Star-forming Main Sequence Research Articles

Self-regulated growth of galaxy sizes along the star-forming main sequence

We present a systematic analysis of the spatially-resolved star formation histories (SFHs) using Hubble Space Telescope imaging data of ∼997, intermediate redshifts 0.5≤z≤2.0 galaxies from GOODS-S field, with stellar mass range 9.8≤logM⋆/M⊙≤11.5. We estimate the SFHs in three spatial regions (central region within the half-mass radii R50s, outskirts between 1−3R50s, and the whole galaxy) using pixel-by-pixel spectral-energy distribution (SED) fitting, assuming exponentially declining tau model in individual pixels. The reconstructed SFHs are then used to derive and compare the physical properties such as specific star-formation rates (sSFRs), mass-weighted ages (t 50), and the half mass-radii to get insights on the interplay between the structure and star-formation in galaxies. The correlation of sSFRs ratio of the centre and outskirts with the distance from the main sequence (MS) indicates that galaxies on the upper envelope of the MS tend to grow outside-in, building up their central regions, while those below the MS grow inside-out, with more active star-formation in the outskirts. The findings suggest a self-regulating process in galaxy size growth when they evolve along the MS. Our observations are consistent with galaxies growing their inner bulge and outer disc regions, where they appear to oscillate about the average MS in cycles of central gas compaction, which leads to bulge growth, and subsequent central depletion possibly due to feedback from the starburst resulting in more star formation towards the outskirts from newly accreted gas.

A multi-wavelength overview of the giant spiral UGC 2885

UGC 2885 ($z = 0.01935$) is one of the largest and most massive galaxies in the local Universe, yet it has an undisturbed spiral structure, which is unexpected for such an object and is not predicted by cosmological simulations. Understanding the detailed properties of extreme systems such as UGC 2885 can provide insight into the limits of scaling relations and the physical processes driving galaxy evolution. Our goal is to understand whether UGC 2885 has followed a similar evolutionary path as other high-mass galaxies by examining its place in the fundamental metallicity relation and on the star-forming main sequence. We present new observations of UGC 2885 with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and the Institut de radioastronomie millimétrique 30 m telescope. We used these novel data to calculate metallicity and molecular hydrogen mass values, respectively. We estimated the stellar mass (M$_ star $) and star formation rate (SFR) based on mid-infrared observations with the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. We find global metallicities $Z = 9.28$, 9.08, and 8.74 at the 25 kpc ellipsoid from the N2O2, R23, and O3N2 indices, respectively. This puts UGC 2885 at the high end of the galaxy metallicity distribution. We find a molecular hydrogen mass of M$_ $ M$_ odot $, a SFR of $1.63 odot $ yr$^ $, and a stellar mass of $4.83 $ M$_ odot $, which gives a star formation efficiency ($ SFR $) of $8.67 $ yr$^ $. This indicates that UGC 2885 has an extremely high molecular gas content compared to known samples of star-forming galaxies ($ times more) and a relatively low SFR for its current gas content. We conclude that UGC 2885 has gone through cycles of star formation periods, which increased its stellar mass and metallicity to its current state. The mechanisms that are fuelling the current molecular gas reservoir and keeping the galaxy from producing stars remain uncertain. We discuss the possibility that a molecular bar is quenching star-forming activity.

The importance of stochasticity in determining galaxy emissivities and UV LFs during cosmic dawn and reionization

