The Space Density of Moderate Luminosity Active Galaxies at z=3

We present an estimate of the space density of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) at z=3. Combining deep X-ray data with Lyman Break Galaxy (LBG) colour-selection in the rest-frame UV makes for highly efficient identification of AGN in a narrow redshift range (z~2.5-3.5). Using Chandra data from the Groth-Westphal Strip and the Hubble Deep Field North, we find a total of 15 X-ray detected LBGs at z~3, the majority of which are unlikely to have been identified in blanket followup surveys of X-ray detected objects. We find the comoving space density of moderate luminosity AGN at z=3 to be a factor ~10 higher than the most powerful objects. The available data are consistent with a roughly constant space density of MLAGN from z=0.5-3, and they are also consistent with a mild decline in the space density above z=1 as predicted by the luminosity-dependent density evolution models of Ueda et al. (2003). This strong AGN activity at z=3 argues against previous suggestions that the majority of black hole accretion occurs at low redshift. A further implication of our investigation is that, as far as can be determined from current data, the majority of the AGN population at z~3 are selected by the LBG dropout technique. Although this is sensitive to AGN with a UV-excess due to an accretion disk, it predominantly identifies star-forming galaxies. A significant fraction of X-ray sources seem likely to be hosted by these more typical LBGs, further strengthening the starburst-AGN connection at high redshift.