Halo Gas Research Articles

You Are What You Eat: The Circumgalactic Medium around BreakBRD Galaxies Has Low Mass and Angular Momentum

Observed breakBRD (“break bulges in red disks”) galaxies are a nearby sample of face-on disk galaxies with particularly centrally concentrated star formation: they have red disks but recent star formation in their centers as measured by the D n 4000 spectral index. In Kopenhafer et al., a comparable population of breakBRD analogs was identified in the TNG simulation, in which the central concentration of star formation was found to reflect a central concentration of dense, star-forming gas caused by a lack of dense gas in the galaxy outskirts. In this paper, we examine the circumgalactic medium of the central breakBRD analogs to determine if the extended halo gas also shows differences from that around comparison galaxies with comparable stellar mass. We examine the circumgalactic medium gas mass, specific angular momentum, and metallicity in these galaxy populations. We find less gas in the circumgalactic medium of breakBRD galaxies, and that the breakBRD circumgalactic medium is slightly more concentrated than that of comparable M * galaxies. In addition, we find that the angular momentum in the circumgalactic medium of breakBRD galaxies tends to be low for their stellar mass, and shows more misalignment to the angular momentum vector of the stellar disk. Finally, we find that the circumgalactic medium metallicity of breakBRD galaxies tends to be high for their stellar mass. Together with their low star formation rate, we argue that these circumgalactic medium properties indicate a small amount of disk feeding concentrated in the central regions and a lack of low-metallicity gas accretion from the intergalactic medium.

The cosmic web in Lyman-alpha emission

ABSTRACT We develop a comprehensive theoretical model for Lyman-alpha (Ly α) emission, from the scale of individual Ly α emitters (LAEs) to Ly α haloes (LAHs), Ly α blobs (LABs), and Ly α filaments (LAFs) of the diffuse cosmic web itself. To do so, we post-process the high-resolution TNG50 cosmological magnetohydrodynamical simulation with a Monte Carlo radiative transfer method to capture the resonant scattering process of Ly α photons. We build an emission model incorporating recombinations and collisions in diffuse gas, including radiative effects from nearby AGN, as well as emission sourced by stellar populations. Our treatment includes a physically motivated dust model, which we empirically calibrate to the observed LAE luminosity function. We then focus on the observability and physical origin of the z = 2 Ly α cosmic web, studying the dominant emission mechanisms and spatial origins. We find that diffuse Ly α filaments are, in fact, illuminated by photons that originate not only from the intergalactic medium itself but also from within galaxies and their gaseous haloes. In our model, this emission is primarily sourced by intermediate mass haloes (1010–1011 M⊙), principally due to collisional excitations in their circumgalactic media as well as central, young stellar populations. Observationally, we make predictions for the abundance, area, linear size, and embedded halo/emitter populations within filaments. Adopting an isophotal surface brightness threshold of 10−20 erg s−1 cm−2 arcsec−2, we predict a volume abundance of Ly α filaments of ∼10−3 cMpc−3 for lengths above 400 pkpc. Given sufficiently large survey footprints, detection of the Ly α cosmic web is within reach of modern integral field spectrographs, including MUSE, VIRUS, and KCWI.

The SUPERCOLD-CGM Survey. I. Probing the Extended CO(4–3) Emission of the Circumgalactic Medium in a Sample of 10 Enormous Lyα Nebulae at z ∼ 2

