Search

We report the identification of 15 galaxy candidates at z ≥ 9 using the initial COSMOS-Web JWST observations over 77 arcmin2 through four Near Infrared Camera filters (F115W, F150W, F277W, and F444W) with an overlap with the Mid-Infrared Imager (F770W) of 8.7 arcmin2. We fit the sample using several publicly available spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting and photometric redshift codes and determine their redshifts between z = 9.3 and z = 10.9 (〈z〉 = 10.0), UV magnitudes between M UV = −21.2 and −19.5 (with 〈M UV〉 = −20.2), and rest-frame UV slopes (〈β〉 = −2.4). These galaxies are, on average, more luminous than most z ≥ 9 candidates discovered by JWST so far in the literature, while exhibiting similar blue colors in their rest-frame UV. The rest-frame UV slopes derived from SED fitting are blue (β ∼ [−2.0, −2.7]) without reaching extremely blue values as reported in other recent studies at these redshifts. The blue color is consistent with models that suggest the underlying stellar population is not yet fully enriched in metals like similarly luminous galaxies in the lower-redshift Universe. The derived stellar masses with 〈 log 10 ( M ⋆/M ⊙)〉 ≈ 8-9 are not in tension with the standard Lambda cold dark matter (ΛCDM) model, and our measurement of the volume density of such UV-luminous galaxies aligns well with previously measured values presented in the literature at z ∼ 9-10. Our sample of galaxies, although compact, is significantly resolved.

We report the discovery of 15 exceptionally luminous 10 ≲ z ≲ 14 candidate galaxies discovered in the first 0.28 deg2 of JWST/NIRCam imaging from the COSMOS-Web survey. These sources span rest-frame UV magnitudes of −20.5 > M UV > −22, and thus constitute the most intrinsically luminous z ≳ 10 candidates identified by JWST to date. Selected via NIRCam imaging, deep ground-based observations corroborate their detection and help significantly constrain their photometric redshifts. We analyze their spectral energy distributions using multiple open-source codes and evaluate the probability of low-redshift solutions; we conclude that 12/15 (80%) are likely genuine z ≳ 10 sources and 3/15 (20%) likely low-redshift contaminants. Three of our z ∼ 12 candidates push the limits of early stellar mass assembly: they have estimated stellar masses ∼ 5 × 109 M ⊙, implying an effective stellar baryon fraction of ϵ ⋆ ∼ 0.2−0.5, where ϵ ⋆ ≡ M ⋆/(f b M halo). The assembly of such stellar reservoirs is made possible due to rapid, burst-driven star formation on timescales < 100 Myr where the star formation rate may far outpace the growth of the underlying dark matter halos. This is supported by the similar volume densities inferred for M ⋆ ∼ 1010 M ⊙ galaxies relative to M ⋆ ∼ 109 M ⊙—both about 10−6 Mpc−3—implying they live in halos of comparable mass. At such high redshifts, the duty cycle for starbursts would be of order unity, which could cause the observed change in the shape of the UV luminosity function from a double power law to a Schechter function at z ≈ 8. Spectroscopic redshift confirmation and ensuing constraints of their masses will be critical to understand how, and if, such early massive galaxies push the limits of galaxy formation in the Lambda cold dark matter paradigm.

Abstract: In this Letter, we report the discovery of the highest redshift, heavily obscured, radio-loud (RL) active galactic nucleus (AGN) candidate selected using JWST NIRCam/MIRI, mid-IR, submillimeter, and radio imaging in the COSMOS-Web field. Using multifrequency radio observations and mid-IR photometry, we identify a powerful, RL, growing supermassive black hole with significant spectral steepening of the radio spectral energy distribution (f 1.28 GHz ∼ 2 mJy, q 24 μm = −1.1, α 1.28−3 GHz = − 1.2, Δα = − 0.4). In conjunction with ALMA, deep ground-based observations, ancillary space-based data, and the unprecedented resolution and sensitivity of JWST, we find no evidence of AGN contribution to the UV/optical/near-infrared (NIR) data and thus infer heavy amounts of obscuration (N H > 1023 cm−2). Using the wealth of deep UV to submillimeter photometric data, we report a singular solution photo-z of z phot = 7.7 − 0.3 + 0.4 and estimate an extremely massive host galaxy ( log M ⋆ = 11.92 ± 0.5 M ⊙ ) hosting a powerful, growing supermassive black hole​​​​​ (L Bol = 4−12x × 1046 erg s−1). This source represents the farthest known obscured RL AGN candidate, and its level of obscuration aligns with the most representative but observationally scarce population of AGN at these epochs.

Abstract: We present the survey design, implementation, and outlook for COSMOS-Web, a 255 hr treasury program conducted by the James Webb Space Telescope in its first cycle of observations. COSMOS-Web is a contiguous 0.54 deg2 NIRCam imaging survey in four filters (F115W, F150W, F277W, and F444W) that will reach 5σ point-source depths ranging ∼27.5–28.2 mag. In parallel, we will obtain 0.19 deg2 of MIRI imaging in one filter (F770W) reaching 5σ point-source depths of ∼25.3–26.0 mag. COSMOS-Web will build on the rich heritage of multiwavelength observations and data products available in the COSMOS field. The design of COSMOS-Web is motivated by three primary science goals: (1) to discover thousands of galaxies in the Epoch of Reionization (6 ≲ z ≲ 11) and map reionization’s spatial distribution, environments, and drivers on scales sufficiently large to mitigate cosmic variance, (2) to identify hundreds of rare quiescent galaxies at z > 4 and place constraints on the formation of the universe’s most-massive galaxies (M ⋆ > 1010 M ⊙), and (3) directly measure the evolution of the stellar-mass-to-halo-mass relation using weak gravitational lensing out to z ∼ 2.5 and measure its variance with galaxies’ star formation histories and morphologies. In addition, we anticipate COSMOS-Web’s legacy value to reach far beyond these scientific goals, touching many other areas of astrophysics, such as the identification of the first direct collapse black hole candidates, ultracool subdwarf stars in the Galactic halo, and possibly the identification of z > 10 pair-instability supernovae. In this paper we provide an overview of the survey’s key measurements, specifications, goals, and prospects for new discovery.

