Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey Research Articles

UVCANDELS: The Role of Dust on the Stellar Mass–Size Relation of Disk Galaxies at 0.5 ≤ z ≤ 3.0

We use the Ultraviolet Imaging of the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey fields (UVCANDELS) to measure half-light radii in the rest-frame far-UV for ∼16,000 disk-like galaxies over 0.5 ≤ z ≤ 3. We compare these results to rest-frame optical sizes that we measure in a self-consistent way and find that the stellar mass–size relation of disk galaxies is steeper in the rest-frame UV than in the optical across our entire redshift range. We show that this is mainly driven by massive galaxies (≳1010 M ⊙), which we find to also be among the most dusty. Our results are consistent with the literature and have commonly been interpreted as evidence of inside-out growth wherein galaxies form their central structures first. However, they could also suggest that the centers of massive galaxies are more heavily attenuated than their outskirts. We distinguish between these scenarios by modeling and selecting galaxies at z = 2 from the VELA simulation suite in a way that is consistent with UVCANDELS. We show that the effects of dust alone can account for the size differences we measure at z = 2. This indicates that, at different wavelengths, size differences and the different slopes of the stellar mass–size relation do not constitute evidence for inside-out growth.

Lyman Continuum Emission from Active Galactic Nuclei at 2.3 ≲ z ≲ 3.7 in the UVCANDELS Fields

We present the results of our search for Lyman continuum (LyC)-emitting (weak) active galactic nuclei (AGN) at redshifts 2.3 ≲ z ≲ 4.9 from Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) F275W observations in the Ultraviolet Imaging of the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (UVCANDELS) fields. We also include LyC emission from AGN using HST WFC3 F225W, F275W, and F336W imaging found in Early Release Science (ERS) and Hubble Deep UV Legacy Survey data. We performed exhaustive queries of the Vizier database to locate AGN with high-quality spectroscopic redshifts. In total, we found 51 AGN that met our criteria within the UVCANDELS and ERS footprints. Out of these 51, we find 12 AGN that had ≥4σ detected LyC flux in the WFC3/UVIS images. Using a wide variety of space-based plus ground-based data, ranging from X-ray to radio wavelengths, we fit the multiwavelength photometric data of each AGN to a CIGALE spectral energy distribution (SED) using AGN models and correlate various SED parameters to the LyC flux. Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests of the SED parameter distributions for the LyC-detected and nondetected AGN showed they are likely not distinct samples. However, we find that the X-ray luminosity, star formation onset age, and disk luminosity show strong correlations relative to their emitted LyC flux. We also find strong correlations of the LyC flux to several dust parameters, i.e., polar and toroidal dust emission and 6 μm luminosity, and anticorrelations with metallicity and A FUV. We simulate the LyC escape fraction (f esc) using the CIGALE and intergalactic medium transmission models for the LyC-detected AGN and find an average f esc ≃ 18%, weighted by uncertainties. We stack the LyC fluxes of subsamples of AGN according to the wavelength continuum region in which they are detected and find no significant distinctions in their LyC emission, although our submillimeter-detected F336W sample (3.15 < z < 3.71) shows the brightest stacked LyC flux. These findings indicate that LyC production and escape in AGN are more complicated than the simple assumption of thermal emission and a 100% escape fraction. Further testing of AGN models with larger samples than presented here is needed.

Galaxies Going Bananas: Inferring the 3D Geometry of High-redshift Galaxies with JWST-CEERS

