Context. Determining the strength of the Lyman continuum (LyC) and the fraction of LyC escape have implications for the properties of the emitting sources at any redshift, but also for the ...re-ionization of the Universe at z > 6. Aims. We aim to measure the LyC signal from a sample of sources in the Chandra deep field south. We collect star-forming galaxies (SFGs) and active galactic nuclei (AGN) with accurate spectroscopic redshifts, for which Hubble Space Telescope (HST) coverage and multi-wavelength photometry are available. Methods. We selected a sample of about 200 sources at z ~ 3. Taking advantage of HST resolution, we applied a careful cleaning procedure and rejected sources showing nearby clumps with different colours, which could be lower-z interlopers. Our clean sample consisted of 86 SFGs (including 19 narrow-band selected Lyα emitters) and 8 AGN (including 6 detected in X-rays). We measured the LyC flux from aperture photometry in four narrow-band filters covering wavelengths below a 912 Å rest frame (3.11 < z < 3.53). We estimated the ratio between ionizing (LyC flux) and 1400 Å non-ionizing emissions for AGN and galaxies. Results. By running population synthesis models, we assume an average intrinsic Lν(1400 Å)/Lν(900 Å) ratio of 5 as the representative value for our sample. With this value and an average treatment of the lines of sight of the inter-galactic medium, we estimate the LyC escape fraction relative to the intrinsic value (fescrel(LyC)). We do not directly detect ionizing radiation from any individual SFG, but we are able to set a 1(2)σ upper limit of fescrel(LyC) < 12(24)%. This result is consistent with other non-detections published in the literature. No meaningful limits can be calculated for the sub-sample of Lyα emitters. We obtain one significant direct detection for an AGN at z = 3.46, with fescrel(LyC) = (72 ± 18)%. Conclusions. Our upper limit on fescrel(LyC) implies that the SFGs studied here do not present either the physical properties or the geometric conditions suitable for efficient LyC-photon escape.
Approximately 20%-30% of 1.4 unk z unk 2.5 galaxies with unk < 22 detected with Spitzer MIPS at 24 mu m show excess mid-IR emission relative to that expected based on the rates of star formation ...measured from other multiwavelength data. These galaxies also display some near-IR excess in Spitzer IRAC data, with an SED peaking longward of 1.6 mu m in the rest frame, indicating the presence of warm dust emission usually absent in star-forming galaxies. Stacking Chandra data for the mid-IR excess galaxies yields a significant hard X-ray detection at rest-frame energies >6.2 keV. The stacked X-ray spectrum rises steeply at >10 keV, suggesting that these sources host Compton-thick AGNs with column densities N sub(H) unk 10 super(24) cm super(-2) and an average, unobscured X-ray luminosity unk approximately (1-4) x 10 super(43) ergs s super(-1). Their sky density ( similar to 3200 deg super(-2)) and space density ( similar to 2.6 x 10 super(-4) Mpc super(-3)) are twice those of X-ray-detected AGNs at z approximately 2, and much larger than those of previously known Compton-thick sources at similar redshifts. The mid-IR excess galaxies are part of the long sought after population of distant heavily obscured AGNs predicted by synthesis models of the X-ray background. The fraction of mid-IR excess objects increases with galaxy mass, reaching similar to 50%-60% for M similar to 10 super(11) M unk, an effect likely connected with downsizing in galaxy formation. The ratio of the inferred black hole growth rate from these Compton-thick sources to the global star formation rate at z = 2 is similar to the mass ratio of black holes to stars in local spheroids, implying concurrent growth of both within the precursors of today's massive galaxies.