We have obtained three-dimensional maps of the universe in ∼200 × 200 × 80 comoving Mpc3 (cMpc3) volumes each at z = 5.7 and 6.6 based on a spectroscopic sample of 179 galaxies that achieves ⪆80% completeness down to the Lyα luminosity of, based on our Keck and Gemini observations and the literature. The maps reveal filamentary large-scale structures and two remarkable overdensities made out of at least 44 and 12 galaxies at z = 5.692 (z57OD) and z = 6.585 (z66OD), respectively, making z66OD the most distant overdensity spectroscopically confirmed to date, with >10 spectroscopically confirmed galaxies. We compare spatial distributions of submillimeter galaxies at z ≃ 4-6 with our z = 5.7 galaxies forming the large-scale structures, and detect a 99.97% signal of cross-correlation, indicative of a clear coincidence of dusty star-forming galaxy and dust-unobscured galaxy formation at this early epoch. The galaxies in z57OD and z66OD are actively forming stars with star-formation rates (SFRs) ⪆5 times higher than the main sequence, and particularly the SFR density in z57OD is 10 times higher than the cosmic average at the redshift (a.k.a. the Madau-Lilly plot). Comparisons with numerical simulations suggest that z57OD and z66OD are protoclusters that are progenitors of the present-day clusters with halo masses of ∼1014 M o˙

Star-forming clumps have been found to significantly influence the star formation of gas-rich |$z\gt 1$| galaxies. Using public data from JWST /NIRCam (Cosmic Evolution Survey; COSMOS-Web) and Atacama Large (sub-)Millimeter Array (ALMA; Fiber-Multi Object Spectrograph or FMOS-COSMOS survey), we study a sample of 32 massive (⁠|$\gt 10^{10.5}\, \rm {\rm M}_{\odot }$|⁠) main-sequence galaxies at |$z_{\rm spec}\sim 1.5$| with |$\sim 0.3\, \rm kpc$| resolution. We create composite morphological models consisting of bulge, disc, and clumps to fully 'deconstruct' the galaxy images. With the resulting measurements of the flux and size of these components, we find the following: (i) the combined contribution of clumps is 1–30 per cent towards the net star formation of the host while contributing 1–20 per cent to its stellar mass. The clumps show a correlation between their stellar mass and star formation rate (SFR), but have an increased specific SFR relative to the star formation main-sequence, with offsets ranging from |$0 \lesssim \Delta \log \rm sSFR \lesssim 0.4$|⁠. They feature star formation surface densities of |$10^{-2}-10^{2}\, \rm {\rm M}_{\odot }\, yr^{ -1}\, kpc^{-2}$|⁠ , consistent with values observed in both local star-forming and starburst galaxies. (ii) The detected clumps span a large range of characteristic sizes (⁠|$r_{e} \sim 0.1 - 1\, \rm kpc$|⁠) and stellar masses (⁠|$\sim 10^{8.0-9.5}\, \rm {\rm M}_{\odot }$|⁠). We estimate a mass–size relation (⁠|$r_{e} \propto \rm M_{\star }^{\, 0.52 \pm 0.07}$|⁠) along with a stellar mass function (slope, |$\alpha = - 1.85 \pm 0.19$|⁠), both suggesting a hierarchical nature similar to that expected in star-forming regions in local galaxies. (iii) Our measurements agree with the properties of stellar clumps in |$z\gtrsim 1$| lensed systems, bridging the gap between lensed and unlensed studies by detecting structures at sub-kpc scales. (iv) Clumps are found to be preferentially located along spiral features visible primarily in the residual rest frame near-IR images. In conclusion, we present an observation-based, coherent picture of star-forming clumps in galaxies at |$z \gt 1$|⁠. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new free-form and hybrid mass reconstructions of the galaxy cluster lens MACS J0416.1 |$-$| 2403 at |$z=0.396$| using the lens inversion method GRALE. The reconstructions use 237 spectroscopically confirmed multiple images from Bergamini et al. (2023) as the main input. Our primary model reconstructs images to a positional accuracy of 0.191 arcsec, thus representing one of the most precise reconstructions of this lens to date. Our models find broad agreement with previous reconstructions, and identify two |$\sim 10^{12}\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$| light-unaffiliated substructures. We focus on two highly magnified arcs: Spock and Mothra. Our model features a unique critical curve structure around the Spock arc with 2 crossings. This structure enables sufficient magnification across this arc to potentially explain the large number of transients as microlensing events of supergiant stars. Additionally, we develop a model of the millilens substructure expected to be magnifying Mothra, which may be a binary pair of supergiants with |$\mu \sim 6000$|⁠. This model accounts for flexibility in the millilens position while preserving the observed flux and minimizing image position displacements along the Mothra arc. We constrain the millilens mass and core radius to |$\lesssim 10^6 {\rm M}_{\odot }$| and |$\lesssim 17$|  pc, respectively, which would render it one of the smallest and most compact substructures constrained by lensing. If the millilens is dominated by wave dark matter, the axion mass is constrained to be |$\lesssim 3.0 \times 10^{-21}$|  eV. Further monitoring of this lens with JWST will uncover more transients, permitting tighter constraints on the structure surrounding these two arcs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paradigm for the co-evolution of galaxies and their supermassive black holes postulates that dust-obscured active galactic nuclei (AGNs) represent a transitional phase towards a more luminous and unobscured state. However, our understanding of dusty AGNs and their host galaxies at early cosmic times is inadequate due to observational limitations. Here, we present JWST observations of CID-931, an X-ray-detected AGN at a spectroscopic redshift of |$z_{\rm spec}=4.91$|⁠. Multiband NIRCam imaging from the COSMOS-Web program reveals an unresolved red core, similar to JWST-discovered dusty AGNs. Strikingly, the red core is surrounded by at least eight massive star-forming clumps spread over |${1{^{\prime \prime}_{.