STELLAR POPULATIONS OF LYMAN BREAK GALAXIES AT z ≃ 1-3 IN THE HST /WFC3 EARLY RELEASE SCIENCE OBSERVATIONS

We analyze the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) at z [~ or =] 1-3 selected using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST)Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) UVIS channel filters. These HST/WFC3 observations cover about 50 arcmin2 in the GOODS-South field as a part of the WFC3 Early Release Science program. These LBGs at z [~ or =] 1-3 are selected using dropout selection criteria similar to high-redshift LBGs. The star-forming galaxies selected using other color-based techniques show similar correlations at z [~ or =] 2, but to avoid any selection biases, and for direct comparison with LBGs at z > 3, a true Lyman break selection at z [~ or =] 2 is essential. The future HST UV surveys, both wider and deeper, covering a large luminosity range are important to better understand LBG properties and their evolution.