39 was discovered as a 
density excess of Ly alpha Emitters (LAEs). Recently we found a significant 
high-density region (4.7' x 4.1') of LAEs at ~ 3 arcmin north of 53W002. We 
then searched NIR-selected massive galaxies at the same redshift in the proto-
cluster region and found that the color-selected massive galaxy candidates are 
preferentially located toward the high-density region of LAEs rather than 
around 53W002.  We here propose a NIR follow-up spectroscopy of the massive 
galaxy candidates at z~2.4 in order 1) to confirm whether these massive galaxy 
candidates belong to the proto-cluster or not, 2) to estimate the physical 
properties, especially, star formation activity in order to constrain  the 
evolutionary phase of these massive cluster members, 3) to compare 
3-dimensional spatial distribution between these massive galaxies and LAEs, 
and 4) to use the redshift distribution of these galaxies to investigate the 
dynamical state of the proto-cluster. We also propose additional JHK_s-bands 
imaging observations to search massive galaxies at z~2.4 over the whole 
high-density region of LAEs. These observations enable us to investigate how 
galaxies formed and evolved in the proto-cluster selected by LAEs.