To understand how massive galaxies at high z coevolve with enormous reservoirs of halo gas, it is essential to study the coldest phase of the circumgalactic medium (CGM), which directly relates to stellar growth. The SUPERCOLD-CGM survey is the first statistical survey of cold molecular gas on CGM scales. We present Atacama Large Millimeter Array and Atacama Compact Array observations of CO(4–3) and continuum emission from 10 enormous Lyα nebulae (ELANe) around ultraluminous type I quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) at z ∼ 2. We detect CO(4–3) in 100% of our targets, with 60% showing extended CO on scales of 15–100 kpc. Q1228+3128 reveals the most extended CO(4–3) reservoir of ∼100 kpc and is the only radio-loud target in our sample. The CO reservoir is located along the radio axis, which could indicate a link between the inner radio jet and cold halo gas. For the other five radio-quiet ELANe, four of them show extended CO(4–3) predominantly in the direction of their companions. These extended CO(4–3) reservoirs identify enrichment of the CGM and may potentially contribute to widespread star formation. However, there is no evidence from CO(4–3) for diffuse molecular gas spread across the full extent of the Lyα nebulae. One target in our sample (Q0107) shows significant evidence for a massive CO disk associated with the QSO. Moreover, 70% of our QSO fields contain at least one CO companion, two of which reveal extended CO emission outside the ELANe. Our results provide insight into roles of both the cold CGM and companions in driving the early evolution of massive galaxies.

Active galactic nucleus jet feedback in hydrostatic haloes

ABSTRACT Feedback driven by jets from active galactic nuclei is believed to be responsible for reducing cooling flows in cool-core galaxy clusters. We use simulations to model feedback from hydrodynamic jets in isolated haloes. While the jet propagation converges only after the diameter of the jet is well resolved, reliable predictions about the effects these jets have on the cooling time distribution function only require resolutions sufficient to keep the jet-inflated cavities stable. Comparing different model variations, as well as an independent jet model using a different hydrodynamics code, we show that the dominant uncertainties are the choices of jet properties within a given model. Independent of implementation, we find that light, thermal jets with low momentum flux tend to delay the onset of a cooling flow more efficiently on a 50 Myr time-scale than heavy, kinetic jets. The delay of the cooling flow originates from a displacement and boost in entropy of the central gas. If the jet kinetic luminosity depends on accretion rate, collimated, light, hydrodynamic jets are able to reduce cooling flows in haloes, without a need for jet precession or wide opening angles. Comparing the jet feedback with a ‘kinetic wind’ implementation shows that equal amounts of star formation rate reduction can be achieved by different interactions with the halo gas: the jet has a larger effect on the hot halo gas while leaving the denser, star-forming phase in place, while the wind acts more locally on the star-forming phase, which manifests itself in different time-variability properties.

Boundless baryons: how diffuse gas contributes to anisotropic tSZ signal around simulated Three Hundred clusters

ABSTRACT Upcoming advances in galaxy surveys and cosmic microwave background data will enable measurements of the anisotropic distribution of diffuse gas in filaments and superclusters at redshift z = 1 and beyond, observed through the thermal Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (tSZ) effect. These measurements will help distinguish between different astrophysical feedback models, account for baryons that appear to be ‘missing’ from the cosmic census, and present opportunities for using locally anisotropic tSZ statistics as cosmological probes. This study seeks to guide such future measurements by analysing whether diffuse intergalactic gas is a major contributor to anisotropic tSZ signal in The Three Hundred Gizmo-Simba hydrodynamic simulations. We apply multiple different halo boundary and temperature criteria to divide concentrated from diffuse gas at z = 1, then create mock Compton- y maps for the separated components. The maps from 98 simulation snapshots are centred on massive galaxy clusters, oriented by the most prominent filament axis in the galaxy distribution, and stacked. Results vary significantly depending on the definition used for diffuse gas, indicating that assumptions should be clearly defined when claiming observations of the warm-hot intergalactic medium. In all cases, the diffuse gas is important, contributing 25–60 per cent of the tSZ signal in the far field (>4 h−1 comoving Mpc) from the stacked clusters. The gas 1–2 virial radii from halo centres is especially key. Oriented stacking and environmental selections help to amplify the signal from the warm-hot intergalactic medium, which is aligned but less concentrated along the filament axis than the hot halo gas.