}}6} \approx 10\,\,{\rm kpc}$|⁠ , each of which has a stellar mass of |$10^9$| – |$10^{10}\, M_{\odot }$| and a radius of |$\sim$| 0.1–1 kpc. The whole system amounts to |$10^{11}\, M_{\odot }$| in stellar mass, higher than typical star-forming galaxies at the same epoch. In this system, gas inflows and/or complex merger events may trigger clump formation and AGN activity, thus leading to the rapid formation of a massive galaxy hosting a supermassive black hole. Future follow-up observations will provide new insights into the evolution of the galaxy–black hole relationship during such transitional phases in the early universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate Lyα, [O iii] λ5007, Hα, and [C ii] 158 μm emission from 1124 galaxies at z = 4.9-7.0. Our sample is composed of 1092 Lyα emitters (LAEs) at z = 4.9, 5.7, 6.6, and 7.0 identified by Subaru/Hyper-Suprime-Cam (HSC) narrowband surveys covered by Spitzer Large Area Survey with Hyper-Suprime-Cam (SPLASH) and 34 galaxies at z = 5.148-7.508 with deep ALMA [C ii] 158 μm data in the literature. Fluxes of strong rest-frame optical lines of [O iii] and Hα (Hβ) are constrained by significant excesses found in the SPLASH 3.6 and 4.5 μm photometry. At z = 4.9, we find that the rest-frame Hα equivalent width and the Lyα escape fraction f Lyα positively correlate with the rest-frame Lyα equivalent width fLyα positively correlate with the rest-frame Lyα equivalent width EWLyα0 . The correlation is similarly found at z ∼ 0-2, suggesting no evolution of the correlation over z ≃ 0-5. The typical ionizing photon production efficiency of LAEs is log(ξ ion/[Hz erg-1]) ≃ 25.5, significantly (60%-100%) higher than those of LBGs at a given UV magnitude. At z = 5.7-7.0, there exists an interesting turnover trend that the [O iii]/Hα flux ratio increases in and then decreases out to . We also identify an anticorrelation between a ratio of [C ii] luminosity to star formation rate (L [C ii]/SFR) and at the >99% confidence level.. We carefully investigate physical origins of the correlations with stellar-synthesis and photoionization models and find that a simple anticorrelation between and metallicity explains self-consistently all of the correlations of Lyα, Hα, [O iii]/Hα, and [C ii] identified in our study, indicating detections of metal-poor (∼0.03 Z o) galaxies with .

Several large JWST blank field observing programs have not yet discovered the first galaxies expected to form at 15 ≤ z ≤ 20. This has motivated the search for more effective survey strategies that will be able to effectively probe this redshift range. Here, we explore the use of gravitationally lensed cluster fields, which have historically been the most effective discovery tool with the Hubble Space Telescope. In this paper, we analyze the effectiveness of the most massive galaxy clusters that provide the highest median magnification factor within a single JWST NIRCam module in uncovering this population. The results of exploiting these lensing clusters to break the z > 15 barrier are compared against the results from large-area, blank-field surveys such as JADES and CEERS in order to determine the most effective survey strategy for JWST. We report that the fields containing massive foreground galaxy clusters specifically chosen to occupy the largest fraction of a single NIRCam module with high magnification factors in the source plane while containing all multiple images in the image plane within a single module provide the highest probability of both probing the 15 ≤ z ≤ 20 regime as well as discovering the highest-redshift galaxy possible with JWST. We also find that using multiple massive clusters in exchange for shallower survey depths is a more time-efficient method of probing the z > 15 regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photometric redshifts are widely used in studies of dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs), but catastrophic photo-z failure can undermine all redshift-dependent results. Here we report the spectroscopic redshift confirmation of COSBO-7, a strongly lensed DSFG in the COSMOS-PRIMER field. Recently, a photometric redshift solution of z ≳ 7.0 was reported for COSBO-7 based on ten bands of James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) NIRCam and MIRI imaging data. This z value was favored by four independent spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting codes, and the result provided an appealing candidate for the most distant massive DSFG known to date. This photo-z solution was also supported by a single line detection in Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) Band 3 consistent with CO(7–6) at z = 7.46. However, our new ALMA observations robustly detect two lines in Band 6 identified as CO(7–6) and [CI](2–1) at zspec = 2.625, and thus the Band 3 line as CO(3–2). These three robust line detections decidedly place COSBO-7 at z = 2.625, refuting the photo-z solution. We derive physical parameters by fitting near-infrared(NIR)-to-millimeter(mm) photometry and lens modeling, revealing that COSBO-7 is a main sequence galaxy. We examine possible reasons for this photo-z failure and attribute it to (1) the likely underestimation of photometric uncertainties at 0.9 μm and 1.15 μm; and (2) the lack of photometry at wavelengths beyond 20 μm. Notably, we recover a bona fide zphot ∼ 2.3 by including the existing MIPS 24 μm photometry, demonstrating the critical importance of mid-infrared (MIR) data in bolstering photo-z measurements. This work highlights a common challenge in modeling the SEDs of DSFGs, and provides a cautionary tale regarding the reliability of photometric redshifts as well as pseudo-spectroscopic redshifts based on single line detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first spectroscopic ALMA follow-up for a pilot sample of nine radio-selected near-IR-dark galaxies in the COSMOS field. These sources were initially selected as radio-detected sources (S3 GHz > 12.65 μJy) without an optical or near-IR (NIR) counterpart in the COSMOS2015 catalog (Ks ≳ 24.7 mag), and just three of them were subsequently detected in the deeper COSMOS2020. Several studies highlighted that this selection could provide a population of highly dust-obscured, massive, and star-bursting galaxies. With these new ALMA observations, we assess the spectroscopic redshifts of this pilot sample of sources and improve the quality of the physical properties estimated through SED-fitting. Moreover, we measure the quantity of molecular gas inside these galaxies and forecast their potential evolutionary path, finding that the radio-selected NIR-dark galaxies might likely represent a population of high-z progenitors of the massive and passive galaxies that were discovered at z ∼ 3. Finally, we present some initial constraints on the kinematics of the interstellar medium within the analyzed galaxies, reporting a high fraction (∼55%) of double-peaked lines that can be interpreted as the signature of a rotating structure in our targets or as the presence of major mergers in our sample. The results we present here show the scientific potential of (sub)mm observations for this elusive population of galaxies and highlight the potential contribution of these sources to the evolution of the massive and passive galaxies at high z. