IAU01300
Presentation type requested: ORAL
THE EVOLUTION OF DISTANT FIELD EARLY-TYPE GALAXIES.
Jon Willis
European Southern Observatory

We present the results of a continuing spectroscopic survey of approximately 3000 luminous (V - 5 log h < -20.5) field early-type galaxies at redshifts 0.3 < z < 0.6 constructed employing the 2dF facility at the AAO. The observed photometric and spectroscopic properties of the sample are employed to constrain the star formation history and space density of the early-type galaxy population over the observed redshift interval. We conclude that the sample is consistent with an old (>5Gyr), passively evolving luminosity-weighted stellar population whose integrated luminosity density displays no significant variation between a redshift of z=0.4 and z=0.1. Employing a combination of medium resolution VLT/FORS spectroscopy and NTT/SUSI2 imaging we have constructed the Fundamental Plane relation for a sub-sample of approximately 40 early-type galaxies drawn from the parent sample. Analysis of the Fundamental Plane relation is presented and employed to constrain further the star formation history of early-type galaxies as a function of environment.

Hewett Paul , Warren Stephen , Lewis Geraint

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