ABSTRACT
We measure the size–mass relation and its evolution between redshifts 1 < z < 3, using galaxies lensed by six foreground Hubble Frontier Fields clusters. The power afforded by strong ...gravitation lensing allows us to observe galaxies with higher angular resolution beyond current facilities. We select a stellar mass limited sample and divide them into star-forming or quiescent classes based on their rest-frame UVJ colours from the ASTRODEEP catalogues. Source reconstruction is carried out with the recently released lenstruction software, which is built on the multipurpose gravitational lensing software lenstronomy. We derive the empirical relation between size and mass for the late-type galaxies with $M_{*}\gt 3\times 10^{9}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$ at 1 < z < 2.5 and $M_{*}\gt 5\times 10^{9}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$ at 2.5 < z < 3, and at a fixed stellar mass, we find galaxy sizes evolve as $R \rm _{eff} \propto (1+z)^{-1.05\pm 0.37}$. The intrinsic scatter is <0.1 dex at z < 1.5 but increases to ∼0.3 dex at higher redshift. The results are in good agreement with those obtained in blank fields. We evaluate the uncertainties associated with the choice of lens model by comparing size measurements using five different and publicly available models, finding the choice of lens model leads to a 3.7 per cent uncertainty of the median value, and ∼25 per cent scatter for individual galaxies. Our work demonstrates the use of strong lensing magnification to boost resolution does not introduce significant uncertainties in this kind of work, and paves the way for wholesale applications of the sophisticated lens reconstruction technique to higher redshifts and larger samples.
We present a pilot study on the origin and assembly history of the intracluster starlight (ICL) for four galaxy clusters at 0.44 ≤ z ≤ 0.57 observed with the Hubble Space Telescope from the Cluster ...Lensing and Supernova Survey with Hubble (CLASH) sample. Using this sample of CLASH clusters we set an empirical limit on the amount of scatter in ICL surface brightness profiles of such clusters at z = 0.5, a mean of 0.24 mag arcsec−2 for 10 < r < 110 kpc, and constrain the progenitor population and formation mechanism of the ICL by measuring the ICL surface brightness profile, the ICL colour and colour gradient, and the total ICL luminosity within the same radial range. This scatter is physical – it exceeds the observational errors, straightforward expectations from the range of cluster masses in our sample, and predictions based on published evolutionary models for the variance attributable to the redshift span of our sample. We associate the additional scatter with differences in ICL assembly process, formation epoch, and/or ICL content. Using stellar population synthesis models we transform the observed colours to metallicity. For three of the four clusters we find clear negative gradients that, on average, decrease from supersolar in the central regions of the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) to subsolar in the ICL, under the assumption that the age of the intracluster stars is >11 Gyr. Such negative colour (and equivalently, metallicity) gradients can arise from tidal stripping of L* galaxies and/or the disruption of dwarf galaxies, but not major mergers with the BCG. We also find that the ICL at 110 kpc has a colour comparable to m* + 2 red sequence galaxies, suggesting that out to this radius the ICL is dominated by stars liberated from galaxies with L > 0.2 L*. Finally, we find ICL luminosities of 4–8 L* in the range 10 < r < 110 kpc for these clusters. Neither dwarf disruption nor major mergers with the BCG alone can explain this level of luminosity and remain consistent with either the observed evolution in the faint-end slope of the luminosity function or predictions for the number of BCG major mergers since z = 1. Taken together, the results of this pilot study are suggestive of a formation history for these clusters in which the ICL is built-up by the stripping of >0.2L* galaxies, and disfavour significant contribution to the ICL by dwarf disruption or major mergers with the BCG.
Abstract
Detections and non-detections of Lyman alpha (Lyα) emission from z > 6 galaxies (<1 Gyr after the big bang) can be used to measure the timeline of cosmic reionization. Of key interest to ...measuring reionization’s mid-stages, but also increasing observational challenge, are observations at z > 7, where Lyα redshifts to near infra-red wavelengths. Here we present a search for z > 7.2 Lyα emission in 53 intrinsically faint Lyman Break Galaxy candidates, gravitationally lensed by massive galaxy clusters, in the KMOS Lens-Amplified Spectroscopic Survey (KLASS). With integration times of ∼7–10 h, we detect no Lyα emission with signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) > 5 in our sample. We determine our observations to be 80 per cent complete for 5σ spatially and spectrally unresolved emission lines with integrated line flux >5.7 × 10−18 erg s−1 cm−2. We define a photometrically selected sub-sample of 29 targets at z = 7.9 ± 0.6, with a median 5σ Lyα EW limit of 58 Å. We perform a Bayesian inference of the average intergalactic medium (IGM) neutral hydrogen fraction using their spectra. Our inference accounts for the wavelength sensitivity and incomplete redshift coverage of our observations, and the photometric redshift probability distribution of each target. These observations, combined with samples from the literature, enable us to place a lower limit on the average IGM neutral hydrogen fraction of $\gt 0.76 \,\, (68{{\ \rm per\ cent}}), \,\, \gt 0.46 \,\, (95{{\ \rm per\ cent}})$ at z ∼ 8, providing further evidence of rapid reionization at z ∼ 6–8. We show that this is consistent with reionization history models extending the galaxy luminosity function to $M_ \rm {\small UV}\lesssim -12$, with low ionizing photon escape fractions, $f_\textrm{esc} \lesssim 15{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$.