The stochastic nature of star formation and photon propagation in high-redshift galaxies can result in sizable galaxy-to-galaxy scatter in their properties. Ignoring this scatter by assuming mean quantities can bias estimates of their emissivity and corresponding observables. We constructed a flexible, semi-empirical model, sampling scatter around the following mean relations: (i) the conditional halo mass function (CHMF); (ii) the stellar-to-halo mass relation (SHMR); (iii) the galaxy star formation main sequence (SFMS); (iv) the fundamental metallicity relation (FMR); (v) the conditional intrinsic luminosity; and (vi) the photon escape fraction. In our fiducial model, ignoring scatter in these galaxy properties overestimates the duration of the Epoch of Reionization (EoR), delaying its completion by $ z 1--2. We quantified the relative importance of each of the above sources of scatter in determining the ionizing, soft-band X-ray, and Lyman Werner (LW) emissivities as a function of scale and redshift. We find that scatter around the SFMS is important for all bands, especially at the highest redshifts where the emissivity is dominated by the faintest, most "bursty" galaxies. Ignoring this scatter would underestimate the mean emissivity and its standard deviation computed over 5 cMpc regions by factors of up to sim 2--10 at $5 z 15$. The scatter around the X-ray luminosity to star formation rate and metallicity relation is important for determining X-ray emissivity, accounting for roughly half of its mean and standard deviation. The importance of scatter in the ionizing escape fraction depends on its functional form, while scatter around the SHMR contributes at the level of sim 10--20<!PCT!>. Other sources of scatter have a negligible contribution to the emissivities. Although scatter does flatten the UV luminosity functions, shifting the bright end by 1--2 magnitudes, the level of scatter in our fiducial model is insufficient to fully explain recent estimates from JWST photometry (consistent with previous studies). We conclude that models of the EoR should account for the burstiness of star formation, while models for the cosmic 21cm signal should additionally account for scatter in intrinsic X-ray production.

CO-CAVITY project: Molecular gas and star formation in void galaxies

Cosmic voids, distinguished by their low-density environment, provide a unique opportunity to explore the interplay between the cosmic environment and the processes of galaxy formation and evolution. Nevertheless, few data on the molecular gas have been obtained so far. In this paper, we continue the research performed in the CO-CAVITY pilot project to study the molecular gas content and properties in void galaxies in order to search for possible differences compared to galaxies that inhabit denser structures. We used the IRAM 30\,m telescope to observe the CO(1--0) and CO(2--1) emission of 106 void galaxies selected from the CAVITY survey. Together with data from the literature, we obtained a sample of 200 void galaxies with CO data. We conducted a comprehensive comparison of the specific star formation rate (sSFR = SFR/ the molecular gas fraction ( and the star formation efficiency (SFE = H_2 $) between the void galaxies and a comparison sample of galaxies in filaments and walls selected from the xCOLD GASS survey. We find no statistically significant difference between void galaxies and a comparison sample in the molecular gas fraction as a function of stellar mass for galaxies on the star-forming main sequence (SFMS). However, for void galaxies, the SFE is found to be constant across all stellar mass bins, while there is a decreasing trend with for the comparison sample. Finally, we find some indications for a smaller dynamical range in the molecular gas fraction as a function of distance to the SFMS in void galaxies. Overall, we find that the molecular gas properties of void galaxies are not very different from those of denser environments. The physical origin of the most significant difference that we find ---a constant SFE as a function of stellar mass in void galaxies--- is unclear and further investigation and higher-resolution data are required to gain further insight.

Euclid preparation

Euclid will collect an enormous amount of data during the mission’s lifetime, observing billions of galaxies in the extragalactic sky. Along with traditional template-fitting methods, numerous machine learning (ML) algorithms have been presented for computing their photometric redshifts and physical parameters (PPs), requiring significantly less computing effort while producing equivalent performance measures. However, their performance is limited by the quality and amount of input information entering the model (the features), to a level where the recovery of some well-established physical relationships between parameters might not be guaranteed – for example, the star-forming main sequence (SFMS). To forecast the reliability of Euclid photo-zs and PPs calculations, we produced two mock catalogs simulating the photometry with the UNIONS ugriz and Euclid filters. We simulated the Euclid Wide Survey (EWS) and Euclid Deep Fields (EDF), alongside two auxiliary fields. We tested the performance of a template-fitting algorithm (Phosphoros) and four ML methods in recovering photo-zs, PPs (stellar masses and star formation rates), and the SFMS on the simulated Euclid fields. To mimic the Euclid processing as closely as possible, the models were trained with Phosphoros-recovered labels and tested on the simulated ground truth. For the EWS, we found that the best results are achieved with a mixed labels approach, training the models with wide survey features and labels from the Phosphoros results on deeper photometry, that is, with the best possible set of labels for a given photometry. This imposes a prior to the input features, helping the models to better discern cases in degenerate regions of feature space, that is, when galaxies have similar magnitudes and colors but different redshifts and PPs, with performance metrics even better than those found with Phosphoros. We found no more than 3% performance degradation using a COSMOS-like reference sample or removing u band data, which will not be available until after data release DR1. The best results are obtained for the EDF, with appropriate recovery of photo-z, PPs, and the SFMS.