Magnetic field draping around clumpy high-velocity clouds in galactic halo

ABSTRACT Throughout the passage within the Galactic halo, high-velocity clouds (HVCs) sweep up ambient magnetic fields and form stretched and draped configurations of magnetic fields around them. Many earlier numerical studies adopt spherically symmetric uniform-density clouds as initial conditions for simplicity. However, observations demonstrate that HVCs are clumpy and turbulent. In this paper, we perform 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations to study the evolution of clouds with initial density distributions described by power-law spatial power spectra. We systematically study the role of (i) the initial density structure, (ii) halo magnetic fields, and (iii) radiative cooling efficiency upon infalling HVCs. We find that (i) the clouds’ density structure regulates mixing and mass growth. Uniform clouds grow from the onset of the simulations, while clumpy clouds initially lose gas and then grow at later times. Along the same lines, the growth curve of clumpy clouds depends on the slope of the initial density power spectra. (ii) Magnetic fields suppress hydrodynamic instabilities and the growth of small-scale structures. As a result, magnetized clouds develop long filaments extended along the streaming direction, whereas non-magnetized clouds are fragmented into many small clumps. (iii) Efficient cooling keeps the main cloud body more compact and produces decelerated dense clumps condensed from the halo gas. This work potentially helps us understand and predict the observed properties of HVCs such as the detectability of magnetized clouds, the presence of decelerated HI structures associated with HVC complexes and small-scale features, and a possible link between the origin and the fate of HVCs.

Anatomy of galactic star formation history: roles of different modes of gas accretion, feedback, and recycling

ABSTRACT We investigate how the diverse star formation histories observed across galaxy masses emerged using models that evolve under gas accretion from host haloes. They also include ejection of interstellar matter by supernova feedback, recycling of ejected matter and preventive feedback that partially hinders gas accretion. We consider three schemes of gas accretion: the fiducial scheme that includes the accretion of cold gas in low-mass haloes and high-redshift massive haloes as hinted by cosmological simulations; the flat scheme in which high-mass cold accretion is removed; and finally, the shock-heating scheme that assumes radiative cooling of the shock-heated halo gas. The fiducial scheme reproduces dramatic diminishment in star formation rate (SFR) after its peak as observed for the present halo mass $M_{\rm vir}\gt 10^{12.5}\, {\rm M}_\odot$ , while other two schemes show reduced or negligible quenching. This scheme reproduces the high-mass slope in the SFR versus stellar mass relation decreasing towards recent epochs, whereas other two schemes show opposite trend that contradicts observation. Success in the fiducial scheme originates in the existence of high-mass cold-mode accretion, which retards transition to the slow hot-mode accretion, thereby inducing a larger drop in SFR. Aided by gas recycling, which creates monotonically increasing SFR in low-mass haloes, this scheme can reproduce the downsizing galaxy formation. Several issues remain, suggesting non-negligible roles of missing physics. Feedback from active galactic nuclei could mitigate upturn of SFR in low-redshift massive haloes, whereas galaxy mergers could remedy early inefficient star formation.

Metal line emission from galaxy haloes at z ≈ 1

ABSTRACT We present a study of the metal-enriched halo gas, traced using Mg ii and [O ii] emission lines, in two large, blind galaxy surveys – the MUSE (Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer) Analysis of Gas around Galaxies (MAGG) and the MUSE Ultra Deep Field (MUDF). By stacking a sample of ≈600 galaxies (stellar masses $M_*$ ≈ 106–12 $\rm M_\odot$), we characterize for the first time the average metal line emission from a general population of galaxy haloes at 0.7 ≤ z ≤ 1.5. The Mg ii and [O ii] line emission extends farther out than the stellar continuum emission, on average out to ≈25 and ≈45 kpc, respectively, at a surface brightness (SB) level of 10−20 $\rm erg\, s^{-1}\, cm^{-2}\, arcsec^{-2}$. The radial profile of the Mg ii SB is shallower than that of the [O ii], suggesting that the resonant Mg ii emission is affected by dust and radiative transfer effects. The [O ii] to Mg ii SB ratio is ≈3 over ≈20–40 kpc, also indicating a significant in situ origin of the extended metal emission. The average SB profiles are intrinsically brighter by a factor of ≈2–3 and more radially extended by a factor of ≈1.3 at 1.0 < z ≤ 1.5 than at 0.7 ≤ z ≤ 1.0. The average extent of the metal emission also increases independently with increasing stellar mass and in overdense group environments. When considering individual detections, we find extended [O ii] emission up to ≈50 kpc around ≈30–40 per cent of the group galaxies, and extended (≈30–40 kpc) Mg ii emission around two z ≈ 1 quasars in groups, which could arise from outflows or environmental processes.

