Comparing the Evolution of the Galaxy Disk Sizes with Cold Dark Matter Models: The Hubble Deep Field

The intrinsic sizes of the field galaxies with I-19) galaxies is skewed with respect to the CDM predictions, and an excess of small-size disks (Rd<2 kpc) is already present at z approximately 0.5. The excess persists up to z approximately 3 and involves brighter galaxies. Such an excess may be reduced if luminosity-dependent effects, like starburst activity in interacting galaxies, are included in the physical mechanisms governing the star formation history in CDM models.