Osaka Feedback Model. III. Cosmological Simulation CROCODILE

We introduce our new cosmological simulation data set CROCODILE, executed using the GADGET4-Osaka smoothed particle hydrodynamics code. This simulation incorporates an updated supernova (SN) feedback model of Y. Oku et al. and an active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback model. A key innovation in our SN feedback model is the integration of a metallicity- and redshift-dependent, top-heavy initial mass function. Our SN model introduces a new consideration that results in an order of magnitude difference in the energy injection rate per unit stellar mass formed at high redshift. The CROCODILE data set is comprehensive, encompassing a variety of runs with diverse feedback parameters. This allows for an in-depth exploration of the relative impacts of different feedback processes in galactic evolution. Our initial comparisons with observational data, spanning the galaxy stellar mass function, the star formation main sequence, and the mass–metallicity relation, show promising agreement, especially for the Fiducial run. These results establish a solid foundation for our future work. We find that SN feedback is a key driver in the chemical enrichment of the intergalactic medium (IGM). Additionally, the AGN feedback creates metal-rich, bipolar outflows that extend and enrich the circumgalactic medium and IGM over a few Mpc scales.

Self-similar Buildup and Inside-out Growth: Tracing the Evolution of Intermediate-to-high-mass Star-forming Galaxies since z = 2

We aim to discern scenarios of structural evolution of intermediate-to-high-mass star-forming galaxies (SFGs) since cosmic noon by comparing their stellar mass profiles with present-day stellar masses of log(M*,0/M⊙)=10.3−11 . We addressed discrepancies in the size evolution rates of SFGs, which may be caused by variations in sample selection and methods for size measurements. To check these factors, we traced the evolution of individual galaxies by identifying their progenitors using stellar mass growth histories (SMGHs), integrating along the star-forming main sequence and from the IllustrisTNG simulations. Comparison between the structural parameters estimated from the mass- and light-based profiles shows that mass-weighted size evolves at a slower pace compared to light-based ones, highlighting the need to consider the mass-to-light ratio (M/L) gradients. Additionally, we observed mass-dependent growth in stellar mass profiles: massive galaxies ( log(M*,0/M⊙)≳10.8 ) formed central regions at z ≳ 1.5 and grew faster in outer regions, suggesting inside-out growth, while intermediate-mass and less massive SFGs followed a relatively self-similar mass buildup since z ∼ 2. Moreover, slopes of observed size evolution conflict with the predictions of TNG50 for samples selected using the same SMGHs across our redshift range. To explore the origin of this deviation, we examined changes in angular momentum (AM) retention fraction using the half-mass size evolution and employing a simple disk formation model. Assuming similar dark matter halo parameters, our calculations indicate that the AM inferred from observations halved in the past 10 Gyr while it remained relatively constant in TNG50. This higher AM in simulations may be due to the accretion of high-AM gases into disks.

