ABSTRACT
A wealth of extragalactic populations completely missed at UV-optical wavelengths has been identified in the last decade, combining the deepest HST and Spitzer observations. These dark ...sources are thought to be dusty and star-forming systems at 3 < z < 5, and major contributors to the stellar mass build up. In this letter, we report an investigation of the deep JWST survey in the SMACS0723 cluster, analysing NIRCam and MIRI images. We search for sources in the F444W band that are undetected in the F200W catalogues. We characterize the properties of these sources via detailed Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) modelling, accounting for a wide set of parameters and star formation histories, after a careful determination of their photometry. Among a robust sample of 20 candidates, we identify a mixed population of very red sources. We highlight the identification of evolved systems, with stellar masses M* ∼ 109–11 M⊙ at 8 < z < 13 characterized by unexpectedly important dust content at those epochs (AV up to ∼5.8 mag), challenging current model predictions. We further identify an extremely red source (F200W-F440W ∼ 7 mag) that can be reproduced only by the spectrum of a passive, quenched galaxy of M* ∼ 1011.56 M⊙ at z ∼ 5, filled of dust (AV ∼ 5 mag).
We present a comprehensive investigation of the cosmological evolution of the luminosity function of galaxies and active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in the infrared (IR). Based on the observed dichotomy ...in the ages of stellar populations of early-type galaxies on one side and late-type galaxies on the other, the model interprets the epoch-dependent luminosity functions at z > or = 1.5 using a physical approach for the evolution of proto-spheroidal galaxies and of the associated AGNs, while IR galaxies at z < 1.5 are interpreted as being mostly late-type "cold" (normal) and "warm" (star-burst) galaxies. The modeled AGN contributions to the counts and to the cosmic infrared background (CIB) are always sub-dominant. A prediction of the present model, useful to test it, is a systematic variation with wavelength of the populations dominating the counts and the contributions to the CIB intensity. This implies a specific trend for cross-wavelength CIB power spectra, which is found to be in good agreement with the data.
Abstract
The star formation rate density (SFRD) history of the universe is well constrained up to redshift
z
∼ 2. At earlier cosmic epochs, the picture has been largely inferred from UV-selected ...galaxies (e.g., Lyman-break galaxies; LBGs). However, the inferred star formation rates of LBGs strongly depend on the assumed dust extinction correction, which is not well constrained at high
z
, while observations in the radio domain are not affected by this issue. In this work we measure the SFRD from a 1.4 GHz selected sample of ∼600 galaxies in the GOODS-N field up to redshift ∼3.5. We take into account the contribution of active galactic nuclei from the infrared-radio correlation. We measure the radio luminosity function, fitted with a modified Schechter function, and derive the SFRD. The cosmic SFRD shows an increase up to
z
∼ 2 and then an almost flat plateau up to
z
∼ 3.5. Our SFRD is in agreement with those from other far-IR/radio surveys and a factor 2 higher than those from LBG samples. We also estimate that galaxies lacking a counterpart in the HST/WFC3
H
-band (
H-
dark) make up ∼25% of the
ϕ
-integrated SFRD relative to the full sample at
z
∼ 3.2, and up to 58% relative to LBG samples.
We have used two catalogues, a Herschel catalogue selected at 500 μm (HerMES) and an IRAS catalogue selected at 60 μm (RIFSCz), to contrast the sky at these two wavelengths. Both surveys demonstrate ...the existence of “extreme” starbursts, with star-formation rates (SFRs) > 5000 M⊙ yr−1. The maximum intrinsic star-formation rate appears to be ~30 000 M⊙ yr−1. The sources with apparent SFR estimates higher than this are in all cases either lensed systems, blazars, or erroneous photometric redshifts. At redshifts between three and five, the time-scale for the Herschel galaxies to make their current mass of stars at their present rate of star formation is ~108 yr, so these galaxies are making a significant fraction of their stars in the current star-formation episode. Using dust mass as a proxy for gas mass, the Herschel galaxies at redshift three to five have gas masses comparable to their mass in stars. Of the 38 extreme starbursts in our Herschel survey for which we have more complete spectral energy distribution (SED) information, 50% show evidence for QSO-like optical emission, or exhibit AGN dust tori in the mid-infrared SEDs. In all cases however the infrared luminosity is dominated by a starburst component. We derive a mean covering factor for AGN dust as a function of redshift and derive black hole masses and black hole accretion rates. There is a universal ratio of black-hole mass to stellar mass in these high redshift systems of ~10−3, driven by the strong period of star-formation and black-hole growth at z = 1−5.
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Abstract
About 12 billion years ago, the Universe was first experiencing light again after the dark ages, and galaxies filled the environment with stars, metals, and dust. How efficient was this ...process? How fast did these primordial galaxies form stars and dust? We can answer these questions by tracing the star formation rate density (SFRD) back to its widely unknown high-redshift tail, traditionally observed in the near-infrared (NIR), optical, and UV bands. Thus, objects with a large amount of dust were missing. We aim to fill this knowledge gap by studying radio-selected NIR-dark (RS-NIRdark) sources, i.e., sources not having a counterpart at UV-to-NIR wavelengths. We widen the sample of Talia et al. from 197 to 272 objects in the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) field, including also photometrically contaminated sources, which were previously excluded. Another important step forward consists in the visual inspection of each source in the bands from
u
* to MIPS 24
μ
m. According to their “environment” in the different bands, we are able to highlight different cases of study and calibrate an appropriate photometric procedure for the objects affected by confusion issues. We estimate that the contribution of RS-NIRdark sources to the cosmic SFRD at 3 <
z
< 5 is ∼10%–25% of that based on UV-selected galaxies.
