Probing High-Redshift Disks with Damped Lyman Alpha Systems

Abstract

Evidence is presented that the damped Lyman alpha absorption systems are the high-redshift (z > 3) progenitors of galaxy disks. I discuss kinematic evidence that the damped Lyman Alpha systems are rotating disks. I also discuss implications of the lack of metal-poor damped Lyman alpha systems with line width Delta v > 100 {\kms}. I then present new evidence stemming from correlations between element-abundance ratios and [Fe/H], which connects damped systems to the thick stellar disk of the Galaxy. I discuss the connections between damped Lyman alpha systems and Lyman break galaxies, and how [CII] 158 micron emission from damped Lyman alpha systems discriminates among competing theories of galaxy formation. ~

8 pages, 5 figures, To appear in the proceedings of the conference ``Galaxy Disks and Disk Galaxies'' (ASP Conference Series), eds. J.G. Funes & E.M. Corsini