The ALMA-CRISTAL Survey: Spatially Resolved Star Formation Activity and Dust Content in 4 < z < 6 Star-forming Galaxies

Using a combination of Hubble Space Telescope (HST), JWST, and Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) data, we perform spatially resolved spectral energy distributions (SED) fitting of fourteen 4 < z < 6 ultraviolet (UV)-selected main-sequence galaxies targeted by the ALMA Large Program [C ii] Resolved ISM in Star-forming Galaxies. We consistently model the emission from stars and dust in ∼0.5–1 kpc spatial bins to obtain maps of their physical properties. We find no offsets between the stellar masses (M *) and star formation rates (SFRs) derived from their global emission and those from adding up the values in our spatial bins, suggesting there is no bias of outshining by young stars on the derived global properties. We show that ALMA observations are important to derive robust parameter maps because they reduce the uncertainties in L dust (hence, AV and SFR). Using these maps, we explore the resolved star-forming main sequence for z ∼ 5 galaxies, finding that this relation persists in typical star-forming galaxies in the early Universe. We find less obscured star formation where the M * (and SFR) surface densities are highest, typically in the central regions, contrary to the global relation between these parameters. We speculate this could be caused by feedback driving gas and dust out of these regions. However, more observations of IR luminosities with ALMA are needed to verify this. Finally, we test empirical SFR prescriptions based on the UV+IR and [C ii] line luminosity, finding they work well at the scales probed (approximately kiloparsec). Our work demonstrates the usefulness of joint HST-, JWST-, and ALMA-resolved SED modeling analyses at high redshift.

Charting the main sequence of star-forming galaxies out to redshifts z ≲ 5.7

We present a new determination of the star-forming main sequence (MS), obtained through stacking 100k K-band-selected galaxies in the far-infrared (FIR) Herschel and James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) imaging. By fitting the dust emission curve to the stacked FIR photometry, we derive the IR luminosities (LIR), and hence the star formation rates (SFRs) out to z ≲ 5.7. The functional form of the MS is found, with the linear SFR-M* relation that flattens at high stellar masses and the normalization that increases exponentially with redshift. We derive the corresponding redshift evolution of the specific star formation rate (sSFR) and compare our findings with the recent literature. We find our MS to be exhibiting slightly lower normalization at z ≲ 2 and to flatten at somewhat larger stellar masses at high redshifts. By deriving the relationship between the peak dust temperature (Td) and redshift, where Td increases linearly from ∼20 K at z = 0.5 to ∼50 K at z = 5, we conclude that the apparent inconsistencies in the shapes of the MS are most likely caused by the different dust temperatures assumed when deriving SFRs in the absence of FIR data. Finally, we investigate the derived shape of the star-forming MS by simulating the time evolution of the observed galaxy stellar mass function (GSMF). While the simulated GSMF is in good agreement with the observed one, some inconsistencies persist. In particular, we find the simulated GSMF to be slightly overpredicting the number density of low-mass galaxies at z ≳ 2.

Abundant Molecular Gas in the Central Region of Lenticular Galaxy PGC 39535

Lenticular galaxies (S0s) in the local Universe are generally absent of recent star formation and lack molecular gas. In this paper, we investigate one massive (M * ∼ 5 × 1010 M ⊙) star-forming S0, PGC 39535, with the Northern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA). Using optical data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV Mapping Nearby Galaxies at the Apache Point Observatory survey, we find star formation mainly concentrates in the central region of PGC 39535. The total star formation rate estimated using extinction-corrected Hα flux is 1.57 M ⊙ yr−1. The results of the NOEMA observation suggest that the molecular gas mainly concentrates in the central regions as a gaseous bar and a ring-like structure, and shows similar kinematics as the stellar and ionized gas components. The total molecular gas mass estimated from CO(1–0) is (5.42 ± 1.52) × 109 M ⊙. We find PGC 39535 lies on the star-forming main sequence but falls below the Kennicutt–Schmidt relation of spiral galaxies, suggesting that the star formation efficiency may be suppressed by the massive bulge. The existence of a second Gaussian component in the CO spectrum of the central region indicates possible gas flows. Furthermore, our analyses suggest that PGC 39535 resides in the center of a massive group and the derived star formation history indicates it may experience a series of gas-rich mergers over the past 2–7 Gyr.

