A search for Population III galaxies in CLASH. II. A multiply-imaged candidate at z ~ 7.8 behind Abell 2261

• While the Lyα emission line has served as an important tool in the study of galaxies at z < 6.5, Lyα emitters (LAE) have proved to be elusive at higher redshifts. If galaxies exhibiting high Lyα equivalent widths exist at z > 6.5, such rare objects may potentially stand out in multiband imaging surveys because of their unusual colors. We have conducted a search for such objects in the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH) survey, and here report on the discovery of three gravitationally lensed images of a single LAE candidate behind the Abell 2261 cluster. Model fits to the CLASH broadband photometry suggests very strong Lyα emission (rest-frame Lyα equivalent width EW(Lyα) > 200 Å, prior to any IGM correction) at a redshift of z ≈ 7.8.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Astronomi, astrofysik och kosmologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Galaxies: high-redshift -- dark ages

reionization

first stars -- techniques: photometric

Astronomy

astronomi

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

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