| 1. |
- Fujimoto, Seiji, et al.
(author)
-
ALMA Lensing Cluster Survey: Bright [C ii] 158 mu m Lines from a Multiply Imaged Sub-L* Galaxy at z=6.0719
- 2021
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 1538-4357 .- 0004-637X. ; 911:2
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present bright [C ii] 158 mu m line detections from a strongly magnified and multiply imaged (mu similar to 20-160) sub-L* (MUV=-19.75-0.44+0.55) Lyman-break galaxy (LBG) at z = 6.0719 +/- 0.0004, drawn from the ALMA Lensing Cluster Survey (ALCS). Emission lines are identified at 268.7 GHz at >= 8 sigma exactly at the positions of two multiple images of the LBG, behind the massive galaxy cluster RXCJ0600-2007. Our lens models, updated with the latest spectroscopy from VLT/MUSE, indicate that a sub region of the LBG crosses the caustic, and is lensed into a long (similar to 6 '') arc with a local magnification of mu similar to 160, for which the [C ii] line is also significantly detected. The source plane reconstruction resolves the interstellar medium (ISM) structure, showing that the [C ii] line is co-spatial with the rest-frame UV continuum at a scale of similar to 300 pc. The [C ii] line properties suggest that the LBG is a rotation-dominated system, whose velocity gradient explains a slight difference in redshifts between the whole LBG and its sub-region. The star formation rate (SFR)-L-[CII] relations, for whole and sub-regions of the LBG, are consistent with those of local galaxies. We evaluate the lower limit of the faint-end of the [C ii] luminosity function at z = 6, finding it to be consistent with predictions from semi-analytical models and from the local SFR-L-[CII] relation with a SFR function at z = 6. These results imply that the local SFR-L-[CII] relation is universal for a wide range of scales, including the spatially resolved ISM, the whole region of the galaxy, and the cosmic scale, even in the epoch of reionization.
|
|
| 2. |
- Welch, Brian, et al.
(author)
-
JWST Imaging of Earendel, the Extremely Magnified Star at Redshift z=6.2
- 2022
-
In: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : Institute of Physics (IOP). - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 940
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The gravitationally lensed star WHL 0137-LS, nicknamed Earendel, was identified with a photometric redshift z (phot) = 6.2 +/- 0.1 based on images taken with the Hubble Space Telescope. Here we present James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Near Infrared Camera images of Earendel in eight filters spanning 0.8-5.0 mu m. In these higher-resolution images, Earendel remains a single unresolved point source on the lensing critical curve, increasing the lower limit on the lensing magnification to mu > 4000 and restricting the source plane radius further to r < 0.02 pc, or similar to 4000 au. These new observations strengthen the conclusion that Earendel is best explained by an individual star or multiple star system and support the previous photometric redshift estimate. Fitting grids of stellar spectra to our photometry yields a stellar temperature of T (eff) similar to 13,000-16,000 K, assuming the light is dominated by a single star. The delensed bolometric luminosity in this case ranges from log(L)=5.8 L-theta, which is in the range where one expects luminous blue variable stars. Follow-up observations, including JWST NIRSpec scheduled for late 2022, are needed to further unravel the nature of this object, which presents a unique opportunity to study massive stars in the first billion years of the universe.
|
|
| 3. |
- Erb, Dawn K., et al.
(author)
-
Subkiloparsec Imaging of Lyα Emission in a Low-mass, Highly Ionized, Gravitationally Lensed Galaxy at z=1.84
- 2019
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 884:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Low-mass, low-metallicity galaxies at low to moderate (z less than or similar to 3) redshifts offer the best opportunity for detailed examination of the interplay between massive stars, ionizing radiation and gas in sources similar to those that likely reionized the universe. We present new narrowband Hubble Space Telescope observations of Ly alpha emission and the adjacent ultraviolet (UV) continuum in the low-mass (M-star = 2 x 10(8) M-circle dot), low-metallicity (Z similar to 1/20 Z(circle dot)), and highly ionized gravitationally lensed galaxy SL2S J02176-0513 at z.=.1.844. The galaxy has strong Lya emission with photometric equivalent width W-Ly alpha(phot)= 218 +/- 12 angstrom , at odds with the Lya escape fraction of 10%. However, the spectroscopic Ly alpha profile suggests the presence of broad absorption underlying the emission, and the total equivalent width is consistent with the escape fraction once this underlying absorption is included. The Lya emission is more spatially extended than the UV continuum, and the 0 14 spatial resolution of HST coupled with the magnification of gravitational lensing enables us to examine the distribution of Ly alpha and the UV continuum on subkiloparsec scales. We find that the peaks of the Ly alpha emission and the UV continuum are offset by 650 pc, and there is no Ly alpha emission arising from the region with the strongest UV light. Our combined spectroscopic and imaging data imply a significant range in neutral hydrogen column density across the object. These observations offer indirect support for a model in which ionizing radiation escapes from galaxies through channels with low column density of neutral gas.