Learning the Universe: GalactISM Simulations of Resolved Star Formation and Galactic Outflows across Main-sequence and Quenched Galactic Environments

We present a suite of six high-resolution chemodynamical simulations of isolated galaxies, spanning observed disk-dominated environments on the star-forming main sequence, as well as quenched, bulge-dominated environments. We compare and contrast the physics driving star formation and stellar feedback among the galaxies, with a view to modeling these processes in cosmological simulations. We find that the mass loading of galactic outflows is coupled to the clustering of supernova explosions, which varies strongly with the rate of galactic rotation Ω = v circ/R via the Toomre length, leading to smoother gas disks in the bulge-dominated galaxies. This sets an equation of state in the star-forming gas that also varies strongly with Ω, so that the bulge-dominated galaxies have higher midplane densities, lower velocity dispersions, and higher molecular gas fractions than their main-sequence counterparts. The star formation rate in five out of six galaxies is independent of Ω and is consistent with regulation by the midplane gas pressure alone. In the sixth galaxy, which has the most centrally concentrated bulge and thus the highest Ω, we reproduce dynamical suppression of the star formation efficiency in agreement with observations. This produces a transition away from pressure-regulated star formation.

Merging galaxies in isolated environments

Context. It is now well known that certain massive galaxies undergo enormous enhancements in their star formation rate (SFR) when they undergo major mergers. These enhancements can be as high as 100 times the SFR of unperturbed galaxies of the same stellar mass. Previous works have found that the size of this boost in star formation (SF) is related to the morphology of and the proximity to the companion. The same trend has also been observed for the fraction of active galactic nuclei (AGN), where galaxies that are closer together tend to have higher AGN fractions. Aims. We aim to analyse the SF enhancement and AGN fraction evolution during the merger process by using a more timeline-like merger sequence. Additionally, we aim to determine the relation between the SF enhancement in mergers and the morphology of the galaxies involved. Methods. Taking advantage of the stellar masses (M*) and SFRs of the ∼600 nearby isolated mergers obtained in our previous study, we calculated the distance of each of our galaxies from the star-forming main sequence (MS; specific SFR (sSFR)/sSFRMS), which werefer to as the SF mode. We then analysed how the SF mode varies during the merger process as a function of morphology and M*. Additionally, we analysed the AGN content of our mergers, using multiple diagnostics based on emission line ratios and WISE colours. Results. We observed that, overall, merging galaxies show an SF mode that is governed by their morphology. Spirals typically show high SF mode values, while highly disturbed (HD) galaxies are generally even more enhanced (median values of +0.8 dex and +1.08 dex above the MS, respectively). In contrast, elliptical and lenticular galaxies show the lowest SF modes, as expected. However, even they show SF enhancement compared to their unperturbed counterparts. For example, their median SF mode is just within the 1-sigma scatter of the MS, and this can occur even before the galaxies have coalesced. We observed a trend for the SF mode to gradually increase with increasing merger stage. We did not find a clear dependency of the observed AGN fraction on the merger stage for the majority of our classification methods. Conclusions. We find mergers can significantly enhance SF in galaxies of all morphologies. For early-type galaxies, this could suggest that some gas was present prior to the merger, which may be triggered to form stars by the tidal interaction. As the SF enhancement continues throughout the merger process, this suggests that the enhancement may be a long-lived event, contrary to the short starbursts seen in some models.