Context. Going from a redshift of 6 down to nearly 4, galaxies grow rapidly from low-mass galaxies towards the more mature types of massive galaxies seen at cosmic noon. Growth via gas accretion and ...mergers undoubtedly shape this evolution, however, there is considerable uncertainty at present over the contribution of each of these processes to the overall evolution of galaxies. Furthermore, previous characterisations of the morphology of galaxies in the molecular gas phase have been limited by the coarse resolution of earlier observations. Aims. In this work, we utilise new high-resolution ALMA CII observations to analyse three main sequence (MS) galaxy systems at a redshift of z ∼ 4.5 and at resolutions of up to 0.15″. This approach enables us to investigate the morphology and kinematics on a kpc scale and understand the processes at play as well as the classifications of galaxies at high resolution. Thanks to this unique window, we are able to gain insights into the molecular gas of MS galaxies undergoing mass assembly in the early Universe. Methods. We used intensity and velocity maps, position-velocity diagrams, and radial profiles of CII in combination with dust continuum maps to analyse the morphology and kinematics of the three systems. Results. In general, we find that the high-resolution ALMA data reveal more complex morpho-kinematic properties. For one galaxy in our sample, we identified interaction-induced clumps, demonstrating the profound effect that mergers have on the molecular gas in galaxies, which is consistent with what has been suggested by recent simulations. One galaxy that was previously classified as dispersion-dominated turned out to show two bright CII emission regions, which could either be classified as merging galaxies or massive star-forming regions within the galaxy itself. The high-resolution data for the other dispersion dominated object also revealed clumps of CII that had not been identified previously. Within the sample, we might also detect star-formation powered outflows (or outflows from active galactic nuclei) that appear to be fuelling diffuse gas regions and enriching the circumgalactic medium. The new high-resolution ALMA data we present in this paper reveal that the galaxies in our sample are much more complex than they previously appeared in the low-resolution ALPINE data. In particular, we find evidence of merger induced clumps in the galaxy DC8187, along with signs of merging components for the other two objects. This may be evidence that the number of mergers at high redshift are significantly underestimated at present.
Context. The exploration of the relation between galaxy sizes and other physical parameters (luminosity, mass, star formation rate) has provided important clues for understanding galaxy formation, ...but such exploration has until recently been limited to intermediate redshift objects. Aims. We use the currently available CANDELS Deep+Wide surveys in the GOODS-South, UDS and EGS fields, complemented by data from the HUDF09 program, to address the relation between size and luminosity at z ~ 7. Methods. The six different fields used for this study are characterized by a wide combination of depth and areal coverage, well suited for reducing the biases on the observed size-magnitude plane. From these fields, we select 153 z-band dropout galaxies. Detailed simulations have been carried out for each of these six fields, inserting simulated galaxies at different magnitudes and half light radius in the two dimensional images for all the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) bands available and recovering them as carried out for the real galaxies. These simulations allow us to derive precisely the completeness as a function of size and magnitude and to quantify measurements errors/biases, under the assumption that the 2D profile of z = 7 galaxies is well represented by an exponential disk function. Results. We find in a rather robust way that the half light radius distribution function of z ~ 7 galaxies fainter than J = 26.6 is peaked at ≤ 0.1 arcsec (or equivalently 0.5 kpc proper), while at brighter magnitudes high-z galaxies are typically larger than ~0.15 arcsec. We also find a well defined size-luminosity relation, Rh ∝ L1/2. We compute the luminosity function (LF) in the HUDF and P12HUDF fields, finding large spatial variation on the number density of faint galaxies. Adopting the size distribution and the size-luminosity relation found for faint galaxies at z = 7, we derive a mean slope of −1.7 ± 0.1 for the LF of LBGs at this redshift. Conclusions. Using this LF, we find that the number of ionizing photons emitted from galaxies at z ~ 7 cannot keep the Universe re-ionized if the IGM is clumpy (CHII ≥ 3) and the Lyman continuum escape fraction of high-z LBGs is relatively low (fesc ≤ 0.3). If these results are confirmed and strengthened by future CANDELS data, in particular by the forthcoming deep observations in GOODS-South and North and the wide field COSMOS, we can put severe limits to the role of galaxies in the reionization of the Universe.
We report on observations of Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) selected from the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey at mean redshifts z ~ 4, 5, and 6 (B 435-, V 606-, and i 775-band dropouts, ...respectively), obtained with the red-sensitive FORS2 spectrograph at the ESO VLT. This program has yielded spectroscopic identifications for 114 galaxies (~60% of the targeted sample), of which 51 are at z ~ 4, 31 at z ~ 5, and 32 at z ~ 6. We demonstrate that the adopted selection criteria are effective, identifying galaxies at the expected redshift with minimal foreground contamination. Of the 10% interlopers, 83% turn out to be Galactic stars. Once selection effects are properly accounted for, the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) spectra of the higher redshift LBGs appear to be similar to their counterparts at z ~ 3. As at z ~ 3, LBGs at z ~ 4 and z ~ 5 are observed with Lya both in emission and in absorption; when in absorption, strong interstellar lines are also observed in the spectra. The stacked spectra of Lya absorbers and emitters also show that the former have redder UV spectra and stronger but narrower interstellar lines, a fact also observed at z ~ 2 and 3. At z ~ 6, sensitivity issues bias our sample toward galaxies with Lya in emission; nevertheless, these spectra appear to be similar to their lower redshift counterparts. As in other studies at similar redshifts, we find clear evidence that brighter LBGs tend to have weaker Lya emission lines. At fixed rest-frame UV luminosity, the equivalent width of the Lya emission line is larger at higher redshifts. At all redshifts where the measurements can be reliably made, the redshift of the Lya emission line turns out to be larger than that of the interstellar absorption lines (ISLs), with a median velocity difference V ~ 400 km s-1 at z ~ 4 and 5, consistent with results at lower redshifts. This shows that powerful, large-scale winds are common at high redshift. In general, there is no strong correlation between the morphology of the UV light and the spectroscopic properties. However, galaxies with deep ISLs and strong Lya absorption appear to be more diffuse than galaxies with Lya in emission.