|
|
| 4. |
- Fujimoto, Seiji, et al.
(author)
-
JWST and ALMA Multiple-line Study in and around a Galaxy at z =8.496: Optical to Far-Infrared Line Ratios and the Onset of an Outflow Promoting Ionizing Photon Escape
- 2024
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - 1538-4357 .- 0004-637X. ; 964:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) deep spectroscopy for a lensed galaxy at z(spec) = 8.496 with log(M-star/M-circle dot) similar to 7.8 whose optical nebular lines and stellar continuum are detected by JWST/NIRSpec and NIRCam Early Release Observations in the field of SMACS J0723.3-7327. Our ALMA spectrum shows [O III] 88 mu m and [C II] 158 mu m line detections at 4.0 sigma and 4.5 sigma, respectively. The redshift and position of the [O III] line coincide with those of the JWST source, while the [C II] line is blueshifted by 90 km s(-1) with a spatial offset of 0.'' 5 (approximate to 0.5 kpc in the source plane) from the centroid of the JWST source. The NIRCam F444W image, including [O III] lambda 5007 and H beta line emission, spatially extends beyond the stellar components by a factor of >8. This indicates that the z = 8.5 galaxy has already experienced strong outflows as traced by extended [O III] lambda 5007 and offset [C II] emission, which would promote ionizing photon escape and facilitate reionization. With careful slit-loss corrections and the removal of emission spatially outside the galaxy, we evaluate the [O III] 88 mu m/lambda 5007 line ratio, and derive the electron density n (e) by photoionization modeling to be 220(-130)(+230) cm(-3), which is comparable with those of z similar to 2-3 galaxies. We estimate an [O III] 88 mu m/[C II] 158 mu m line ratio in the galaxy of >4, as high as those of known z similar to 6-9 galaxies. This high [O III] 88 mu m/[C II] 158 mu m line ratio is generally explained by the high n(e) as well as the low metallicity (Z(gas)/Z(circle dot)=0.04(-0.02)(+0.02)), high ionization parameter (log U > -2.27), and low carbon-to-oxygen abundance ratio (log(C/O) = [-0.52: -0.24]) obtained from the JWST/NIRSpec data; further [C II] follow-up observations will constrain the covering fraction of photodissociation regions.
|
|
| 5. |
- Hsiao, Tiger Yu-Yang, et al.
(author)
-
JWST Reveals a Possible z similar to 11 Galaxy Merger in Triply Lensed MACS0647-JD
- 2023
-
In: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : American Astronomical Society. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 949:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- MACS0647-JD is a triply lensed z similar to 11 galaxy originally discovered with the Hubble Space Telescope. The three lensed images are magnified by factors of similar to 8, 5, and 2 to AB mag 25.1, 25.6, and 26.6 at 3.5 mu m. The brightest is over a magnitude brighter than other galaxies recently discovered at similar redshifts z > 10 with JWST. Here, we report new JWST imaging that clearly resolves MACS0647-JD as having two components that are either merging galaxies or stellar complexes within a single galaxy. The brighter larger component "A" is intrinsically very blue (ss similar to-2.6 +/- 0.1), likely due to very recent star formation and no dust, and is spatially extended with an effective radius similar to 70 +/- 24 pc. The smaller component "B" (r similar to 20-+ 58 pc) appears redder (ss similar to-2 +/- 0.2), likely because it is older (100-200 Myr) with mild dust extinction (AV similar to 0.1 mag). With an estimated stellar mass ratio of roughly 2:1 and physical projected separation similar to 400 pc, we may be witnessing a galaxy merger 430 million years after the Big Bang. We identify galaxies with similar colors in a high-redshift simulation, finding their star formation histories to be dissimilar, which is also suggested by the spectral energy distribution fitting, suggesting they formed further apart. We also identify a candidate companion galaxy "C" similar to 3 kpc away, likely destined to merge with A and B. Upcoming JWST Near Infrared Spectrograph observations planned for 2023 January will deliver spectroscopic redshifts and more physical properties for these tiny magnified distant galaxies observed in the early universe.