Systematically Measuring Ultradiffuse Galaxies. VII. The H i Survey Overview

We present the results from the neutral hydrogen (H i) follow-up survey of 378 optically detected ultradiffuse galaxy (UDG) candidates from the Systematically Measuring Ultra-Diffuse Galaxies survey using the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope. We detect H i in 110 targets and determine 37 to be UDGs and 73 to be low-surface-brightness (LSB) dwarfs based on their effective radii and central surface brightnesses. In line with previous studies, we find that: (i) our H i detections have on average bluer g − r colors and more irregular morphologies than our H i nondetections, (ii) our H i detections populate the tail end of the star-forming main sequence from the ALFALFA catalog with marginally lower specific star formation rates, and (iii) H i detections are mostly in relatively isolated (i.e., field) environments, while most nondetections have at least one nearby neighbor in projection. We find that the H i mass to stellar mass ratios (i.e., gas richnesses) scale with the physical sizes for UDGs and LSB dwarfs alike, suggesting that mechanisms other than bursty star formation feedback may be at play for UDGs. However, we find a stronger trend between gas richnesses and physical sizes if we define UDGs using their effective surface brightness instead of their central surface brightness. We are in the process of using this unprecedented sample of UDG candidates to carry out detailed follow-up studies (i.e., star formation and environmental analysis, comparisons to simulations) and are obtaining resolved H i observations for several of them.

Deep HI Mapping of M 106 Group with FAST

Abstract We used FAST to conduct deep HI imaging of the entire M 106 group region, and have discovered a few new HI filaments and clouds. Three HI clouds/filaments are found in a region connecting DDO 120 and NGC 4288, indicating an interaction between these two galaxies. The HI features in this region suggest that DDO 120 is probably the origin of the HI stream extending from the northern end of NGC 4288 to M 106. This structure is similar to the SMC-LMC stream, but much longer, about 190 kpc. Furthermore, based on the distance measurements, we have determined the satellite galaxy members of M 106. With an absolute magnitude cutoff of MB =-10, we obtained a sample of 11 member satellite galaxies for M 106. Using the observed HI mass with FAST, we studied the properties of satellite galaxies in M 106 and found that satellite galaxies with lower stellar masses exhibit more significant deviations from the star-forming main sequence (SFMS) in their specific star formation rates. Furthermore, the relationship between the HI mass of satellite galaxies and optical diameter generally follows the field galaxies relation. We discuss the possible mechanisms leading to the quenching in the M 106 group based on the new data from FAST.

The role of stellar mass in the cosmic history of star formation as seen by Herschel and ALMA

Aims . We explore the contribution of galaxies, as a function of their stellar mass, to the cosmic star formation history (CSFH). In order to avoid uncertain extrapolations of the infrared luminosity function, which is often polluted by the contribution of starbursts, we base our analysis on stellar mass. Attenuation by dust is accounted for thanks to the combination of deep surveys by Herschel and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter array (ALMA). Methods. We combined for the first time the deepest Herschel (GOODS-South, GOODS-North, COSMOS and UDS) and ALMA (GOODS-South) surveys. We constrained the star formation rate (SFR), dust mass ($M_ dust $), dust temperature ($T_ dust $) and gas mass ($M_ gas $) of galaxies as a function of their stellar mass ($M_ star $) from $z to $z by performing a stacking analysis of over 128,000 Hubble Space Telescope (HST) H -band selected galaxies. We studied the evolution of the star formation efficiency of galaxies as a function of redshift and $M_ star Results . We show that the addition of ALMA to Herschel allows us to reach lower $M_ star $ and higher redshifts. We confirm that the SFR-$M_ star $ star formation main sequence (MS) follows a linear evolution with a slope close to unity with a bending at the high-mass end at $z&lt;2$. The mean $T_ dust $ of MS galaxies evolves linearly with redshift, with no apparent correlation with $M_ star $. We show that, up to $z massive galaxies (i.e. star M_ odot $) account for most of the total SFR density ($ SFR $), while the contribution of lower-mass galaxies (i.e. $M_ star M_ odot $) is rather constant. We compare the evolution of star-forming galaxy (SFGs) to the cosmological simulation TNG100. We find that TNG100 exhibits a noticeable difference in the evolution of the CSFH, that is, the marked evolution of massive galaxies found in the observations appears to be smoothed in the simulation, possibly due to feedback that is too efficient. In this mass complete analysis, $H$-dropout (also called HST-dark) galaxies account for $ 23&lt;!PCT!&gt;$ of the CSFH in massive galaxies at $z$$&gt;$3. Finally, we find hints that the star formation efficiency of distant galaxies ($z$=3--5) is stronger (shorter depletion time) as compared to low-redshift galaxies.