Aims. We present the full data set of the spectroscopic campaign of the ESO/GOODS program in the GOODS-South field, obtained with the FORS2 spectrograph at the ESO/VLT. Methods. Objects were selected ...as candidates for VLT/FORS2 observations primarily based on the expectation that the detection and measurement of their spectral features would benefit from the high throughput and spectral resolution of FORS2. The reliability of the redshift estimates is assessed using the redshift-magnitude and color- redshift diagrams, and comparing the results with public data. Results. Including the third part of the spectroscopic campaign (12 masks) to the previous work (26 masks, Vanzella et al. 2005, 2006), 1715 spectra of 1225 individual targets have been analyzed. The actual spectroscopic catalog provides 887 redshift determinations. The typical redshift uncertainty is estimated to be sigma_z simeq 0.001. Galaxies have been selected adopting different color criteria and using photometric redshifts. The resulting redshift distribution typically spans two domains: from z = 0.5 to 2 and z = 3.5 to 6.3. The reduced spectra and the derived redshifts are released to the community through the ESO web page http://www.eso.org/science/goods/.
We use data taken as part of Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) observations of the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) to identify massive ...and evolved galaxies at 3 < z < 4.5. This is performed using the strength of the Balmer break feature at rest-frame 3648 A, which is a diagnostic of the age of the stellar population in galaxies. Using the WFC3 H-band-selected catalog for the CANDELS GOODS-S field and deep multi-waveband photometry from optical (HST) to mid-infrared (Spitzer) wavelengths, we identify a population of old and evolved post-starburst galaxies based on the strength of their Balmer breaks (Balmer break galaxies, BBGs). The galaxies are also selected to be bright in rest-frame near-IR wavelengths and hence massive. We identify a total of 16 BBGs. Fitting the spectral energy distribution of the BBGs shows that the candidate galaxies have average estimated ages of ~800 Myr and average stellar masses of ~5 x 10 super(10) M sub(middot in circle), consistent with being old and massive systems. Two of our BBG candidates are also identified by the criteria that are sensitive to star-forming galaxies (Lyman break galaxy selection). We find a number density of ~3.2 x 10 super(-5) Mpc super(-3) for the BBGs, corresponding to a mass density of ~2.0 x 10 super(6) M sub(middot in circle) Mpc super(-3) in the redshift range covering the survey. Given the old age and the passive evolution, it is argued that some of these objects formed the bulk of their mass only a few hundred million years after the big bang.
The Epoch of Reionization (EoR) began when galaxies grew in abundance and luminosity, so their escaping Lyman continuum (LyC) radiation started ionizing the surrounding neutral intergalactic medium ...(IGM). Despite significant recent progress, the nature and role of cosmic reionizers are still unclear: in order to define them, it would be necessary to directly measure their LyC escape fraction ( f esc ). However, this is impossible during the EoR due to the opacity of the IGM. Consequently, many efforts at low and intermediate redshift have been made to determine measurable indirect indicators in high-redshift galaxies so that their f esc can be predicted. This work presents the analysis of the indirect indicators of 62 spectroscopically confirmed star-forming galaxies at 6 ≤ z ≤ 9 from the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) survey, combined with 12 sources with public data from other JWST-ERS campaigns. From the NIRCam and NIRSpec observations, we measured their physical and spectroscopic properties. We discovered that on average 6 < z < 9 star-forming galaxies are compact in the rest-frame UV ( r e ∼ 0.4 kpc), are blue sources (UV- β slope ∼ − 2.17), and have a predicted f esc of about 0.13. A comparison of our results to models and predictions as well as an estimation of the ionizing budget suggests that low-mass galaxies with UV magnitudes fainter than M 1500 = −18 that we currently do not characterize with JWST observations probably played a key role in the process of reionization.
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