A Subarcsecond Near-infrared View of Massive Galaxies at z > 1 with Gemini Multi-conjugate Adaptive Optics

We present images taken using the Gemini South Adaptive Optics Imager (GSAOI) with the Gemini Multi-conjugate Adaptive Optics System (GeMS) in three 2 arcmin^2 fields in the Spitzer Extragalactic Representative Volume Survey. These GeMS/GSAOI observations are among the first ≈0 1 resolution data in the near-infrared spanning extragalactic fields exceeding 1 5 in size. We use these data to estimate galaxy sizes, obtaining results similar to those from studies with the Hubble Space Telescope, though we find a higher fraction of compact star-forming galaxies at z > 2. To disentangle the star-forming galaxies from active galactic nuclei (AGNs), we use multiwavelength data from surveys in the optical and infrared, including far-infrared data from Herschel, as well as new radio continuum data from the Australia Telescope Compact Array and Very Large Array. We identify ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) at z ~ 1–3, which consist of a combination of pure starburst galaxies and AGN/starburst composites. The ULIRGs show signs of recent merger activity, such as highly disturbed morphologies and include a rare candidate triple-AGN. We find that AGNs tend to reside in hosts with smaller scale sizes than purely star-forming galaxies of similar infrared luminosity. Our observations demonstrate the potential for MCAO to complement the deeper galaxy surveys to be made with the James Webb Space Telescope