A solar metallicity galaxy at z > 7? Possible detection of the [N II] 122 mu m and [O III] 52 mu m lines

• We present the first detection of the [NII] 122 mu m and [O III ] 52 mu m lines for a reionization-epoch galaxy. Based on these lines and previous [C II ] 158 mu m and [O III ] 88 mu m measurements, using two different radiati ve transfer models of the interstellar medium, we estimate an upper limit on electron density of < 500 cm(-3) and an approximate gas-phase metallicity of Z/Z(circle dot) similar to 1.1 +/- 0.2 for A1689-zD1, a gravitationally lensed dusty galaxy at z = 7.133. Other measurements or indicators of metallicity so far in galaxy interstellar media at z greater than or similar to 6 are typically an order of magnitude lower than this. The unusually high metallicity makes A1689-zD1 inconsistent with the fundamental metallicity relation, although there is likely significant dust obscuration of the stellar mass, which may partly resolve the inconsistency. Given a solar metallicity, the dust-to-metals ratio is a factor of several lower than expected, hinting that galaxies be yond z similar to 7 may hav e lower dust formation efficiency . Finally , the inferred nitrogen enrichment compared to oxygen, on which the metallicity measurement depends, indicates that star formation in the system is older than about 250 Myr, pushing the beginnings of this galaxy to z > 10.

Ämnesord

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

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

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Matematik -- Sannolikhetsteori och statistik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Mathematics -- Probability Theory and Statistics (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Fusion, plasma och rymdfysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

galaxies:ISM

galaxies:high-redshift

submillimetre:galaxies

ISM:abundances

galaxies:individual:(A1689-zD1)

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