JWST/NIRSpec spectroscopy of intermediate-mass quiescent galaxies at z ~ 3-4

ABSTRACT We present the analysis of three intermediate-mass quiescent galaxies (QGs) with stellar masses of ${\sim} 10^{10}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$ at redshifts $z\sim 3\!-\!4$ using NIRSpec low-resolution spectroscopy. Utilizing the spectral energy distribution fitting code bagpipes, we confirm these target galaxies are consistent with quiescent population, with their specific star formation rates falling below 2 dex the star-forming main sequence at the same redshifts. Additionally, we identify these QGs to be less massive than those discovered in previous works, particularly prior to the JWST era. Two of our target galaxies exhibit the potentially blended $\mathrm{ H} \, {\alpha }$ + [N ii] emission line within their spectra with signal-to-noise ratio ${\gt} 5$. We discuss whether this feature comes from an active galactic nucleus (AGN) or star formation, although future high-resolution spectroscopy is required to reach a conclusion. One of the target galaxies is covered by JWST/NIRCam imaging of the Public Release IMaging for Extragalactic Research survey. Using the 2D profile fitting code galfit, we examine its morphology, revealing a disc-like profile with a Sérsic index of $n=1.1 \pm 0.1$. On the size–mass relation, we find a potential distinction between less massive ($\log _{10}{(M_*/\mathrm{M}_\odot)}\lt 10.3$) and massive ($\log _{10}{(M_*/\mathrm{M}_\odot)}\gt 10.3$) QGs in their evolutionary pathways. The derived quenching time-scales for our targets are less than $1 \, {\rm Gyr}$. This may result from these galaxies being quenched by AGN feedback, supporting the AGN scenario of the emission line features.

Active Galactic Nuclei in the Green Valley at z ∼ 0.7

We present near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy using the MMT and Magellan infrared spectrograph for a sample of 29 massive galaxies ( logM*/M⊙≳10 ) at z ∼ 0.7 with optical spectroscopy from the Large Early Galaxy Astrophysics Census (LEGA-C) survey. Having both optical and NIR spectroscopy at this redshift allows us to measure the full suite of rest-optical strong emission lines, enabling the study of ionization sources and the rest-optical selection of active galactic nuclei (AGN), as well as the measurement of dust-corrected Hα-based star formation rates (SFRs). We find that 11 out of 29 galaxies host AGN. We infer the nonparametric star formation histories with the spectral energy distribution fitting code Prospector and classify galaxies as star-forming, green valley, or quiescent based on their most recent specific SFRs. We explore the connection between AGN activity and suppressed star formation, and find that 89% ± 15% of galaxies in the green valley or below host AGN, while only 15% ± 8% of galaxies above the green valley host AGN. We construct the star-forming main sequence (SFMS) and find that the AGN host galaxies are 0.37 dex below the SFMS, while galaxies without detectable AGN are consistent with being on the SFMS. However, when compared to a bootstrapped mass-matched sample, the SFRs of our sample of AGN host galaxies are consistent with the full LEGA-C sample. Based on this mass-matched analysis, we cannot rule out that this suppression of star formation is driven by other processes associated with the higher mass of the AGN sample. We therefore cannot link the presence of AGN activity to the quenching of star formation.

Lyman Continuum Leakers at z > 3 in the GOODS-S Field: Starburst or Not?

We investigate the star-forming properties of 23 Lyman continuum (LyC) leakers at z > 3 in the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey-South field based on a systematic review of LyC observations from the literature. Using data from the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, we construct the spectral energy distributions for these LyC leakers, covering the spectrum from rest-frame ultraviolet to near-infrared. Through the application of a unified modeling approach, we measure the ultraviolet slope (β), star formation rate, and stellar mass for these LyC leakers in a consistent manner. These high-redshift LyC leakers demonstrate statistically blue UV-continuum slopes (β), which is consistent with their high escape fraction of LyC photons. We find that these high-redshift LyC leakers span a wide range of specific star formation rate ( log(sSFR /yr) from −8.6 to −6.7). Ten of these LyC leakers are located on the star formation main sequence, instead of all being in the starburst mode. The results indicate that intense bursts of star formation are not necessarily required for the leakage of LyC photons for galaxies at z > 3.