Abstract
We present the results of a first search for galaxy candidates at
z
∼ 9–15 on deep seven-band NIRCam imaging acquired as part of the GLASS-James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Early Release ...Science Program on a flanking field of the Frontier Fields cluster A2744. Candidates are selected via two different renditions of the Lyman-break technique, isolating objects at
z
∼ 9–11, and
z
∼ 9–15, respectively, supplemented by photometric redshifts obtained with two independent codes. We find five color-selected candidates at
z
> 9, plus one additional candidate with photometric redshift
z
phot
≥ 9. In particular, we identify two bright candidates at
M
UV
≃ −21 that are unambiguously placed at
z
≃ 10.6 and
z
≃ 12.2, respectively. The total number of galaxies discovered at
z
> 9 is in line with the predictions of a nonevolving luminosity function. The two bright ones at
z
> 10 are unexpected given the survey volume, although cosmic variance and small number statistics limits general conclusions. This first search demonstrates the unique power of JWST to discover galaxies at the high-redshift frontier. The candidates are ideal targets for spectroscopic follow-up in Cycle-2.
ABSTRACT
We measure the size–luminosity relation of photometrically selected galaxies within the redshift range z ∼ 6–9, using galaxies lensed by six foreground Hubble Frontier Fields (HFF) clusters. ...The power afforded by strong gravitational lensing allows us to observe fainter and smaller galaxies than in blank fields. We select our sample of galaxies and obtain their properties, e.g. redshift, magnitude, from the photometrically derived ASTRODEEP catalogues. The intrinsic size is measured with the Lenstruction software, and completeness maps are created as a function of size and luminosity via the GLACiAR2 software. We perform a Bayesian analysis to estimate the intrinsic and incompleteness-corrected size–luminosity distribution, with parametrization re ∝ Lβ. We find slopes of $\beta =0.50^{+0.07}_{-0.07}$ at z ∼ 6 − 7 and $\beta =0.67^{+0.14}_{-0.15}$ at z ∼ 8.5, adopting the Bradac lens model. Our inferred slopes are consistent with other independent determinations of the size–luminosity relation from the HFF data set and steeper than that obtained from the bright galaxies in blank fields. We also investigate the systematic uncertainties associated with the choice of lens models, finding that the slopes of size–luminosity relations derived from different models are mutually consistent, i.e. modelling errors are not a significant source of discrepancy between the size–luminosity relation of blank and lensed fields.
Measurements of stellar properties of galaxies when the universe was less than one billion years old yield some of the only observational constraints on the onset of star formation. We present here ...the inclusion of Spitzer/IRAC imaging in the fitting of the spectral energy distribution of the seven highest-redshift galaxy candidates selected from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging of the Reionization Lensing Cluster Survey. We find that for six out of eight HST-selected z ∼ 8 sources, the z ∼ 8 solutions are still strongly preferred over z ∼ 1-2 solutions after the inclusion of Spitzer fluxes, and two prefer a z ∼ 7 solution, which we defer to a later analysis. We find a wide range of intrinsic stellar masses (5 × 106-4 × 109 M ), star formation rates (0.2-14 M yr−1), and ages (30-600 Myr) among our sample. Of particular interest is A1763-1434, which shows evidence of an evolved stellar population (∼500 Myr) at z ∼ 8, implying that its first generation of star formation occurred <100 Myr after the Big Bang. SPT0615-JD, a spatially resolved z ∼ 10 candidate, remains at its high redshift, supported by deep Spitzer/IRAC data, and also shows some evidence for an evolved stellar population. Even with the lensed, bright apparent magnitudes of these z 8 candidates (H = 26.1-27.8 AB mag), only the James Webb Space Telescope will be able to exclude the possibility of abnormally strong nebular emission, large dust content, or some combination thereof, and confirm the presence of evolved stellar populations early in the universe.
We introduce the OSIRIS Lens-Amplified Survey (OLAS), a kinematic survey of gravitationally lensed galaxies at cosmic noon taken with Keck adaptive optics. In this paper, we present spatially ...resolved spectroscopy and nebular emission kinematic maps for 17 star-forming galaxies with stellar masses 8 < log(M*/M ) < 9.8 and redshifts 1.2 < z < 2.3. OLAS is designed to probe the stellar mass (M*) and specific star formation rate (sSFR) range where simulations suggest that stellar feedback is most effective at driving gaseous outflows that create galaxy-wide potential fluctuations, which can generate dark matter cores. We compare our kinematic data with the trend among sSFR, M*, and H velocity dispersion, , from the Feedback In Realistic Environments (FIRE) simulations. Our observations reveal a correlation between sSFR and at fixed M* that is similar to the trend predicted by simulations: feedback from star formation drives star-forming gas and newly formed stars into more dispersion-dominated orbits. The observed magnitude of this effect is in good agreement with the FIRE simulations, in which feedback alters the central density profiles of low-mass galaxies, converting dark matter cusps into cores over time. Our data support the scenario that stellar feedback drives gaseous outflows and potential fluctuations, which in turn drive dark matter core formation in dwarf galaxies.
