Spectra of Cluster Galaxies at z~0.4

Abstract

The ``MORPHS'' group has obtained an extensive spectroscopic dataset of galaxies in the fields of 10 rich clusters at $0.37<z<0.56$; the stellar population properties of about 700 objects have been determined from a detailed analysis of spectral line strenghts and colours, up to a galactic absolute magnitude $M_V=-20.3$ mag. Morphological informations for a consistent fraction of our sample have been previously derived from deep images of the central regions of these clusters taken with the WFPC-2 on board the HST. Spectral and morphological features can be compared in order to study the star formation histories of the different galactic types in clusters; here we show some preliminary results of this comparison.

4 pages, uses the Latex paspconf.sty, proceedings paper of the Rome meeting "The Young Universe", Rome 29 Sep/ 3 Oct 1997