An investigation of the circumgalactic medium around z ∼ 2.2 AGN with ACA and ALMA

ABSTRACT While observations of molecular gas at cosmic noon and beyond have focused on the gas within galaxies (i.e. the interstellar medium, ISM), it is also crucial to study the molecular gas reservoirs surrounding each galaxy (i.e. in the circumgalactic medium, CGM). Recent observations of galaxies and quasars hosts at high redshift (z > 2) have revealed evidence for cold gaseous haloes of scale rCGM ∼ 10 kpc, with one discovery of a molecular halo with rCGM ∼ 200 kpc, and a molecular gas mass one order of magnitude larger than the ISM of the central galaxy. As a follow up, we present deep ACA and ALMA observations of CO(3–2) from this source and two other quasar host galaxies at z ∼ 2.2. While we find evidence for CO emission on scales of r ∼ 10 kpc, we do not find evidence for molecular gas on scales larger than r > 20 kpc. Therefore, our deep data do not confirm the existence of massive molecular haloes on scales of ∼100 kpc for these X-ray selected quasars. As an interesting byproduct of our deep observations, we obtain the tentative detection of a negative continuum signal on scales larger than r > 200 kpc, which might be tracing the Sunyaev–Zeldovich effect associated with the halo heated by the active galactic nucleus (AGN). If confirmed with deeper data, this could be direct evidence of the preventive AGN feedback process expected by cosmological simulations.

An FRB Sent Me a DM: Constraining the Electron Column of the Milky Way Halo with Fast Radio Burst Dispersion Measures from CHIME/FRB

The CHIME/FRB project has detected hundreds of fast radio bursts (FRBs), providing an unparalleled population to statistically probe the foreground media that they illuminate. One such foreground medium is the ionized halo of the Milky Way (MW). We estimate the total Galactic electron column density from FRB dispersion measures (DMs) as a function of Galactic latitude using four different estimators, including ones that assume spherical symmetry of the ionized MW halo and ones that imply more latitudinal variation in density. Our observation-based constraints of the total Galactic DM contribution for ∣b∣ ≥ 30°, depending on the Galactic latitude and selected model, span 87.8–141 pc cm−3. This constraint implies upper limits on the MW halo DM contribution that range over 52–111 pc cm−3. We discuss the viability of various gas density profiles for the MW halo that have been used to estimate the halo’s contribution to DMs of extragalactic sources. Several models overestimate the DM contribution, especially when assuming higher halo gas masses (∼3.5 × 1012 M ⊙). Some halo models predict a higher MW halo DM contribution than can be supported by our observations unless the effect of feedback is increased within them, highlighting the impact of feedback processes in galaxy formation.

The Study of the Circumgalactic Medium with Quasar Pairs

We have collected 10,025 foreground–background quasar pairs with projected distances d p < 500 kpc from the large quasar catalog of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR16Q. We investigate the properties of the Mg ii absorption lines with W r > 0.15 Å around foreground quasars, including both the line of sight (LOS; of foreground quasars) and transverse (TRA; perpendicular to the LOS) absorptions. Both the equivalent width (the correlation coefficient ρ = −0.915 and the probability P < 10−4 of no correlation) and incident rate (ρ = −0.964 and P < 10−6) of TRA Mg ii absorption lines are obviously anticorrelated with projected distance. The incident rate of TRA Mg ii absorption lines is obviously (>4σ) greater than that of LOS Mg ii absorption lines at projected distances d p < 200 kpc, while the TRA and LOS Mg ii both have similar (<3σ) incident rates at scales d p > 200 kpc. The anisotropic radiation from quasars would be the most possible interpretation for the anisotropic absorption around quasars. This could also indicate that the quasar radiation is not obviously impacting the gas halos of quasars at scales d p > 200 kpc.