The 3D geometries of high-redshift galaxies remain poorly understood. We build a differentiable Bayesian model and use Hamiltonian Monte Carlo to efficiently and robustly infer the 3D shapes of star-forming galaxies in James Webb Space Telescope Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science observations with logM*/M⊙=9.0–10.5 at z = 0.5–8.0. We reproduce previous results from the Hubble Space Telescope Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey in a fraction of the computing time and constrain the mean ellipticity, triaxiality, size, and covariances with samples as small as ∼50 galaxies. We find high 3D ellipticities for all mass–redshift bins, suggesting oblate (disky) or prolate (elongated) geometries. We break that degeneracy by constraining the mean triaxiality to be ∼1 for logM*/M⊙=9.0–9.5 dwarfs at z > 1 (favoring the prolate scenario), with significantly lower triaxialities for higher masses and lower redshifts indicating the emergence of disks. The prolate population traces out a “banana” in the projected b/a–loga diagram with an excess of low-b/a, large- loga galaxies. The dwarf prolate fraction rises from ∼25% at z = 0.5–1.0 to ∼50%–80% at z = 3–8. Our results imply a second kind of disk settling from oval (triaxial) to more circular (axisymmetric) shapes with time. We simultaneously constrain the 3D size–mass relation and its dependence on 3D geometry. High-probability prolate and oblate candidates show remarkably similar Sérsic indices (n ∼ 1), nonparametric morphological properties, and specific star formation rates. Both tend to be visually classified as disks or irregular, but edge-on oblate candidates show more dust attenuation. We discuss selection effects, follow-up prospects, and theoretical implications.

Strategies for Obtaining Robust Spectral Energy Distribution Fitting Parameters for Galaxies at z ∼ 1 and z ∼ 2 in the Absence of Infrared Data

Robust estimation of star formation rates (SFRs) at higher redshifts (z ≳ 1) using UV–optical–near-infrared (NIR) photometry is contingent on the ability of spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting to constrain the dust attenuation, stellar metallicity, and star formation history (SFH) simultaneously. IR-derived dust luminosities can help break the degeneracy between these parameters, but IR data are often not available. Here, we explore strategies for SED fitting at z ≳ 1 in the absence of IR data using a sample of log M * > 10.2 star-forming galaxies from the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) for which 24 μm data are available. We adopt the total IR luminosity (L TIR) obtained from 24 μm as the “ground truth,” which allows us to assess how well it can be recovered (as L dust) from UV–optical–NIR SED fitting. We test a variety of dust attenuation models, stellar population synthesis models, metallicity assumptions, and SFHs separately to identify which assumptions maximize the agreement (correlation and linearity) between L TIR and L dust. We find that a flexible dust attenuation law performs best. For stellar populations, we find that Bruzual & Charlot models are favored over those of Eldridge et al. Fixing the stellar metallicity at solar value is preferred to other fixed values or leaving it as a free parameter. For SFHs, we find that minimizing the variability in the recent (<100 Myr) SFH improves the agreement with L TIR. Finally, we provide a catalog of galaxy parameters (including M * and SFR) for CANDELS galaxies with logM*>8 and 0.7 < z < 1.3, obtained using the models we found to be the most robust.

A Robust Study of High-redshift Galaxies: Unsupervised Machine Learning for Characterizing Morphology with JWST up to z ∼ 8

Galaxy morphologies provide valuable insights into their formation processes, tracing the spatial distribution of ongoing star formation and encoding signatures of dynamical interactions. While such information has been extensively investigated at low redshift, it is crucial to develop a robust system for characterizing galaxy morphologies at earlier cosmic epochs. Relying solely on nomenclature established for low-redshift galaxies risks introducing biases that hinder our understanding of this new regime. In this paper, we employ variational autoencoders to perform feature extraction on galaxies at z > 2 using JWST/NIRCam data. Our sample comprises 6869 galaxies at z > 2, including 255 galaxies at z > 5, which have been detected in both the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey Hubble Space Telescope fields and the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science Survey done with JWST, ensuring reliable measurements of redshift, mass, and star formation rates. To address potential biases, we eliminate galaxy orientation and background sources prior to encoding the galaxy features, thereby constructing a physically meaningful feature space. We identify 11 distinct morphological classes that exhibit clear separation in various structural parameters, such as the concentration, asymmetry, and smoothness (CAS) metric and M 20, Sérsic indices, specific star formation rates, and axis ratios. We observe a decline in the presence of spheroidal-type galaxies with increasing redshift, indicating the dominance of disk-like galaxies in the early Universe. We demonstrate that conventional visual classification systems are inadequate for high-redshift morphology classification and advocate the need for a more detailed and refined classification scheme. Leveraging machine-extracted features, we propose a solution to this challenge and illustrate how our extracted clusters align with measured parameters, offering greater physical relevance compared to traditional methods.

