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We present NOEMA CO (2–1) line and ALMA 870 µm continuum observations of a main-sequence galaxy at z = 1.38. The galaxy was initially deemed a "gas giant" based on the gas mass derived from sub-mm continuum (log(Mgas/M⊙) = 11.20 ± 0.20), however, the gas mass derived from CO (2−1) luminosity brings the gas mass value down to a level that is consistent with typical values for star-forming galaxies at that redshift (log(Mgas/M⊙) = 10.84 ± 0.03). Meanwhile, the dust-to-stellar mass ratio remains elevated above the scaling relations by a factor of 5. In this work, we explore the potential physical picture and consider an underestimated stellar mass and optically thick dust as possible explanations. Based on the updated gas-to-stellar mass ratio, we can rule out the former; while the latter may indeed contribute to the overestimation of the dust mass, it is not sufficient enough to explain the observed physical picture overall. Instead, other plausible explanations include enhanced HI reservoirs, an unusually high metallicity, or the presence of an optically dark, dusty contaminant. Using the ALMA data at 870 µm coupled with HST/ACS imaging, we find an extended morphology in dust continuum and clumpy star-formation in rest-frame UV in this galaxy. In addition, a tentative ~10 kpc dusty arm is found to be bridging the galaxy center and a clump in F814W image. The galaxy shows levels of dust obscuration similar to the so-called HST-dark galaxies at higher redshifts, thus falling into the optically faint and dark JWST color-color selection at z > 2. It is therefore possible that our object may stand as a low-z analog of the HST-dark populations. This galaxy serves as a caveat to the gas masses based on the continuum alone, with a larger sample required to unveil the full picture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ly  α line is a powerful probe of distant galaxies, which contains information about inflowing/outflowing gas through which Ly  α photons scatter. To develop our understanding of this probe, we post-process a zoom-in radiation-hydrodynamics simulation of a low-mass (M star ∼ 109 M⊙) galaxy to construct 22 500 mock spectra in 300 directions from z  = 3 to 4. Remarkably, we show that one galaxy can reproduce the variety of a large sample of spectroscopically observed Ly  α line profiles. While most mock spectra exhibit double-peak profiles with a dominant red peak, their shapes cover a large parameter space in terms of peak velocities, peak separation, and flux ratio. This diversity originates from radiative transfer effects at interstellar medium and circum-galactic medium (CGM) scales, and depends on galaxy inclination and evolutionary phase. Red-dominated lines preferentially arise in face-on directions during post-starburst outflows and are bright. Conversely, accretion phases usually yield symmetric double peaks in the edge-on direction and are fainter. While resonant scattering effects at <0.2 × R vir are responsible for the broadening and velocity shift of the red peak, the extended CGM acts as a screen and impacts the observed peak separation. The ability of simulations to reproduce observed Ly  α profiles and link their properties with galaxy physical parameters offers new perspectives to use Ly  α to constrain the mechanisms that regulate galaxy formation and evolution. Notably, our study implies that deeper Ly  α surveys may unveil a new population of blue-dominated lines tracing inflowing gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the astraeus (seminumerical rAdiative tranSfer coupling of galaxy formaTion and Reionization in N -body dark matter simUlationS) framework, we explore the impact of environmental density and radiative feedback on the assembly of galaxies and their host haloes during the Epoch of Reionization. The astraeus framework allows us to study the evolution of galaxies with masses (⁠|$10^{8.2}\,\rm M_\odot \lt M_{\rm h}\lt 10^{13}\,\rm M_\odot$|⁠) in a wide variety of environment [−0.5 < log (1 + δ) < 1.3 averaged over (2 cMpc)3]. We find that: (i) there exists a mass- and redshift- dependent 'characteristic' environment [ |${\rm log}\, (1+\delta _a(M_{\rm h}, z)) = 0.021\times (M_{\rm h}/\rm M_\odot)^{0.16} + 0.07 z -1.12$|⁠ , up to |$z$| ∼ 10] at which galaxies are most efficient at accreting dark matter, e.g at a rate of |$0.2{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$| of their mass every Myr at |$z$|  = 5; (ii) the number of minor and major mergers and their contributions to the dark matter assembly increases with halo mass at all redshifts and is mostly independent of the environment; (iii) at |$z$|  = 5 minor mergers contribute slightly more (by up to |$\sim 10{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$|⁠) to the dark matter assembly while for the stellar assembly, major mergers dominate the contribution from minor mergers for |$M_{\rm h}\lesssim 10^{11.5}\rm\, M_\odot$| galaxies; (iv) radiative feedback quenches star formation more in low-mass galaxies (⁠|$M_{\rm h}\lesssim 10^{9.5}\rm\, M_\odot$|⁠) in over-dense environments [log(1 + δ) > 0.5]; dominated by their major branch, this yields star formation histories biased towards older ages with a slower redshift evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]