Abstract
We have obtained deep HST ultraviolet (F275W/F336W) imaging of the lensing
cluster Abell1689. The images are used to identify z~2 star-forming galaxies
via their Lyman break. Because of the unprecedented depth of the images and the
large magnification provided by the cluster, we detect galaxies 100x fainter
than previous surveys at this redshift. After removing multiple images, we have
58 galaxies in our sample between -19.5 < MUV < -13. Because the mass
distribution of Abell 1689 is well constrained, we are able to calculate the
intrinsic sensitivity of the observations as a function of source plane
position, allowing determinations of effective volume as a function of
luminosity. We fit the faint-end slope of the luminosity function with our data
alone to be alpha=-1.56 +/- 0.13, somewhat shallower than the values obtained
at z > 3. There is no turnover in the luminosity function down to MUV = -13.
The observed trend of increasingly redder UV spectral slopes with luminosity at
higher redshifts is observed in our sample, but with redder slopes at all
luminosities and average reddening of <E(B-V)>= 0.15. We assume the stars in
these galaxies are metal poor (0.2 Z_sun) compared to their brighter
counterparts (Z_sun), resulting in bluer assumed intrinsic UV slopes and
larger derived dust extinction. The total UV luminosity density at z~2 is 4.3 x
10^26 erg/s/Hz/Mpc^3, 80% of which is emitted by galaxies in the luminosity
range of our sample. Finally, we determine the star formation rate density from
UV-selected galaxies at z~2 (assuming constant dust extinction correction of
4.2 over all luminosities and a Kroupa IMF) of 0.147 M_sun/yr/Mpc^3,
significantly higher than previous determinations because of the additional
fainter galaxies and the larger dust correction factors.abridged
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