Ultraviolet and Blue Optical Imaging of UVCANDELS

The UltraViolet Imaging of the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey Fields (UVCANDELS) survey provided ultraviolet F275W imaging with coordinated parallel optical F435W imaging in four of the five CANDELS fields: GOODS-N, GOODS-S, EGS, and COSMOS, covering a total area of ∼426 arcmin2. UVCANDELS takes primary WFC3/UVIS F275W exposures at a uniform 3-orbit depth and ACS F435W exposures (in parallel) at slightly varying depth due to the roll angle constraints and the overlap from the increased field of view of the ACS camera, reaching a limiting magnitude of ∼27 and ∼28 ABmag (5σ in 0.″2 apertures) for F275W and F435W, respectively. We present the results of the UVCANDELS observations, custom calibrations, and the creation of F275W and F435W imaging mosaics, which have been made publicly available on the Barbara A. Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes.

EPOCHS VI: the size and shape evolution of galaxies since z ∼ 8 with JWST Observations

ABSTRACT We present the results of a size and structural analysis of 1395 galaxies at 0.5 ≤ z ≲ 8 with stellar masses log (M*/M⊙)&amp;gt; 9.5 within the James Webb Space Telescope Public CEERS field that overlaps with the Hubble Space Telescope Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey EGS observations. We use GALFIT to fit single Sérsic models to the rest-frame optical profile of our galaxies, which is a mass-selected sample complete to our redshift and mass limit. Our primary result is that at fixed rest-frame wavelength and stellar mass, galaxies get progressively smaller, evolving as ∼(1 + z)−0.71 ± 0.19 up to z ∼ 8. We discover that the vast majority of massive galaxies at high redshifts have low Sérsic indices, thus do not contain steep, concentrated light profiles. Additionally, we explore the evolution of the size–stellar mass relationship, finding a correlation such that more massive systems are larger up to z ∼ 3. This relationship breaks down at z &amp;gt; 3, where we find that galaxies are of similar sizes, regardless of their star formation rates and Sérsic index, varying little with mass. We show that galaxies are more compact at redder wavelengths, independent of sSFR or stellar mass up to z ∼ 3. We demonstrate the size evolution of galaxies continues up to z ∼ 8, showing that the process or causes for this evolution is active at early times. We discuss these results in terms of ideas behind galaxy formation and evolution at early epochs, such as their importance in tracing processes driving size evolution, including minor mergers and active galactic nuclei activity.

A new derivation of the Hubble constant from γ-ray attenuation using improved optical depths for the Fermi and CTA era

ABSTRACT We present γ-ray optical-depth calculations from a recently published extragalactic background light (EBL) model built from multiwavelength galaxy data from the Hubble Space Telescope Cosmic Assembly Near-Infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (HST/CANDELS). CANDELS gathers one of the deepest and most complete observations of stellar and dust emissions in galaxies. This model resulted in a robust derivation of the evolving EBL spectral energy distribution up to z ∼ 6, including the far-infrared peak. Therefore, the optical depths derived from this model will be useful for determining the attenuation of γ-ray photons coming from high-redshift sources, such as those detected by the Large Area Telescope onboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, and for multi-TeV photons that will be detected from nearby sources by the future Cherenkov Telescope Array. From these newly calculated optical depths, we derive the cosmic γ-ray horizon and also measure the expansion rate and matter content of the Universe including an assessment of the impact of the EBL uncertainties. We find H0 = 62.4 $^{+4.1}_{-3.9}$ km s−1 Mpc−1 when fixing Ωm = 0.32, and H0 = 65.1 $^{+6.0}_{-4.9}$ km s−1 Mpc−1 and Ωm = 0.19 ± 0.08, when exploring these two parameters simultaneously.

