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The gas-phase metallicity of low-mass galaxies increases with increasing stellar mass (M *) and is nearly constant for high-mass galaxies. Theory suggests that this tight mass–metallicity relationship is shaped by galactic outflows removing metal-enriched gas from galaxies. Here, we observationally model the outflow metallicities of the warm outflowing phase from a sample of seven local star-forming galaxies with stellar masses between 107and 1011M⊙. We estimate the outflow metallicities using four weak rest-frame ultraviolet absorption lines, the observed stellar continua, and photoionization models. The outflow metallicity is flat with M *, with a median metallicity of 1.0 ± 0.6 Z⊙. The observed outflows are metal-enriched: low and high-mass galaxies have outflow metallicities 10–50 and 2.6 times larger than their interstellar medium (ISM) metallicities, respectively. The observed outflows are mainly composed of entrained ISM gas with at most 22 per cent of the metals directly coming from recent supernovae enrichment. The metal outflow rate shallowly increases with M *, as |$M_\ast ^{0.2 \pm 0.1}$| because the mass outflow rate shallow increases with M *. Finally, we normalize the metal outflow rate by the rate at which star formation retains metals to calculate the metal-loading factor. The metal-loading factor inversely scales with M *. The normalization and scaling of the metal-loading factor agree with analytic expressions that reproduce observed mass-metallicity relations. Galactic outflows fundamentally shape the observed mass–metallicity relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ly α line is an important diagnostic of star formation and activity in galaxies. The analysis of Ly α is complicated due to the resonant nature of the line and radiative transfer effects. High spectral resolution studies of local starburst galaxies with the unprecedented UV capabilities of the HST have shown that this line is either seen in absorption or in emission and in the latter case with a P Cygni profile indicative of a large scale outflow of neutral gas. Moreover, HST imaging obtained with HST-ACS of a sample of 6 star-forming galaxies has revealed that a substantial fraction of the Ly α photons are diffused far away from the emissive knots. Since the importance of Ly α for tracing large scale structure, correlation functions, and galaxy formation is recognized, Ly α will remain a very important probe of the distant universe for the foreseeable future, and it is therefore imperative to acquire a better understanding of what mechanisms regulate our ability to detect this line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

JWST observations of galaxies at z ≳ 8 suggest that they are more luminous and clumpier than predicted by most models, prompting several proposals on the physics of star formation and feedback in the first galaxies. In this paper, we focus on the role of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in regulating star formation by performing a set of cosmological radiation hydrodynamics simulations of one galaxy at subparsec resolution with different radiative feedback models. We find that the suppression of cooling by far-UV (FUV) radiation (i.e., H2 dissociating radiation) from Population II stars is the main physical process triggering the formation of compact and massive star clusters and is responsible for the bursty star formation observed in metal-poor galaxies at z ≳ 10. Indeed, artificially suppressing FUV radiation leads to a less intense continuous mode of star formation distributed into numerous but low-mass open star clusters. Due to the intense FUV field, low-metallicity clouds remain warm (∼104 K) until they reach a relatively high density (≳103 cm−3), before becoming self-shielded and transitioning to a colder (∼100 K), partially molecular phase. As a result, star formation is delayed until the clouds accumulate enough mass to become gravitationally unstable. At this point, the clouds undergo rapid star formation, converting gas into stars with high efficiency. We therefore observe exceptionally bright galaxies (10 times brighter than for continuous star formation) and subsequent quenched "dead" galaxies that did not form stars for tens of Myr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using an ultradeep JWST/MIRI image at 5.6 μ m in the Hubble eXtreme Deep Field, we constrain the role of strong H α emitters (HAEs) during "cosmic reionization" at z ≃ 7–8. Our sample of HAEs is comprised of young (<35 Myr) galaxies, except for one single galaxy (≈300 Myr), with low stellar masses (≲109 M ⊙). These HAEs show a wide range of rest-frame UV continuum slopes (β), with a median value of β = −2.15 ± 0.21, which broadly correlates with stellar mass. We estimate the ionizing photon production efficiency (ξ ion,0) of these sources (assuming f esc,LyC = 0%), which yields a median value log 10 (ξ ion , 0 / (Hz erg − 1)) = 25.50 − 0.12 + 0.10 . We show that ξ ion,0 positively correlates with H α equivalent width and specific star formation rate. Instead ξ ion,0 weakly anticorrelates with stellar mass and β. Based on the β values, we predict f esc , LyC = 4 % − 2 + 3 , which results in log 10 (ξ ion / (Hz erg − 1)) = 25.55 − 0.13 + 0.11 . Considering this and related findings from the literature, we find a mild evolution of ξ ion with redshift. Additionally, our results suggest that these HAEs require only modest escape fractions (f esc,rel) of 6%–15% to reionize their surrounding intergalactic medium. By only considering the contribution of these HAEs, we estimated their total ionizing emissivity ( N ̇ ion ) as N ̇ ion = 10 50.53 ± 0.45 s − 1 Mpc − 3 . When comparing their N ̇ ion with non-HAE galaxies across the same redshift range, we find that that strong, young, and low-mass emitters may have played an important role during cosmic reionization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quiescent galaxies generally possess denser cores than star-forming galaxies with similar mass. As a measurement of the core density, the central stellar mass surface density within a radius of 1 kpc (Σ1) was thus suggested