Abstract
We present the results of detailed studies of the astrophysical conditions in z ~ 3 Lyman Break Galaxies (LBGs), with particular emphasis on what can be learned from LBG rest frame UV spectra. By drawing from our database of ~ 1000 spectra, and constructing high S/N composite spectra from galaxies grouped according to properties such as Ly alpha profile, kinematics, luminosity, and extinction, we show how the rest frame UV spectroscopic properties systematically depend on other galaxy properties. Such information is crucial to understanding the detailed nature of LBGs and their impact on the surrounding inter-galactic medium (IGM).