Rest-frame Near-infrared Radial Light Profiles up to z = 3 from JWST/NIRCam: Wavelength Dependence of the Sérsic Index

We examine the wavelength dependence of radial light profiles based on Sérsic index n measurements of 1067 galaxies with M * ≥ 109.5 M ⊙ and in the redshift range 0.5 < z < 3. The sample and rest-frame optical light profiles are drawn from the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) and 3D Hubble Space Telescope (HST); rest-frame near-infrared light profiles are inferred from images collected for the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) program with the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on board of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). n shows only a weak dependence on the wavelength, regardless of the redshift, galaxy mass, and type. On average, star-forming galaxies have n = 1–1.5 and quiescent galaxies have n = 3–4 in the rest-frame optical and near-infrared. The strong correlation at all wavelengths between n and star formation activity implies a physical connection between the radial stellar mass profile and star formation activity. The main caveat is that the current sample is too small to discern trends for the most massive galaxies (M * > 1011 M ⊙).

CEERS: MIRI deciphers the spatial distribution of dust-obscured star formation in galaxies at 0.1 &lt; z &lt; 2.5

Aims. We study the stellar (i.e., rest-optical) and dust-obscured star-forming (i.e., rest-mid-infrared) morphologies (i.e., sizes and Sérsic indices) of star-forming galaxies (SFGs) at 0.1 &lt; z &lt; 2.5. Methods. We combined Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images from the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) with JWST images from the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) survey to measure the stellar and dust-obscured star formation distributions of 69 SFGs. Rest-mid-infrared (rest-MIR) morphologies were determined using a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach applied to the sharpest Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) images (i.e., shortest wavelength) dominated by dust emission (Sνdust/Sνtotal &gt; 75%), as inferred for each galaxy from our optical-to-far-infrared spectral energy distribution fits with CIGALE. Rest-MIR Sérsic indices were only measured for the brightest MIRI sources, that is, with a signal-to-noise (S/N) greater than 75 (35 galaxies). At a lower S/N, simulations do indeed show that simultaneous measurements of both the size and Sérsic index become less reliable. We extended our study to fainter sources (i.e., S/N &gt; 10; 69 galaxies) by restricting our structural analysis to their rest-MIR sizes (ReMIR) and by fixing their Sérsic index to a value of one. Results. Our MIRI-selected sample corresponds to a mass-complete sample (&gt; 80%) of SFGs down to stellar masses 109.5, 109.5, and 1010 M⊙ at z ∼ 0.3, 1, and 2, respectively. The rest-MIR Sérsic index of bright galaxies (S/N &gt; 75) has a median value of 0.7−0.3+0.8 (the range corresponds to the 16th and 84th percentiles), which is in good agreement with their median rest-optical Sérsic indices. The Sérsic indices as well as the distribution of the axis ratio of these galaxies suggest that they have a disk-like morphology in the rest-MIR. Galaxies above the main sequence (MS) of star formation (i.e., starbursts) have rest-MIR sizes that are, on average, a factor ∼2 smaller than their rest-optical sizes (ReOpt.). The median rest-optical to rest-MIR size ratio of MS galaxies increases with their stellar mass, from 1.1−0.2+0.4 at ∼109.8 M⊙ to 1.6−0.3+1.0 at ∼1011 M⊙. This mass-dependent trend resembles the one found in the literature between the rest-optical and rest-near-infrared sizes of SFGs, suggesting that it is primarily due to radial color gradients affecting rest-optical sizes and that the sizes of the stellar and star-forming components of SFGs are, on average, consistent at all masses. There is, however, a small population of SFGs (∼15%) with a compact star-forming component embedded in a larger stellar structure, with ReOpt.c &gt; 1.8 × ReMIR. This population could be the missing link between galaxies with an extended stellar component and those with a compact stellar component, the so-called blue nuggets.