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphology of galaxies is shaped by stellar activity, feedback, gas and dust properties, and interactions with surroundings, and can therefore provide insight into these processes. In this paper, we study the spatial offsets between stellar and interstellar medium emission in a sample of 54 main-sequence star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 4–6 observed with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), and drawn from the ALMA Large Program to INvestigate C+ at Early times (ALPINE). We find no significant spatial offset for the majority (∼70 per cent) of galaxies in the sample among any combination of [C  ii ], far-infrared continuum, optical, and ultraviolet emission. However, a fraction of the sample (∼30 per cent) shows offsets larger than the median by more than 3σ significance (compared to the uncertainty on the offsets), especially between [C  ii ] and ultraviolet emission. We find that these significant offsets are of the order of ∼0.5–0.7 arcsec, corresponding to ∼3.5–4.5 kiloparsecs. The offsets could be caused by a complex dust geometry, strong feedback from stars and active galactic nuclei, large-scale gas inflow and outflow, or a combination of these phenomena. However, our current analysis does not definitively constrain the origin. Future, higher resolution ALMA and JWST observations may help resolve the ambiguity. Regardless, since there exist at least some galaxies that display such large offsets, galaxy models and spectral energy distribution fitting codes cannot assume co-spatial emission in all main-sequence galaxies, and must take into account that the observed emission across wavelengths may be spatially segregated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the identification of 64 new candidates of compact galaxies, potentially hosting faint quasars with bolometric luminosities of Lbol = 1043–1046 erg s−1, residing in the reionization epoch within the redshift range of 6 ≲ z ≲ 8. These candidates were selected by harnessing the rich multiband datasets provided by the emerging JWST-driven extragalactic surveys, focusing on COSMOS-Web, as well as JADES, UNCOVER, CEERS, and PRIMER. Our search strategy includes two stages: applying stringent photometric cuts to catalog-level data and detailed spectral energy distribution fitting. These techniques effectively isolate the quasar candidates while mitigating contamination from low-redshift interlopers, such as brown dwarfs and nearby galaxies. The selected candidates indicate physical traits compatible with low-luminosity active galactic nuclei, likely hosting ≈105–107M⊙ supermassive black holes (SMBHs) living in galaxies with stellar masses of ≈108–1010M⊙. The SMBHs selected in this study, on average, exhibit an elevated mass compared to their hosts, with the mass ratio distribution slightly higher than those of galaxies in the local Universe. As with other high-z studies, this is at least in part due to the selection method for these quasars. An extensive Monte Carlo analysis provides compelling evidence that heavy black hole seeds from the direct collapse scenario appear to be the preferred pathway to mature this specific subset of SMBHs by z ≈ 7. Notably, most of the selected candidates might have emerged from seeds with masses of ∼105M⊙, assuming a thin disk accretion with an average Eddington ratio of fEdd = 0.6 ± 0.3 and a radiative efficiency of ϵ = 0.2 ± 0.1. This work underscores the significance of further spectroscopic observations, as the quasar candidates presented here offer exceptional opportunities to delve into the nature of the earliest galaxies and SMBHs that formed during cosmic infancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to determine galaxy properties such as masses, ages, and star formation rates robustly is critically limited by the ability to measure dust attenuation accurately. Dust reddening is often characterized by comparing observations to models of either nebular recombination lines or the UV continuum. Here, we use a new technique to measure dust reddening by exploiting the He ii λ 1640 and λ 4686 emission lines originating from the stellar winds of Wolf–Rayet stars. The intrinsic line ratio is determined by atomic physics, enabling an estimate of the stellar reddening similar to how the Balmer lines probe gas-emission reddening. The He ii line ratio is measured from UV and optical spectroscopy using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope for eight nearby galaxies hosting young massive star clusters. We compare our results to dust reddening values estimated from UV spectral slopes and from Balmer line ratios and find tentative evidence for systematic differences. The reddening derived from the He ii lines tends to be higher, whereas that from the UV continuum tends to be lower. A larger sample size is needed to confirm this trend. If confirmed, this may indicate an age sequence probing different stages of dust clearing. Broad He ii lines have also been detected in galaxies more distant than in our sample, providing the opportunity to estimate the dust reddening of the youngest stellar populations out to distances of ∼100 Mpc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