Examining the decline in the C iv content of the Universe over 4.3 ≲ z ≲ 6.3 using the E-XQR-30 sample

ABSTRACT Intervening C iv absorbers are key tracers of metal-enriched gas in galaxy haloes over cosmic time. Previous studies suggest that the C iv cosmic mass density ($\Omega _{\rm C \, \small {IV}}$) decreases slowly over 1.5 $\lesssim \, z\lesssim$ 5 before declining rapidly at z ≳ 5, but the cause of this downturn is poorly understood. We characterize the $\Omega _{\rm C \, \small {IV}}$ evolution over 4.3 ≲ z ≲ 6.3 using 260 absorbers found in 42 XSHOOTER spectra of z ∼ 6 quasars, of which 30 come from the ESO Large Program XQR-30. The large sample enables us to robustly constrain the rate and timing of the downturn. We find that $\Omega _{\rm C \, \small {IV}}$ decreases by a factor of 4.8 ± 2.0 over the ∼300 Myr interval between z ∼ 4.7 and ∼5.8. The slope of the column density (log N) distribution function does not change, suggesting that C iv absorption is suppressed approximately uniformly across 13.2 ≤ log N/cm−2 &amp;lt; 15.0. Assuming that the carbon content of galaxy haloes evolves as the integral of the cosmic star formation rate density (with some delay due to stellar lifetimes and outflow travel times), we show that chemical evolution alone could plausibly explain the fast decline in $\Omega _{\rm C \, \small {IV}}$ over 4.3 ≲ z ≲ 6.3. However, the C iv/C ii ratio decreases at the highest redshifts, so the accelerated decline in $\Omega _{\rm C \, \small {IV}}$ at z ≳ 5 may be more naturally explained by rapid changes in the gas ionization state driven by evolution of the UV background towards the end of hydrogen reionization.

Radiative Transfer in Lyα Nebulae. I. Modeling a Continuous or Clumpy Spherical Halo with a Central Source

To understand the mechanism behind high-z Lyα nebulae, we simulate the scattering of Lyα in a H i halo about a central Lyα source. For the first time, we consider both smooth and clumpy distributions of halo gas, as well as a range of outflow speeds, total H i column densities, H i spatial concentrations, and central source galaxies (e.g., with Lyα line widths corresponding to those typical of active galactic nucleus or star-forming galaxies). We compute the spatial-frequency diffusion and the polarization of the Lyα photons scattered by atomic hydrogen. Our scattering-only model reproduces the typical size of Lyα nebulae (∼100 kpc) at total column densities N H I ≥ 1020 cm−2 and predicts a range of positive, flat, and negative polarization radial gradients. We also find two general classes of Lyα nebula morphologies: with and without bright cores. Cores are seen when N H I is low, i.e., when the central source is directly visible, and are associated with a polarization jump, a steep increase in the polarization radial profile just outside the halo center. Of all the parameters tested in our smooth or clumpy medium model, N H I dominates the trends. The radial behaviors of the Lyα surface brightness, spectral line shape, and polarization in the clumpy model with covering factor f c ≳ 5 approach those of the smooth model at the same N H I. A clumpy medium with high N H I and low f c ≲ 2 generates Lyα features via scattering that the smooth model cannot: a bright core, symmetric line profile, and polarization jump.

