| Abstract | We have detected 506 i-dropouts (z~6 galaxies) in deep, wide-area HST ACS fields: HUDF, enhanced GOODS, and HUDF parallel ACS fields (HUDF-Ps). The contamination levels are <~8% (i.e., >~92% are at z~6). With these samples, we present the most comprehensive, quantitative analyses of z~6 galaxies yet and provide optimal measures of the UV luminosity function (LF) and luminosity density at z~6, and their evolution to z~3. We redetermine the size and color evolution from z~6 to z~3. Field-to-field variations (cosmic variance), completeness, flux, and contamination corrections are modeled systematically and quantitatively. After corrections, we derive a rest-frame continuum UV (~1350 Å) LF at z~6 that extends to M1350,AB~-17.5 (0.04L*z=3). There is strong evidence for evolution of the LF between z~6 and z~3, most likely through a brightening (0.6+/-0.2 mag) of M* (at 99.7% confidence), although the degree depends on the faint-end slope. As expected from hierarchical models, the most luminous galaxies are deficient at z~6. Density evolution (φ*) is ruled out at >99.99% confidence. Despite large changes in the LF, the luminosity density at z~6 is similar to (0.82+/-0.21 times) that at z~3. Changes in the mean UV color of galaxies from z~6 to z~3 suggest an evolution in dust content, indicating that the true evolution is substantially larger: at z~6 the star formation rate density is just ~30% of the z~3 value. Our UV LF is consistent with z~6 galaxies providing the necessary UV flux to reionize the universe. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with program 9803. Observations have been carried out using the Very Large Telescope at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Paranal Observatory, under program ID LP168.A-0485. |