About 12 billion years ago, the Universe was first experiencing light again after the dark ages, and galaxies filled the environment with stars, metals, and dust. How efficient was this process? How fast did these primordial galaxies form stars and dust? We can answer these questions by tracing the star formation rate density (SFRD) back to its widely unknown high-redshift tail, traditionally observed in the near-infrared (NIR), optical, and UV bands. Thus, objects with a large amount of dust were missing. We aim to fill this knowledge gap by studying radio-selected NIR-dark (RS-NIRdark) sources, i.e., sources not having a counterpart at UV-to-NIR wavelengths. We widen the sample of Talia et al. from 197 to 272 objects in the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) field, including also photometrically contaminated sources, which were previously excluded. Another important step forward consists in the visual inspection of each source in the bands from u * to MIPS 24 μ m. According to their "environment" in the different bands, we are able to highlight different cases of study and calibrate an appropriate photometric procedure for the objects affected by confusion issues. We estimate that the contribution of RS-NIRdark sources to the cosmic SFRD at 3 < z < 5 is ∼10%–25% of that based on UV-selected galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of far-infrared (FIR) bright sources completely invisible in deep extragalactic optical surveys hint at an elusive population of z > 4 dusty, star-forming galaxies. Cycle 1 JWST surveys are now detecting their rest-frame optical light, which provides key insight into their stellar properties and statistical constraints on the population as a whole. This work presents the JWST Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) counterpart from the COSMOS-Web survey to an FIR SCUBA-2 and Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) source, AzTECC71, which was previously undetected at wavelengths shorter than 850 μ m. AzTECC71, among the reddest galaxies in COSMOS-Web with F277W − F444W ∼ 0.9, is undetected in NIRCam/F150W and F115W and fainter in F444W than other submillimeter galaxies identified in COSMOS-Web by 2–4 magnitudes. This is consistent with the system having both a lower stellar mass and higher redshift than the median dusty, star-forming galaxy. With deep ground- and space-based upper limits combined with detections in F277W, F444W, and the FIR including ALMA Band 6, we find a high probability (99%) that AzTECC71 is at z > 4 with z phot = 5.7 − 0.7 + 0.8 . This galaxy is massive ( log M * / M ⊙ ∼ 10.7) and infrared-luminous ( log L IR / L ⊙ ∼ 12.7), comparable to other optically undetected but FIR-bright dusty, star-forming galaxies at z > 4. This population of luminous, infrared galaxies at z > 4 is largely unconstrained but comprises an important bridge between the most extreme dust-obscured galaxies and more typical high-redshift star-forming galaxies. If further FIR-selected galaxies that drop out of the F150W filter in COSMOS-Web have redshifts z > 4 like AzTECC71, then the volume density of such sources may be ∼3–10 × greater than previously estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the star formation rate (SFR) variability and how it depends on physical properties of galaxies is important for developing and testing the theory of galaxy formation. We investigate how statistical measurements of the extragalactic background light (EBL) can shed light on this topic and complement traditional methods based on observations of individual galaxies. Using semi-empirical models of galaxy evolution and SFR indicators sensitive to different star formation time-scales (e.g. H α and ultraviolet continuum luminosities), we show that the SFR variability, quantified by the joint probability distribution of the SFR indicators (i.e. the bivariate conditional luminosity function), can be characterized as a function of galaxy mass and redshift through the cross-correlation between deep, near-infrared maps of the EBL and galaxy distributions. As an example, we consider combining upcoming SPHEREx maps of the EBL with galaxy samples from Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time. We demonstrate that their cross-correlation over a sky fraction of f sky ∼ 0.5 can constrain the joint SFR indicator distribution at high significance up to z ∼ 2.5 for mass-complete samples of galaxies down to |$M_{*}\sim 10^9\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$|⁠. These constraints not only allow models of different SFR variability to be distinguished, but also provide unique opportunities to investigate physical mechanisms that require large number statistics such as environmental effects. The cross-correlations investigated illustrate the power of combining cosmological surveys to extract information inaccessible from each data set alone, while the large galaxy populations probed capture ensemble-averaged properties beyond the reach of targeted observations towards individual galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results of a systematic search for candidate quiescent galaxies in the distant universe in 11 JWST fields with publicly available observations collected during the first 3 months of operations and covering an effective sky area of ∼145 arcmin2. We homogeneously reduce the new JWST data and combine them with existing observations from the Hubble Space Telescope. We select a robust sample of ∼80 candidate quiescent and quenching galaxies at 3 < z < 5 using two methods: (1) based on their rest-frame UVJ colors, and (2) a novel quantitative approach based on Gaussian mixture modeling of the near-UV − U, U − V, and V − J rest-frame color space, which is more sensitive to recently quenched objects. We measure comoving number densities of massive (M ⋆ ≥ 1010.6 M ⊙) quiescent galaxies consistent with previous estimates relying on ground-based observations, after homogenizing the results in the literature with our mass and redshift intervals. However, we find significant field-to-field variations of the number densities up to a factor of 2–3, highlighting the effect of cosmic variance and suggesting the presence of overdensities of red quiescent galaxies at z > 3, as could be expected for highly clustered massive systems. Importantly, JWST enables the robust identification of quenching/quiescent galaxy candidates at lower masses and higher redshifts than before, challenging standard formation scenarios. All data products, including the literature compilation, are made publicly available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of the long-wavelength dust continuum are used to estimate the gas masses in a sample of 708 star-forming galaxies at z = 0.3−4.5. We determine the dependence of gas masses and star formation efficiencies (SFEs; SFR per unit gas mass) on redshift (z), M *, and star formation rate (SFR) relative to the main sequence (MS). We find that 70% of the increase in SFRs of the MS is due to the increased gas masses at earlier epochs, while 30% is due to increased efficiency of star