The Physical Properties of Galaxies 7 Billion Years Ago

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A key challenge in understanding galaxy formation is to characterize the structure and stellar content of galaxies across cosmic time. However, current techniques to measure the properties of distant galaxies are mostly based on photometry, subject to important systematic uncertainties. In order to remedy this we are conducting the LEGA-C survey: 128 nights on ESO's Very Large Telescope has been awarded to the writer of this proposal to obtain high-quality spectra of ~3000 distant galaxies over the next 5 years. These spectra will reveal the kinematic structure and stellar age and composition of galaxies at large look-back time. This enormous telescope time investment will directly teach us about galaxies ~7 Gyrs ago and will be crucial for the preparation of new missions and facilities in the next decade.Through this proposal I ask for funding for a postdoctoral researcher. The crucial role played by this researcher will be the execution and oversight of the data reduction pipeline and the kinematic analysis of the galaxy spectra. This work will enable a large number of projects and publications based on LEGA-C data. In particular, the researcher is expected to derive the first dynamical mass function of galaxies at significant look-back times.