UV-bright Star-forming Clumps and Their Host Galaxies in UVCANDELS at 0.5 ≤ z ≤ 1

Giant star-forming clumps are a prominent feature of star-forming galaxies (SFGs) and contain important clues on galaxy formation and evolution. However, the basic demographics of clumps and their host galaxies remain uncertain. Using the Hubble Space Telescope/Wide Field Camera 3 F275W images from the Ultraviolet Imaging of the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey, we detect and analyze giant star-forming clumps in galaxies at 0.5 ≤ z ≤ 1, connecting two epochs when clumps are common (at cosmic high noon, z ∼ 2) and rare (in the local Universe). We construct a clump sample whose rest-frame 1600 Å luminosity is 3 times higher than the most luminous local H ii regions (M UV ≤ −16 AB). In our sample, 35% ± 3% of low-mass galaxies (log[M ∗/M ⊙] < 10) are clumpy (i.e., containing at least one off-center clump). This fraction changes to 22% ± 3% and 22% ± 4% for intermediate (10 ≤ log[M ∗/M ⊙] ≤ 10.5) and high-mass (log[M ∗/M ⊙] > 10.5) galaxies, in agreement with previous studies. When compared to similar-mass nonclumpy SFGs, low- and intermediate-mass clumpy SFGs tend to have higher star formation rates (SFRs) and bluer rest-frame U − V colors, while high-mass clumpy SFGs tend to be larger than nonclumpy SFGs. However, clumpy and nonclumpy SFGs have similar Sérsic index, indicating a similar underlying density profile. Furthermore, we investigate how the UV luminosity of star-forming regions correlates with the physical properties of host galaxies. On average, more luminous star-forming regions reside in more luminous, smaller, and/or higher specific SFR galaxies and are found closer to their hosts’ galactic centers.

A Spatially Resolved Analysis of Star Formation Burstiness by Comparing UV and Hα in Galaxies at z ∼ 1 with UVCANDELS

The UltraViolet imaging of the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey Fields (UVCANDELS) program provides Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/UVIS F275W imaging for four CANDELS fields. We combine this UV imaging with existing HST/near-IR grism spectroscopy from 3D-HST+AGHAST to directly compare the resolved rest-frame UV and Hα emission for a sample of 979 galaxies at 0.7 < z < 1.5, spanning a range in stellar mass of 108−11.5 M ⊙. Using a stacking analysis, we perform a resolved comparison between homogenized maps of rest-UV and Hα to compute the average UV-to-Hα luminosity ratio (an indicator of burstiness in star formation) as a function of galactocentric radius. We find that galaxies below stellar mass of ∼109.5 M ⊙, at all radii, have a UV-to-Hα ratio higher than the equilibrium value expected from constant star formation, indicating a significant contribution from bursty star formation. Even for galaxies with stellar mass ≳109.5 M ⊙, the UV-to-Hα ratio is elevated toward their outskirts (R/R eff > 1.5), suggesting that bursty star formation is likely prevalent in the outskirts of even the most massive galaxies, but is likely overshadowed by their brighter cores. Furthermore, we present the UV-to-Hα ratio as a function of galaxy surface brightness, a proxy for stellar mass surface density, and find that regions below ∼107.5 M ⊙ kpc−2 are consistent with bursty star formation, regardless of their galaxy stellar mass, potentially suggesting that local star formation is independent of global galaxy properties at the smallest scales. Last, we find galaxies at z > 1.1 to have bursty star formation, regardless of radius or surface brightness.