formation (SF). For galaxies above the MS this is reversed—with 70% of the increased SFR relative to the MS being due to elevated SFEs. Thus, the major evolution of star formation activity at early epochs is driven by increased gas masses, while the starburst activity taking galaxies above the MS is due to enhanced triggering of star formation (likely due to galactic merging). The interstellar gas peaks at z = 2 and dominates the stellar mass down to z = 1.2. Accretion rates needed to maintain continuity of the MS evolution reach >100 M ⊙ yr−1 at z > 2. The galactic gas contents are likely the driving determinant for both the rise in SF and AGN activity from z = 5 to their peak at z = 2 and subsequent fall at lower z. We suggest that for self-gravitating clouds with supersonic turbulence, cloud collisions and the filamentary structure of the clouds regulate the star formation activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the strong-lensing cluster Abell 370 (A370) using a wide Integral Field Unit (IFU) spectroscopic mosaic from the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE). IFU spectroscopy provides significant insight into the structure and mass content of galaxy clusters, yet IFU-based cluster studies focus almost exclusively on the central Einstein-radius region. Covering over 14 arcmin2, the new MUSE mosaic extends significantly beyond the A370 Einstein radius, providing, for the first time, a detailed look at the cluster outskirts. Combining these data with wide-field, multi-band Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging from the BUFFALO project, we analyse the distribution of objects within the cluster and along the line of sight. Identifying 416 cluster galaxies, we use kinematics to trace the radial mass profile of the halo, providing a mass estimate independent from the lens model. We also measure radially averaged properties of the cluster members, tracking their evolution as a function of infall. Thanks to the high spatial resolution of our data, we identify six cluster members acting as galaxy–galaxy lenses, which constrain localized mass distributions beyond the Einstein radius. Finally, taking advantage of MUSE's 3D capabilities, we detect and analyse multiple spatially extended overdensities outside of the cluster that influence lensing-derived halo mass estimates. We stress that much of this work is only possible thanks to the robust, extended IFU coverage, highlighting its importance even in less optically dense cluster regions. Overall, this work showcases the power of combining HST  + MUSE, and serves as the initial step towards a larger and wider program targeting several clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiwavelength study of galaxies is important to understand their formation and evolution. Only in the recent past, thanks to the Atacama Large (Sub) Millimeter Array (ALMA), were we able to study the far-infrared (IR) properties of galaxies at high redshifts. In this article, we summarize recent research highlights and their significance to our understanding of early galaxy evolution from the ALPINE survey, a large program with ALMA to observe the dust continuum and 158 μ m C + emission of normal star-forming galaxies at z = 4–6. Combined with ancillary data at UV through near-IR wavelengths, ALPINE provides the currently largest multiwavelength sample of post-reionization galaxies and has advanced our understanding of (i) the demographics of C + emission; (ii) the relation of star formation and C + emission; (iii) the gas content; (iv) outflows and enrichment of the intergalactic medium; and (v) the kinematics, emergence of disks, and merger rates in galaxies at z > 4 . ALPINE builds the basis for more detailed measurements with the next generation of telescopes, and places itself as an important post-reionization baseline sample to allow a continuous study of galaxies over 13 billion years of cosmic time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze stellar proper motions in the COSMOS field to assess the presence of bulk motions. At bright magnitudes (G -band 18.5â€"20.76 AB), we use the proper motions of 1010 stars in the Gaia DR2 catalog. At the faint end, we compute proper motions of 11,519 pointlike objects at i -band magnitudes 19â€"25 AB using Hubble ACS and Subaru HSC data, which span two epochs about 11 yr apart. In order to measure these proper motions with unprecedented accuracy at faint magnitudes, we developed a foundational set of astrometric tools that will be required for joint survey processing of data from the next generation of optical/infrared surveys. The astrometric grids of Hubble ACS and Subaru HSC mosaics were corrected at the catalog level using proper motionâ€"propagated and parallax-corrected Gaia DR2 sources. These astrometric corrections were verified using compact extragalactic sources. Upon comparison of our measured proper motions with Gaia DR2, we estimate the uncertainties in our measurements to be ∼2â€"3 mas yrâˆ'1 axisâˆ'1, down to 25.5 AB mag. We correct proper motions for the mean motion of the Sun, and we find that late-type main-sequence stars predominantly in the thin disk in the COSMOS field have space velocities mainly toward the Galactic center. We detect candidate high-velocity (≥220 km sâˆ'1) stars, six of them at ∼0.4â€"6 kpc, from the Gaia sample, and five of them at ∼20 kpc, from the faint star HSC and ACS sample. The sources from the faint star sample may be candidate halo members of the Sangarius stream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How and when did galaxies form and assemble their stars and stellar mass? The answer to these questions, so crucial to astrophysics and cosmology, requires the full reconstruction of the so-called cosmic star formation rate density (SFRD), i.e., the evolution of the average star formation rate per unit volume of the universe. While the SFRD has been reliably traced back to 10–11 billion years ago, its evolution is still poorly constrained at earlier cosmic epochs, and its estimate is mainly based on galaxies luminous in the ultraviolet and with low obscuration by dust. This limited knowledge is largely due to the lack of an unbiased census of all types of star-forming galaxies in the early universe. We present a new approach to finding dust-obscured star-forming galaxies based on their emission at radio wavelengths coupled with the lack of optical