Program: GS-2007B-Q-33

This proposal is aimed at searching for Lyman alpha lines from a recently discovered class of massive and evolved galaxies at very high redshift. The observations will be done using low resolution spectroscopy with GMOS-S. Recent deep surveys using optical to mid-infrared broad-band photometric data have shown the possible existence of galaxies with stellar masses 10^11 Mo at z>5. These galaxies are characterized by modest star formation activity and have ages of several 100 Myrs, placing the main star formation activity at redshifts z~9 and higher. The characteristics of these galaxies have been inferred through the use of population synthesis models fitted to broad-band photometric data. In order to verify the correctness of the results, we need spectroscopic confirmation of the redshifts. We have selected 8 targets with photometric redshifts in the range 4.9-6.2, that have a good probability of showing Lyman-alpha emission and which have redshifts making the emission observable with GMOS-S.