HALO7D. III. Chemical Abundances of Milky Way Halo Stars from Medium-resolution Spectra

The Halo Assembly in Lambda Cold Dark Matter: Observations in 7 Dimensions (HALO7D) survey measures the kinematics and chemical properties of stars in the Milky Way (MW) stellar halo to learn about the formation of our Galaxy. HALO7D consists of Keck II/DEIMOS spectroscopy and Hubble Space Telescope–measured proper motions of MW halo main-sequence turnoff stars in the four Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey fields. HALO7D consists of deep pencil beams, making it complementary to other contemporary wide-field surveys. We present the [Fe/H] and [α/Fe] abundances for 113 HALO7D stars in the Galactocentric radial range of ∼10–40 kpc along four separate pointings. Using the full 7D chemodynamical data (3D positions, 3D velocities, and abundances) of HALO7D, we measure the velocity anisotropy, β, of the halo velocity ellipsoid for each field and for different metallicity-binned subsamples. We find that two of the four fields have stars on very radial orbits, while the remaining two have stars on more isotropic orbits. Separating the stars into high-, mid-, and low-[Fe/H] bins at −2.2 and −1.1 dex for each field separately, we find differences in the anisotropies between the fields and between the bins; some fields appear dominated by radial orbits in all bins, while other fields show variation between the [Fe/H] bins. These chemodynamical differences are evidence that the HALO7D fields have different fractional contributions from the progenitors that built up the MW stellar halo. Our results highlight the additional information available on smaller spatial scales compared to results from a spherical average of the stellar halo.

Optimized Photometric Redshifts for the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS)

We present the first comprehensive release of photometric redshifts (photo- z's) from the Cosmic Assembly Near-Infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) team. We use statistics based upon the Quantile–Quantile (Q–Q) plot to identify biases and signatures of underestimated or overestimated errors in photo- z probability density functions (PDFs) produced by six groups in the collaboration; correcting for these effects makes the resulting PDFs better match the statistical definition of a PDF. After correcting each group’s PDF, we explore three methods of combining the different groups’ PDFs for a given object into a consensus curve. Two of these methods are based on identifying the minimum f-divergence curve, i.e., the PDF that is closest in aggregate to the other PDFs in a set (analogous to the median of an array of numbers). We demonstrate that these techniques yield improved results using sets of spectroscopic redshifts independent of those used to optimize PDF modifications. The best photo- z PDFs and point estimates are achieved with the minimum f-divergence using the best four PDFs for each object (mFDa4) and the hierarchical Bayesian (HB4) methods, respectively. The HB4 photo- z point estimates produced σ NMAD = 0.0227/0.0189 and ∣Δz/(1 + z)∣ > 0.15 outlier fraction = 0.067/0.019 for spectroscopic and 3D Hubble Space Telescope redshifts, respectively. Finally, we describe the structure and provide guidance for the use of the CANDELS photo- z catalogs, which are available at https://archive.stsci.edu/prepds/candels/.

The SCUBA-2 Cosmology Legacy Survey: the EGS deep field – III. The evolution of faint submillimetre galaxies atz&amp;lt; 4

ABSTRACTWe present a demographic analysis of the physical and morphological properties of $450/850~\mu \rm m$-selected galaxies from the deep observations of the SCUBA-2 Cosmology Legacy Survey in the Extended Groth Strip that are detected below the classical submillimetre-galaxy regime ($S_{850\, \mu \rm m}\lesssim 6~\rm mJy$ beam−1) and compare them with a sample of optically selected star-forming galaxies detected in the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey in the same field. We derive the evolution of the main sequence of star-forming galaxies, finding a steeper specific star formation rate versus stellar mass at z &amp;gt; 2.5 than previous studies. Most faint submillimetre-galaxies fall within 3σ of the main sequence, but 40 per cent are classified as starbursts. Faint submillimetre galaxies have 50 per cent larger sizes at 2 &amp;lt; z &amp;lt; 3 than optically selected star-forming galaxies of the same mass range. This is also the redshift bin where we find the largest fraction of starbursts, and hence we could be witnessing merging processes, as confirmed by the preference for visual-morphology classifications of these systems as irregular disc galaxies and mergers. Both populations show an increment towards lower redshifts (z &amp;lt; 2) of their concentration in H-band morphology, but faint submillimetre galaxies on average show larger concentration values at later times. These findings support the claim that faint submillimetre galaxies are mostly a population of massive dust-obscured disc-like galaxies that develop larger bulge components at later epochs. While the similarities are great, the median sizes, starburst numbers, and H-band concentration of faint submillimetre galaxies differ from those of optically selected star-forming galaxies of the same stellar mass.