counterparts. Here, we present a sample of 197 galaxies selected with this method. These systems were missed by previous surveys at optical and near-infrared wavelengths, and 22 of them are at very high redshift (i.e., z > 4.5). The contribution of these elusive systems to the SFRD is substantial and can be as high as 40% of the previously known SFRD based on UV-luminous galaxies. The mere existence of such heavily obscured galaxies in the first two billion years after the Big Bang opens new avenues to investigate the early phases of galaxy formation and evolution, and to understand the links between these systems and the massive galaxies that ceased their star formation at later cosmic times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the Fundamental Plane (FP) and mass-to-light ratio (M/L) scaling relations using the largest sample of massive quiescent galaxies at 1.5 < z < 2.5 to date. The FP (re, σe, Ie) is established using 19 UVJ quiescent galaxies from COSMOS with Hubble Space Telescope HF160W rest-frame optical sizes and X-shooter absorption line-measured stellar velocity dispersions. For a very massive, , subset of eight quiescent galaxies at z > 2, from Stockmann et al., we show that they cannot passively evolve to the local Coma cluster relation alone and must undergo significant structural evolution to mimic the sizes of local massive galaxies. The evolution of the FP and M/L scaling relations, from z = 2 to present day, for this subset are consistent with passive aging of the stellar population and minor merger structural evolution into the most massive galaxies in the Coma cluster and other massive elliptical galaxies from the MASSIVE Survey. Modeling the luminosity evolution from minor merger-added stellar populations favors a history of merging with "dry" quiescent galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The infrared (IR) spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of main-sequence galaxies in the early Universe (z > 4) is currently unconstrained as IR continuum observations are time-consuming and not feasible for large samples. We present Atacama Large Millimetre Array Band 8 observations of four main-sequence galaxies at z ∼ 5.5 to study their IR SED shape in detail. Our continuum data (rest-frame 110  |$\rm \mu m$|⁠ , close to the peak of IR emission) allows us to constrain luminosity-weighted dust temperatures and total IR luminosities. With data at longer wavelengths, we measure for the first time the emissivity index at these redshifts to provide more robust estimates of molecular gas masses based on dust continuum. The Band 8 observations of three out of four galaxies can only be reconciled with optically thin emission redward of rest-frame |$100\, {\rm \mu m}$|⁠. The derived dust peak temperatures at z ∼ 5.5 (⁠|$30\!-\!43\, {\rm K}$|⁠) are elevated compared to average local galaxies, however, |$\sim 10\, {\rm K}$| below what would be predicted from an extrapolation of the trend at z < 4. This behaviour can be explained by decreasing dust abundance (or density) towards high redshifts, which would cause the IR SED at the peak to be more optically thin, making hot dust more visible to the external observer. From the |$850{\hbox{-}}{\rm \mu m}$| dust continuum, we derive molecular gas masses between 1010 and |$10^{11}\, {\rm M_{\odot }}$| and gas fractions (gas over total mass) of |$30\!-\!80{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$| (gas depletion times of |$100\!-\!220\, {\rm Myr}$|⁠). All in all, our results provide a first measured benchmark SED to interpret future millimetre observations of normal, main-sequence galaxies in the early Universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the physical extent of [C ii ] 158 μm line-emitting gas from 46 star-forming galaxies at z = 4–6 from the ALMA Large Program to INvestigate C ii at Early Times (ALPINE). Using exponential profile fits, we measure the effective radius of the [C ii ] line () for individual galaxies and compare them with the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) continuum () from Hubble Space Telescope images. The effective radius exceeds by factors of ∼2–3, and the ratio of increases as a function of Mstar. We do not find strong evidence that the [C ii ] line, rest-frame UV, and far-infrared (FIR) continuum are always displaced over ≃1 kpc scale from each other. We identify 30% of isolated ALPINE sources as having an extended [C ii ] component over 10 kpc scales detected at 4.1σ–10.9σ beyond the size of rest-frame UV and FIR continuum. One object has tentative rotating features up to ∼10 kpc, where the 3D model fit shows the rotating [C ii ]-gas disk spread over 4 times larger than the rest-frame UV-emitting region. Galaxies with the extended [C ii ] line structure have high star formation rate, high stellar mass (Mstar), low Lyα equivalent width, and more blueshifted (redshifted) rest-frame UV metal absorption (Lyα line), as compared to galaxies without such extended [C ii ] structures. Although we cannot rule out the possibility that a selection bias toward luminous objects may be responsible for such trends, the star-formation-driven outflow also explains all these trends. Deeper observations are essential to test whether the extended [C ii ] line structures are ubiquitous to high-z star-forming galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ALMA-ALPINE [CII] survey (A2C2S) aims at characterizing the properties of normal star-forming galaxies (SFGs) observed in the [CII]-158μm line in the period of rapid mass assembly at redshifts 4 < z < 6. Here we present the survey and the selection of 118 galaxies observed with ALMA, selected from large samples of galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts derived from UV-rest frame. The observed properties derived from the ALMA data are presented and discussed in terms of the overall detection rate in [CII] and far-IR continuum. The sample is representative of the SFG population at these redshifts. The overall detection rate is 61% down to a flux limit of 0.07 mJy. From a visual inspection of the [CII] data cubes together with the large wealth of ancillary data we find a surprisingly wide range of galaxy types, including 32.4% mergers, 25.7% extended and dispersion dominated, 13.5% rotating discs, and 16.2% compact, the remaining being too faint to be classified. ALPINE sets a reference sample for the gas distribution in normal