The clustering of Lyman break galaxies

We calculate the statistical clustering of Lyman-break galaxies predicted in a selection of currently fashionable structure formation scenarios. These models are all based on the cold dark matter model, but vary in the amount of dark matter, the initial perturbation spectrum, the background cosmology and the presence or absence of a cosmological constant term. If Lyman-break galaxies form as a result of hierarchical merging, the amplitude of clustering depends quite sensitively on the minimum halo mass that can host such a galaxy. Interpretation of the recent observations by Giavalisco et al. would therefore be considerably clarified by a direct determination of the relevant halo properties. For a typical halo mass around 10^11h^-1Msolar the observations do not discriminate strongly between cosmological models, but if the appropriate mass is larger, say 10^12h^-1Msolar (which seems likely on theoretical grounds), then the data strongly favour models with a low matter density.