The Supersonic Project: The Eccentricity and Rotational Support of SIGOs and DM GHOSts

A supersonic relative velocity between dark matter (DM) and baryons (the stream velocity) at the time of recombination induces the formation of low-mass objects with anomalous properties in the early universe. We widen the scope of the “Supersonic Project” paper series to include objects we term Dark Matter + Gas Halos Offset by Streaming (DM GHOSts)—diffuse, DM-enriched structures formed because of a physical offset between the centers of mass of DM and baryonic overdensities. We present an updated numerical investigation of DM GHOSts and Supersonically Induced Gas Objects (SIGOs), including the effects of molecular cooling, in high-resolution hydrodynamic simulations using the AREPO code. Supplemented by an analytical understanding of their ellipsoidal gravitational potentials, we study the population-level properties of these objects, characterizing their morphology, spin, radial mass, and velocity distributions in comparison to classical structures in non-streaming regions. The stream velocity causes deviations from sphericity in both the gas and DM components and lends greater rotational support to the gas. Low-mass (≲105.5 M ⊙) objects in regions of streaming demonstrate core-like rotation and mass profiles. Anomalies in the rotation and morphology of DM GHOSts could represent an early universe analog to observed ultra-faint dwarf galaxies with variations in DM content and unusual rotation curves.

Asymmetric eROSITA bubbles as the evidence of a circumgalactic medium wind

The eROSITA bubbles are detected via the instrument with the same name. The northern bubble shows noticeable asymmetric features, including distortion to the west and enhancement in the eastern edge, while the southern counterpart is significantly dimmer. Their origins are debated. Here, we performed hydrodynamic simulations showing that asymmetric eROSITA bubbles favor a dynamic, circumgalactic medium wind model, but disfavor other mechanisms such as a non-axisymmetric halo gas or a tilted nuclear outflow. The wind from the east by north direction in Galactic coordinates blows across the northern halo with a velocity of about 200 km s−1, and part of it enters the southern halo. This creates a dynamic halo medium and redistributes both density and metallicity within. This naturally explains the asymmetric bubbles in both the morphology and surface brightness. Our results suggest that our Galaxy is accreting low-abundance circumgalactic medium from one side while providing outflow feedback.

Radio Emission of Nearby Early-type Galaxies in the Low and Very Low Radio Luminosity Range

We analyze radio continuum emission of early-type galaxies with dynamical measurements of central supermassive black hole (SMBH) masses and well-characterized large-scale environments, but regardless of the exact level of the nuclear activity. The 1.4 GHz radio fluxes collected with ∼arcmin resolution for 62 nearby targets (distances ≲153 Mpc) correspond to low and very low monochromatic luminosities of L r ∼ 1035–1041 erg s−1. We quantify possible correlations between the radio properties with the main parameters of SMBHs, host galaxies, and hot gaseous halos, finding a general bimodality in the radio luminosity distribution, with the borderline between radio-bright and radio-dim populations at . We analyze the far-infrared data for the targets, finding that all radio-bright and over a half of the radio-dim sources are overluminous in radio wavelengths with respect to the far-infrared–radio correlation. High-resolution radio maps reveal that the overwhelming majority of radio-dim sources is unresolved on the arcsecond scale, while the bulk of radio-bright sources display extended jets and lobes of low- and intermediate-power radio galaxies; these jets dominate the radio emission of radio-bright objects. Regarding the origin of the radio emission of radio-dim sources, we discuss two main possibilities. One possibility is the advection-dominated accretion flow model, in which the radio and nuclear X-ray radiative outputs at very low accretion rates are both dominated by unresolved jets. The other possibility is that the radio-dim sources, unlike the radio-bright ones, are characterized by low values of SMBH spins, so that their radio emission is not related to the jets, but instead is due to a combination of star-forming processes and previous nuclear outbursts.

Correction to: The circumgalactic medium of Milky Way-like galaxies in the TNG50 simulation – I: halo gas properties and the role of SMBH feedback

Correction to: The circumgalactic medium of Milky Way-like galaxies in the TNG50 simulation – I: halo gas properties and the role of SMBH feedback