star-forming galaxies at a key epoch in galaxy assembly, ideally suited for studies with future facilities like JWST and ELTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We perform a comprehensive analysis of the redshift evolution of the rest-UV spectra of star-forming galaxies out to z ∼ 5. We combine new z ∼ 5 measurements of H  i Ly α and low- and high-ionization interstellar metal absorption features with comparable measurements at z ∼ 2–4. We measure the equivalent widths of interstellar absorption features using stacked spectra in bins of Ly α equivalent width, performing corrections to Ly α strengths based on a model for the transmission of the intergalactic medium. We find a strong correlation between decreasing low-ionization absorption strength and increasing Ly α emission strength over the redshift range z ∼ 2–5, suggesting that both of these quantities are fundamentally linked to neutral gas covering fraction. At the highest Ly α equivalent widths, we observe evolution at z ∼ 5 towards greater Ly α emission strength at fixed low-ionization absorption strength. If we interpret the non-evolving relationship of Ly α emission strength and low-ionization line strength at z ∼ 2−4 as primarily reflecting the radiative transfer of Ly α photons, this evolution at z ∼ 5 suggests a higher intrinsic production rate of Ly α photons than at lower redshift. Our conclusion is supported by the joint evolution of the relationships among Ly α emission strength, interstellar absorption strength, and dust reddening. We perform additional analysis in bins of stellar mass, star formation rate, UV luminosity, and age, examining how the relationships between galaxy properties and Ly α emission evolve towards higher redshift. We conclude that increasing intrinsic Ly α photon production and strong detection of nebular C  iv emission (signalling lower metallicity) at z ∼ 5 indicate an elevated ionized photon production efficiency (ξion). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of new sub-millimetre (sub-mm) observational facilities has stimulated the desire to model the sub-mm line emission of galaxies within cosmological galaxy formation models. This is typically done by applying sub-resolution recipes to describe the properties of the unresolved interstellar medium (ISM). While there is freedom in how one implements sub-resolution recipes, the impact of various choices has yet to be systematically explored. We combine a semi-analytic model of galaxy formation with chemical equilibrium networks and numerical radiative transfer models and explore how different choices for the sub-resolution modelling affect the predicted CO, [C  i ], and [C  ii ] emission of galaxies. A key component for a successful model includes a molecular cloud mass–size relation and scaling for the ultraviolet and cosmic ray radiation field that depend on local ISM properties. Our most successful model adopts a Plummer radial density profile for gas within molecular clouds. Different assumptions for the clumping of gas within molecular clouds and changes in the molecular cloud mass distribution function hardly affect the CO, [C  i ], and [C  ii ] luminosities of galaxies. At fixed star formation rate, the [C  ii ]–SFR ratio of galaxies scales inversely with the pressure acting on molecular clouds, increasing the molecular clouds density and hence decreasing the importance of [C  ii ] line cooling. We find that it is essential that a wide range of sub-mm emission lines arising in vastly different phases of the ISM are used as model constraints in order to limit the freedom in sub-grid choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of the number density of Ha emitting galaxies is vital for assessing the scientific impact of the Euclid and Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) missions. In this work, we present predictions from a galaxy formation model, GALACTICUS, for the cumulative number counts of Ha-emitting galaxies. We couple GALACTICUS to three different dust attenuation methods and examine the counts using each method. A χ² minimisation approach is used to compare the model predictions to observed galaxy counts and calibrate the dust parameters. We find that weak dust attenuation is required for the GALACTICUS counts to be broadly consistent with the observations, though the optimum dust parameters return large values for χ², suggesting that further calibration of GALACTICUS is necessary. The model predictions are also consistent with observed estimates for the optical depth and the Ha luminosity function. Finally, we present forecasts for the redshift distributions and number counts for two Euclidlike and one WFIRST-like surveys. For a Euclid-like survey with redshift range of 0.9 ≤ z ≤ 1.8 and Ha + [N II] blended flux limit of 2 × 10-16 erg s-1 cm-2, we predict a number density between 3900 and 4800 galaxies per square degree. For a WFIRST-like survey with redshift range of 1 ≤ z ≤ 2 and blended flux limit of 1 × 10-16 erg s-1 cm-2, we predict a number density between 10 400 and 15 200 galaxies per square degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use observed optical to near-infrared spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of 266 galaxies in the COSMOS survey to derive the wavelength dependence of the dust attenuation at high redshift. All of the galaxies have spectroscopic redshifts in the range z = 2-6.5. The presence of the C IV absorption feature, indicating that the rest-frame UV-optical SED is dominated by OB stars, is used to select objects for which the intrinsic, unattenuated spectrum has a well-established shape. Comparison of this intrinsic spectrum with the observed broadband photometric SED then permits derivation of the wavelength dependence of the dust attenuation. The derived dust attenuation curve is similar in overall shape to the Calzetti curve for local starburst galaxies. We also see the 2175 Å bump feature which is present in the Milky Way and Large Magellanic Cloud extinction curves but not seen in the Calzetti curve. The bump feature is commonly attributed to graphite or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. No significant dependence is seen with redshift between sub-samples at z = 2-4 and z = 4-6.5. The “extinction” curve obtained here provides a firm basis for color and extinction corrections of high redshift galaxy photometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]