The Large Early Galaxy Astrophysics Census (LEGA-C) Data Release 3: 3000 High-quality Spectra of K <sub> s </sub>-selected Galaxies at z > 0.6
Arjen van der Wel, Rachel Bezanson, Francesco D’Eugenio, Caroline M. S. Straatman, Marijn Franx, Josha van Houdt, Michael V. Maseda, Anna Gallazzi, Po-Feng Wu, Camilla Pacifici, Ivana Barišić, Gabriel Brammer, J. C. Muñoz-Mateos, Sarah Vervalcke, S. Zibetti, David Sobral, Anna de Graaff, João Calhau, Yasha Kaushal, Adam Muzzin, Eric F. Bell, Pieter van Dokkum
Abstract
Abstract We present the third and final data release of the Large Early Galaxy Astrophysics Census (LEGA-C), an ESO/Very Large Telescope public spectroscopic survey targeting 0.6 < z < 1.0, K s -selected galaxies. The data release contains 3528 spectra with measured stellar velocity dispersions and stellar population properties, a 25-fold increase in sample size compared to previous work. This K s -selected sample probes the galaxy population down to ∼0.3 L *, for all colors and morphological types. Along with the spectra, we publish a value-added catalog with stellar and ionized gas velocity dispersions, stellar absorption line indices, emission-line fluxes, and equivalent widths, complemented with structural parameters measured from Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys imaging. With its combination of high precision and large sample size, LEGA-C provides a new benchmark for galaxy evolution studies.