JADES + JEMS: A Detailed Look at the Buildup of Central Stellar Cores and Suppression of Star Formation in Galaxies at Redshifts 3 < z < 4.5

We present a spatially resolved study of stellar populations in six galaxies with stellar masses M * ∼ 1010 M ☉ at z ∼ 3.7 using 14-filter James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)/NIRCam imaging from the JADES and JEMS surveys. The six galaxies are visually selected to have clumpy substructures with distinct colors over rest frame 3600−4100 Å, including a red, dominant stellar core that is close to their stellar-light centroids. With 23-filter photometry from the Hubble Space Telescope to JWST, we measure the stellar-population properties of individual structural components via spectral energy distribution fitting using Prospector. We find that the central stellar cores are ≳2 times more massive than the Toomre mass, indicating they may not form via single in situ fragmentation. The stellar cores have stellar ages of 0.4−0.7 Gyr that are similar to the timescale of clump inward migration due to dynamical friction, suggesting that they likely instead formed through the coalescence of giant stellar clumps. While they have not yet quenched, the six galaxies are below the star-forming main sequence by 0.2−0.7 dex. Within each galaxy, we find that the specific star formation rate is lower in the central stellar core, and the stellar-mass surface density of the core is already similar to quenched galaxies of the same masses and redshifts. Meanwhile, the stellar ages of the cores are either comparable to or younger than the extended, smooth parts of the galaxies. Our findings are consistent with model predictions of the gas-rich compaction scenario for the buildup of galaxies’ central regions at high redshifts. We are likely witnessing the coeval formation of dense central cores, along with the onset of galaxy-wide quenching at z > 3.

Emission-line galaxies at z ∼ 1 from near-IR HST Slitless Spectroscopy: Metallicities, star formation rates and redshift confirmations from VLT/FORS2 spectroscopy

Abstract We follow up emission line galaxies identified through the near-infrared slitless HST/WFC3 WISP survey with VLT/FORS2 optical spectroscopy. Over 4 WISP fields, we targetted 85 of 138 line emission objects at 0.4 &amp;lt; z &amp;lt; 2 identified in WFC3 spectroscopy. Half the galaxies are fainter than HAB = 24 mag, and would not have been included in many well-known surveys based on broad-band magnitude selection. We confirm 95% of the initial WFC3 grism redshifts in the 38 cases where we detect lines in FORS2 spectroscopy. However, for targets which exhibited a single emission line in WFC3, up to 65% at z &amp;lt; 1.28 did not have expected emission lines detected in FORS2 and hence may be spurious (although this false-detection rate improves to 33% using the latest public WISP emission line catalogue). From the Balmer decrement the extinction of the WISP galaxies is consistent with A(Hα) = 1 mag. From SED fits to multi-band photometry including Spitzer 3.6 μm, we find a median stellar mass of log10(M⋆/M⊙) = 8.94. Our emission-line-selected galaxies tend to lie above the star-forming main sequence (i.e. higher specific star formation rates). Using [O iii], [O ii] and Hβ lines to derive gas-phase metallicities, we find typically sub-solar metallicities, decreasing with redshift. Our WISP galaxies lie below the z = 0 mass-metallicity relation, and galaxies with higher star formation rates tend to have lower metallicity. Finally, we find a strong increase with redshift of the Hα rest-frame equivalent width in this emission-line selected sample, with higher EW0 galaxies having larger [O iii]/Hβ and O32 ratios on average, suggesting lower metallicity or higher ionisation parameter in these extreme emission line galaxies.