|
|
| 6. |
-
Spatially Resolved Stellar Populations of 0.3 < z < 6.0 Galaxies in WHL 0137–08 and MACS 0647+70 Clusters as Revealed by JWST : How Do Galaxies Grow and Quench over Cosmic Time?
- 2023
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 945:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We study the spatially resolved stellar populations of 444 galaxies at 0.3 < z < 6.0 in two clusters (WHL 0137–08 and MACS 0647+70) and a blank field, combining imaging data from the Hubble Space Telescope and JWST to perform spatially resolved spectral energy distribution (SED) modeling using ᴘɪXᴇᴅꜰɪᴛ. The high spatial resolution of the imaging data combined with magnification from gravitational lensing in the cluster fields allows us to resolve a large fraction of our galaxies (109) to subkiloparsec scales. At redshifts around cosmic noon and higher (2.5 ≲ z ≲ 6.0), we find mass-doubling times to be independent of radius, inferred from flat specific star formation rate (sSFR) radial profiles and similarities between the half-mass and half-SFR radii. At lower redshifts (1.5 ≲ z ≲ 2.5), a significant fraction of our star-forming galaxies shows evidence for nuclear starbursts, inferred from a centrally elevated sSFR and a much smaller half-SFR radius compared to the half-mass radius. At later epochs, we find more galaxies suppress star formation in their centers but are still actively forming stars in the disk. Overall, these trends point toward a picture of inside-out galaxy growth consistent with theoretical models and simulations. We also observe a tight relationship between the central mass surface density and global stellar mass with ∼0.38 dex scatter. Our analysis demonstrates the potential of spatially resolved SED analysis with JWST data. Future analysis with larger samples will be able to further explore the assembly of galaxy mass and the growth of their structures.
|
|
| 7. |
- Vanzella, Eros, et al.
(author)
-
JWST/NIRCam Probes Young Star Clusters in the Reionization Era Sunrise Arc
- 2023
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 945:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Star cluster formation in the early universe and its contribution to reionization remains largely unconstrained to date. Here we present JWST/NIRCam imaging of the most highly magnified galaxy known at z ∼ 6, the Sunrise arc. We identify six young massive star clusters (YMCs) with measured radii spanning from ∼20 down to ∼1 pc (corrected for lensing magnification), estimated stellar masses of ∼106–7 M⊙, and ages of 1–30 Myr based on SED fitting to photometry measured in eight filters extending to rest frame 7000 Å. The resulting stellar mass surface densities are higher than 1000 M⊙ pc−2 (up to a few 105 M⊙ pc−2), and their inferred dynamical ages qualify the majority of these systems as gravitationally bound stellar clusters. The star cluster ages map the progression of star formation along the arc, with two evolved systems (≳10 Myr old) followed by very young clusters. The youngest stellar clusters (<5 Myr) show evidence of prominent Hβ+[O ııı] emission based on photometry with equivalent widths larger than >1000 Å rest frame and are hosted in a 200 pc sized star-forming complex. Such a region dominates the ionizing photon production with a high efficiency log(ξion [Hz erg-1]~25.7 . A significant fraction of the recently formed stellar mass of the galaxy (10%–30%) occurred in these YMCs. We speculate that such sources of ionizing radiation boost the ionizing photon production efficiency, which eventually carves ionized channels that might favor the escape of Lyman continuum radiation. The survival of some of the clusters would make them the progenitors of massive and relatively metal-poor globular clusters in the local universe.
|
|
