Recent studies (Law et al. 2009, Förster-Schreiber et al. 2009) have attempted to study the gas dynamics of z~2 LBGs in order to shed some light on the formation process of these objects - with mixed conclusions.

For our studies, we utilize the OSIRIS instrument to study the gas dynamics of the Lyman Break Analogs (LBAs). Taking spatially resolved, adaptive optics (AO) assisted spectra of these objects, we are able to study the kinematics of ionized hydrogen in star forming galaxies with amazing detail. In comparison with the previously mentioned studies, we can reach signal-to-noise ratios 4-5 times greater than their high-redshift AO-observed counterparts, and physical resolution 20 times as fine as the one in the non-AO data, down to 200 pc per resolution element.

Direct comparisons show, again, that our galaxies resemble the high-redshift ones. Gas kinematics is remarkably similar, with low v/sigma ratios and very high velocity dispersions. There is a strong trend with stellar mass, with more massive objects showing stronger signs of rotationally-supported dynamics. Artificially simulated data at high redshift, however, shows that our galaxies, with a number of sub-kpc star formation clumps, would be blended into giant clumps due to loss of resolution - exactly as observed by other groups.

For more information, look for Basu-Zych et al. (2009) and Gonçalves et al., in prep.