Spectroscopic confirmation of a gravitationally lensed Lyman-break galaxy at z[C ii] = 6.827 using NOEMA

ABSTRACT We present the spectroscopic confirmation of the brightest known gravitationally lensed Lyman-break galaxy in the Epoch of Reionization (EoR), A1703-zD1, through the detection of [C ii] 158 $\mu$m at a redshift of z = 6.8269 ± 0.0004. This source was selected behind the strong lensing cluster Abell 1703, with an intrinsic luminosity and a very blue Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) [3.6]–[4.5] colour, implying high equivalent width line emission of [O iii] + Hβ. [C ii] is reliably detected at 6.1σ cospatial with the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) counterpart, showing similar spatial extent. Correcting for the lensing magnification, the [C ii] luminosity in A1703-zD1 is broadly consistent with the local $L_{\rm [C\, {\small II}]}$–star formation rate (SFR) relation. We find a clear velocity gradient of 103 ± 22 km $\rm s^{-1}$ across the source that possibly indicates rotation or an ongoing merger. We furthermore present spectral scans with no detected [C ii] above 4.6σ in two unlensed Lyman-break galaxies in the Extended Groth Strip (EGS)-Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) field at z ∼ 6.6–6.9. This is the first time that the Northern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) has been successfully used to observe [C ii] in a ‘normal’ star-forming galaxy at z &amp;gt; 6, and our results demonstrate its capability to complement the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in confirming galaxies in the EoR.

Blue Rest-frame UV-optical Colors in z ∼ 8 Galaxies from GREATS: Very Young Stellar Populations at ∼650 Myr of Cosmic Time

Abstract Deep rest-optical observations are required to accurately constrain the stellar populations of z ∼ 8 galaxies. Due to significant limitations in the availability of such data for statistically complete samples, observational results have been limited to modest numbers of bright or lensed sources. To revolutionize the present characterization of z ∼ 8 galaxies, we exploit the ultradeep (∼27 mag, 3σ) Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) 3.6 and 4.5 μm data, probing the rest-frame optical at z ∼ 8, over ∼200 arcmin2 of the GOODS fields from the recently completed GOODS Re-ionization Era wide-Area Treasury from Spitzer program (GREATS), combined with observations in the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS)/Ultra Deep Survey (UDS) and CANDELS/Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) fields. We stacked ≳100 z ∼ 8 Lyman-break galaxies in four bins of UV luminosity (M UV ∼ −20.7 to −18.4 mag) and study their H 160 − [3.6] and [3.6]–[4.5] colors. We find young ages (≲100 Myr) for the three faintest stacks, inferred from their blue H 160 − [3.6] ∼ 0 mag colors, consistent with a negative Balmer break. Meanwhile, the redder H 160 − [3.6] color seen in the brightest stack is suggestive of slightly older ages. We explored the existence of a correlation between the UV luminosity and age, and find either no trend or fainter galaxies being younger. The stacked SEDs also exhibit very red [3.6]–[4.5] ∼ 0.5 mag colors, indicative of intense [O iii]+Hβ nebular emission and star formation rate (SFR). The correspondingly high specific SFRs, sSFR ≳10 Gyr−1, are consistent with recent determinations at similar redshifts and higher luminosities, and support the coevolution between the sSFR and the specific halo mass accretion rate.