A Global Inventory of Feedback

Feedback from both supermassive black holes and massive stars plays a fundamental role in the evolution of galaxies and the inter-galactic medium. In this paper, we use available data to estimate the total amount of kinetic energy and momentum created per co-moving volume element over the history of the universe from three sources: massive stars and supernovae, radiation pressure and winds driven by supermassive black holes, and radio jets driven by supermassive black holes. Kinetic energy and momentum injection from jets peaks at z ≈ 1, while the other two sources peak at z ≈ 2. Massive stars are the dominant global source of momentum injection. For supermassive black holes, we find that the amount of kinetic energy from jets is about an order-of-magnitude larger than that from winds. We also find that the amount of kinetic energy created by massive stars is about 2.5 εstar times that carried by jets (where εstar is the fraction of injected energy not lost to radiative cooling). We discuss the implications of these results for the evolution of galaxies and IGM. Because the ratio of the black hole mass to galaxy mass is a steeply increasing function of mass, we show that the relative importance of black hole feedback to stellar feedback likewise increases with mass. We show that there is a trend in the present-day universe which, in the simplest picture, is consistent with galaxies that have been dominated by black hole feedback being generally quenched, while galaxies that have been dominated by stellar feedback are star-forming. We also note that the amount of kinetic energy carried by jets and winds appears to be sufficient to explain the properties of hot gas in massive halos (&gt;1013 Mʘ).

Persistent topology of the reionization bubble network – II. Evolution and classification

AbstractWe study the topology of the network of ionized and neutral regions that characterized the intergalactic medium during the Epoch of Reionization. Our analysis uses the formalism of persistent homology, which offers a highly intuitive and comprehensive description of the ionization topology in terms of the births and deaths of topological features. Features are identified as k-dimensional holes in the ionization bubble network, whose abundance is given by the kth Betti number: β0 for ionized bubbles, β1 for tunnels, and β2 for neutral islands. Using semi-numerical models of reionization, we investigate the dependence on the properties of sources and sinks of ionizing radiation. Of all topological features, we find that the tunnels dominate during reionization and that their number is easiest to observe and most sensitive to the astrophysical parameters of interest, such as the gas fraction and halo mass necessary for star formation. Seen as a phase transition, the importance of the tunnels can be explained by the entanglement of two percolating clusters and the fact that higher-dimensional features arise when lower-dimensional features link together. We also study the relation between the morphological components of the bubble network (bubbles, tunnels, and islands) and those of the cosmic web (clusters, filaments, and voids), describing a correspondence between the k-dimensional features of both. Finally, we apply the formalism to mock observations of the 21-cm signal. Assuming 1000 observation hours with HERA Phase II, we show that astrophysical models can be differentiated and confirm that persistent homology provides additional information beyond the power spectrum.

The brightest galaxies at cosmic dawn

ABSTRACT Recent JWST observations suggest an excess of z ≳ 10 galaxy candidates above most theoretical models. Here, we explore how the interplay between halo formation time-scales, star formation efficiency, and dust attenuation affects the properties and number densities of galaxies observed in the early Universe. To guide intuition, we calculate the theoretical upper limit on the UV luminosity function (LF), assuming star formation is 100 per cent efficient and all gas in haloes is converted into stars, and that galaxies are at the peak age for UV emission (∼10 Myr). This upper limit is ∼4 orders of magnitude greater than current observations, implying no formal tension with star formation in Lambda cold dark matter cosmology. In a more realistic model, we use the distribution of halo formation time-scales derived from extended Press–Schechter theory as a proxy for star formation rate (SFR). We predict that the galaxies observed so far at z ≳ 10 are dominated by those with the fastest formation time-scales, and thus most extreme SFRs and young ages. These galaxies can be upscattered by ∼1.5 mag compared to the median UV magnitude versus halo mass relation. This likely introduces a selection effect at high redshift whereby only the youngest (≲10 Myr), most highly star-forming galaxies (specific SFR$\gtrsim 30\, \mathrm{Gyr}^{-1}$) have been detected so far. Furthermore, our modelling suggests that redshift evolution at the bright end of the UV LF is substantially affected by the build-up of dust attenuation. We predict that deeper JWST observations (reaching m ∼ 30) will reveal more typical galaxies with relatively older ages (∼100 Myr) and less extreme specific SFRs ($\sim 10\, \mathrm{Gyr}^{-1}$ for a MUV ∼ −20 galaxy at z ∼ 10).