We present spectroscopy and laser guide star adaptive optics (LGSAO) images of the doubly imaged lensed quasar SDSS J1206+4332. We revise the deflector redshift proposed previously to z
d = 0.745, ...and measure for the first time its velocity dispersion σ = (290 ± 30) km s−1. The LGSAO data show the lensed quasar host galaxy stretching over the astroid caustic thus forming an extra pair of merging images, which was previously thought to be an unrelated galaxy in seeing limited data. Owing to the peculiar geometry, the lens acts as a natural coronagraph on the broad-line region of the quasar so that only narrow
$\left.\mathrm{C {\scriptscriptstyle III}}\right$
emission is found in the fold arc. We use the data to reconstruct the source structure and deflector potential, including nearby perturbers. We reconstruct the point-spread function (PSF) from the quasar images themselves, since no additional point source is present in the field of view. From gravitational lensing and stellar dynamics, we find the slope of the total mass density profile to be γ′ = −log ρ/log r = 1.93 ± 0.09. We discuss the potential of SDSS J1206+4332 for measuring a time-delay distance (and thus H
0 and other cosmological parameters), or as a standard ruler, in combination with the time-delay published by the COSMOGRAIL collaboration. We conclude that this system is very promising for cosmography. However, in order to achieve competitive precision and accuracy, an independent characterization of the PSF is needed. Spatially resolved kinematics of the deflector would reduce the uncertainties further. Both are within the reach of current observational facilities.
ABSTRACT We study the stellar population properties of the IRAC-detected 6 z 10 galaxy candidates from the Spitzer UltRa Faint SUrvey Program. Using the Lyman Break selection technique, we find a ...total of 17 galaxy candidates at 6 z 10 from Hubble Space Telescope images (including the full-depth images from the Hubble Frontier Fields program for MACS 1149 and MACS 0717) that have detections at signal-to-noise ratios ≥ 3 in at least one of the IRAC 3.6 and 4.5 m channels. According to the best mass models available for the surveyed galaxy clusters, these IRAC-detected galaxy candidates are magnified by factors of ∼1.2-5.5. Due to the magnification of the foreground galaxy clusters, the rest-frame UV absolute magnitudes M1600 are between −21.2 and −18.9 mag, while their intrinsic stellar masses are between 2 × 108M and 2.9 × 109M . We identify two Ly emitters in our sample from the Keck DEIMOS spectra, one at zLy = 6.76 (in RXJ 1347) and one at zLy = 6.32 (in MACS 0454). We find that 4 out of 17 z 6 galaxy candidates are favored by z 1 solutions when IRAC fluxes are included in photometric redshift fitting. We also show that IRAC 3.6-4.5 color, when combined with photometric redshift, can be used to identify galaxies which likely have strong nebular emission lines or obscured active galactic nucleus contributions within certain redshift windows.
Abstract
We report the discovery of a spectroscopically confirmed strong Ly
α
emitter at
z
= 7.0281 ± 0.0003, observed as part of the Reionization Lensing Cluster Survey (RELICS). This galaxy, dubbed ...“Dichromatic Primeval Galaxy” at
z
∼ 7 (DP7), shows two distinct components. While fairly unremarkable in terms of its ultraviolet (UV) luminosity (
∼
0.3
L
UV
*
, where
L
UV
*
is the characteristic luminosity), DP7 has one of the highest observed Ly
α
equivalent widths (EWs) among Ly
α
emitters at
z
> 6 (>200 Å in the rest frame). The strong Ly
α
emission generally suggests a young metal-poor, low-dust galaxy; however, we find that the UV slope
β
of the galaxy as a whole is redder than typical star-forming galaxies at these redshifts, −1.13 ± 0.84, likely indicating, on average, a considerable amount of dust obscuration, or an older stellar population. When we measure
β
for the two components separately, however, we find evidence of differing UV colors, suggesting two separate stellar populations. Also, we find that Ly
α
is spatially extended and likely larger than the galaxy size, hinting to the possible existence of a Ly
α
halo. Rejuvenation or merging events could explain these results. Either scenario requires an extreme stellar population, possibly including a component of Population III stars, or an obscured active galactic nucleus. DP7, with its low UV luminosity and high Ly
α
EW, represents the typical galaxies that are thought to be the major contribution to the reionization of the universe, and for this reason DP7 is an excellent target for follow-up with the James Webb Space Telescope.
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