The quenching of galaxies, bulges, and disks since cosmic noon

We present an analysis of the quenching of star formation in galaxies, bulges, and disks throughout the bulk of cosmic history, fromz = 2 − 0. We utilise observations from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory survey at low redshifts. We complement these data with observations from the Cosmic Assembly Near-Infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey at high redshifts. Additionally, we compare the observations to detailed predictions from the LGalaxies semi-analytic model. To analyse the data, we developed a machine learning approach utilising a Random Forest classifier. We first demonstrate that this technique is extremely effective at extracting causal insight from highly complex and inter-correlated model data, before applying it to various observational surveys. Our primary observational results are as follows: at all redshifts studied in this work, we find bulge mass to be the most predictive parameter of quenching, out of the photometric parameter set (incorporating bulge mass, disk mass, total stellar mass, andB/Tstructure). Moreover, we also find bulge mass to be the most predictive parameter of quenching in both bulge and disk structures, treated separately. Hence, intrinsic galaxy quenching must be due to a stable mechanism operating over cosmic time, and the same quenching mechanism must be effective in both bulge and disk regions. Despite the success of bulge mass in predicting quenching, we find that central velocity dispersion is even more predictive (when available in spectroscopic data sets). In comparison to the LGalaxies model, we find that all of these observational results may be consistently explained through quenching via preventative ‘radio-mode’ active galactic nucleus feedback. Furthermore, many alternative quenching mechanisms (including virial shocks, supernova feedback, and morphological stabilisation) are found to be inconsistent with our observational results and those from the literature.

A Census of the Bright z = 8.5–11 Universe with the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes in the CANDELS Fields

Abstract We present the results from a new search for candidate galaxies at z ≈ 8.5–11 discovered over the 850 arcmin2 area probed by the Cosmic Assembly Near-Infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS). We use a photometric-redshift selection including both Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescope photometry to robustly identify galaxies in this epoch at H 160 &lt; 26.6. We use a detailed vetting procedure, including screening against persistence and stellar contamination, and the inclusion of ground-based imaging and follow-up Hubble Space Telescope imaging to build a robust sample of 11 candidate galaxies, three presented here for the first time. The inclusion of Spitzer/IRAC photometry in the selection process reduces contamination, and yields more robust redshift estimates than Hubble alone. We constrain the evolution of the rest-frame ultraviolet luminosity function via a new method of calculating the observed number densities without choosing a prior magnitude bin size. We find that the abundance at our brightest probed luminosities (M UV = − 22.3) is consistent with predictions from simulations that assume that galaxies in this epoch have gas depletion times at least as short as those in nearby starburst galaxies. Due to large Poisson and cosmic variance uncertainties, we cannot conclusively rule out either a smooth evolution of the luminosity function continued from z = 4–8, or an accelerated decline at z &gt; 8. We calculate that the presence of seven galaxies in a single field Extended Groth Strip is an outlier at the 2σ significance level, implying the discovery of a significant over-density. These scenarios will be imminently testable to high confidence within the first year of observations of the James Webb Space Telescope.

Mass assembly history of dark matter haloes in the light of H0 tension

ABSTRACT The Hubble tension may introduce a new course of action to revise the standard Lambda cold dark matter (ΛCDM) model to unravel dark energy and dark matter physics. The Hubble parameter can be reconstructed by late-time observations of the background evolution model independently. We relate the reconstructed Hubble parameter to the structure formation and large-scale structure observables in this work. We use excursion set theory to calculate the number density of dark matter haloes and the mass function of progenitors. We obtain results for both the Markov and non-Markov extensions of excursion set theory in the context of spherical and ellipsoidal collapse. We show that the number density of dark matter haloes in the reconstructed model has ∼2σ difference in comparison with the Planck 2018 ΛCDM in the mass range M ≳ 1012 M⊙. We also compare the dark matter halo progenitor mass function with the pair-galaxy statistics and their mass assembly history from observational data of the Hubble Space Telescope Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey. Due to complications in distinguishing the ratio of accretion and merger in mass assembly, our result on the pair fraction is for illustration only. However, the ∼5 times more accurate observations will be promising for distinguishing the reconstructed model and the Planck 2018 ΛCDM.