Abstract
In the last decades, an increasing scientific interest has been growing in the elusive population of
dark
(i.e., lacking an optical/near-IR, hereafter NIR, counterpart) dusty star-forming ...galaxies (DSFGs). Although extremely promising for their likely contribution to the cosmic star formation rate density (SFRD) and for their possible role in the evolution of the first massive and passive galaxies around
z
∼ 3, the difficulty in selecting statistically significant samples of dark DSFGs is limiting their scientific potentialities. This work presents the first panchromatic study of a sample of 263 radio-selected NIR-dark (RS-NIRdark) galaxies discovered in the COSMOS field following the procedure by Talia et al. These sources are selected as radio-bright galaxies (
S
3 GHz
> 12.65
μ
Jy) with no counterpart in the NIR-selected COSMOS2020 catalog (
Ks
≳ 25.5 mag). For these sources, we build a new photometric catalog including accurate photometry from the optical to the radio obtained with a new deblending pipeline (Photometry Extractor for Blended Objects, or
PhoEBO
). We employ this catalog to estimate the photo-
z
s and the physical properties of the galaxies through an spectral energy distribution-fitting procedure performed with two different codes (
Magphys
and
Cigale
). Finally, we estimate the active galactic nucleus contamination in our sample by performing a series of complementary tests. The high values of the median extinction (
A
v
∼ 4) and star formation rate (SFR ∼ 500
M
⊙
yr
−1
) confirm the likely DSFG nature of the RS-NIRdark galaxies. The median photo-
z
(
z
∼ 3) and the presence of a significant tail of high-
z
candidates (
z
> 4.5) suggest that these sources are important contributors to the cosmic SFRD and the evolutionary path of galaxies at high redshifts.
We present the first C II 158 μm luminosity function (LF) at z ∼ 5 from a sample of serendipitous lines detected in the ALMA Large Program to INvestigate C II at Early times (ALPINE). A study of the ...118 ALPINE pointings revealed several serendipitous lines. Based on their fidelity, we selected 14 lines for the final catalog. According to the redshift of their counterparts, we identified eight out of 14 detections as C II lines at z ∼ 5, along with two as CO transitions at lower redshifts. The remaining four lines have an elusive identification in the available catalogs and we considered them as C II candidates. We used the eight confirmed C II and the four C II candidates to build one of the first C II LFs at z ∼ 5. We found that 11 out of these 12 sources have a redshift very similar to that of the ALPINE target in the same pointing, suggesting the presence of overdensities around the targets. Therefore, we split the sample in two (a “clustered” and “field” subsample) according to their redshift separation and built two separate LFs. Our estimates suggest that there could be an evolution of the C II LF between z ∼ 5 and z ∼ 0. By converting the C II luminosity to the star-formation rate, we evaluated the cosmic star-formation rate density (SFRD) at z ∼ 5. The clustered sample results in a SFRD ∼10 times higher than previous measurements from UV–selected galaxies. On the other hand, from the field sample (likely representing the average galaxy population), we derived a SFRD ∼1.6 higher compared to current estimates from UV surveys but compatible within the errors. Because of the large uncertainties, observations of larger samples will be necessary to better constrain the SFRD at z ∼ 5. This study represents one of the first efforts aimed at characterizing the demography of C II emitters at z ∼ 5 using a mm selection of galaxies.
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A multiwavelength study of galaxies is important to understand their formation and evolution. Only in the recent past, thanks to the Atacama Large (Sub) Millimeter Array (ALMA), were we able to study ...the far-infrared (IR) properties of galaxies at high redshifts. In this article, we summarize recent research highlights and their significance to our understanding of early galaxy evolution from the ALPINE survey, a large program with ALMA to observe the dust continuum and 158μm C+ emission of normal star-forming galaxies at z= 4–6. Combined with ancillary data at UV through near-IR wavelengths, ALPINE provides the currently largest multiwavelength sample of post-reionization galaxies and has advanced our understanding of (i) the demographics of C+ emission; (ii) the relation of star formation and C+ emission; (iii) the gas content; (iv) outflows and enrichment of the intergalactic medium; and (v) the kinematics, emergence of disks, and merger rates in galaxies at z>4. ALPINE builds the basis for more detailed measurements with the next generation of telescopes, and places itself as an important post-reionization baseline sample to allow a continuous study of galaxies over 13 billion years of cosmic time.
ABSTRACT
We present a detailed analysis of the X-ray, infrared, and carbon monoxide (CO) emission for a sample of 35 local (z ≤ 0.15), active (LX ≥ 1042 erg s−1) galaxies. Our goal is to infer the ...contribution of far-ultraviolet (FUV) radiation from star formation (SF), and X-ray radiation from the active galactic nuclei (AGNs), respectively, producing photodissociation regions (PDRs) and X-ray-dominated regions (XDRs), to the molecular gas heating. To this aim, we exploit the CO spectral line energy distribution (CO SLED) as traced by Herschel, complemented with data from single-dish telescopes for the low-J lines, and high-resolution ALMA images of the mid-J CO emitting region. By comparing our results to the Schmidt–Kennicutt relation, we find no evidence for AGN influence on the cold and low-density gas on kpc-scales. On nuclear (r = 250 pc) scales, we find weak correlations between the CO line ratios and either the FUV or X-ray fluxes: this may indicate that neither SF nor AGN radiation dominates the gas excitation, at least at r = 250 pc. From a comparison of the CO line ratios with PDR and XDR models, we find that PDRs can reproduce observations only in presence of extremely high gas densities (n > 105 cm−3). In the XDR case, instead, the models suggest moderate densities (n ≈ 102−4 cm−3). We conclude that a mix of the two mechanisms (PDR for the mid-J, XDR, or possibly shocks for the high-J) is necessary to explain the observed CO excitation in active galaxies.