to be closely related to galaxy quenching. Massive star-forming galaxies with high Σ1 do not fit into this picture. To understand the origin of such galaxies, we compare the spatially resolved stellar population and star formation properties of massive (>1010.5 M ⊙) blue spiral galaxies with high and low Σ1, divided by Σ1 = 109.4 M ⊙ kpc−2, based on the final release of MaNGA integral field unit data. We find that both high-Σ1 and low-Σ1 blue spirals show large diversities in stellar population and star formation properties. Despite the diversities, high-Σ1 blue spirals are statistically different from the low-Σ1 ones. Specifically, the radial profiles of the luminosity-weighted age and Mgb/〈Fe〉 show that high-Σ1 blue spirals consist of a larger fraction of galaxies with younger and less α -element-enhanced centers than their low-Σ1 counterparts, ∼55% versus ∼30%. The galaxies with younger centers mostly have higher central specific star formation rates, which still follow the spaxel-based star formation main-sequence relation. Examinations of the H α velocity field and the optical structures suggest that galactic bars or galaxy interactions should be responsible for the rejuvenation of these galaxies. The remaining ∼45% of high-Σ1 blue spirals are consistent with the inside-out growth scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first systematic search for UV signatures from radio source-driven active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback in Compact Steep Spectrum (CSS) radio galaxies. Owing to their characteristic sub-galactic jets (1–20 kpc projected linear sizes), CSS hosts are excellent laboratories for probing galaxy scale feedback via jet-triggered star formation. The sample consists of seven powerful CSS galaxies, and two galaxies host to radio sources >20 kpc as the control, at low to intermediate redshifts (z < 0.6). Our new Hubble Space Telescope images show extended UV continuum emission in six out of seven CSS galaxies, with five CSS hosts exhibiting UV knots cospatial and aligned along the radio-jet axis. Young (≲ 10 Myr), massive (≳ 5 M ⊙) stellar populations are likely to be the dominant source of the blue excess emission in radio galaxies at these redshifts. Hence, the radio-aligned UV regions could be attributed to jet-induced starbursts. Lower near-UV star formation rates compared to other indicators suggest low scattered AGN light contribution to the observed UV. Dust attenuation of UV emission appears unlikely from high internal extinction correction estimates in most sources. Comparison with evolutionary synthesis models shows that our observations are consistent with recent (∼1−8 Myr old) star-forming activity likely triggered by current or an earlier episode of radio emission, or by a confined radio source that has frustrated growth, due to a dense environment. While follow-up spectroscopic and polarized light observations are needed to constrain the activity-related components in the observed UV, the detection of jet-induced star formation is a confirmation of an important prediction of the jet feedback paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supermassive black holes (SMBH) are believed to influence galaxy evolution through AGN (active galactic nuclei) feedback. Galaxy mergers are key processes of galaxy formation that lead to AGN activity and star formation. The relative contribution of AGN feedback and mergers to star formation is not yet well understood. In radio-loud objects, AGN outflows are dominated by large jets. However, in radio-quiet objects, outflows are more complex and involve jet, wind, and radiation. In this review, we discuss the signatures of AGN feedback through the alignment of radio and UV emissions. Current research on AGN feedback is discussed, along with a few examples of studies such as the galaxy merger system MRK 212, the radio-quiet AGN NGC 2639, and the radio-loud system Centaurus A. Multi-frequency observations of MRK 212 indicate the presence of dual AGN, as well as feedback-induced star-forming UV clumps. The fourth episode of AGN activity was detected in radio observations of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 2639, which also showed a central cavity of 6 kpc radius in CO and UV maps. This indicates that multi-epoch jets of radio-quiet AGN can blow out cold molecular gas, which can further reduce star formation in the center of the galaxies. Recent UV observations of Cen A have revealed two sets of stellar population in the northern star-forming region, which may have two different origins. Recent studies have shown that there is evidence that both positive and negative feedback can be present in galaxies at different scales and times. High-resolution, multi-band observations of large samples of different types of AGN and their host galaxies are important for understanding the two types of AGN feedback and their effect on the host galaxies. Future instruments like INSIST and UVEX will be able to help achieve some of these goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tip of the tidal tail, resulting from an encounter between galaxies, features gas concentrations and some star-forming regions, such as tidal dwarf galaxies (TDGs). This region provides a unique laboratory for examining the star formation process in a dynamical environment distinct from that of disk galaxies. Using the Nobeyama 45 m telescope, we conducted 12CO(1−0) position-switching observations at the tips of the southern tidal tail in the Antennae galaxies. We detected CO emission not only from the two star-forming TDG candidates but also in regions with no significant star formation. Adopting a Galactic CO-to-H2 conversion factor without helium correction, the H2 gas surface density is ∼5–12 M ⊙ pc−2. In most regions, the molecular-to-atomic gas ratio is around unity (0.6–1.9), but we find a region with a high ratio with a 3 σ lower limit of >7.2. The star formation efficiency (SFE) of molecular gas is notably low (<0.15 Gyr−1), indicating less active star formation than in both nearby disk galaxies (∼0.5–1.0 Gyr−1) and other TDGs previously observed. Including previous observations, the molecular gas SFEs vary widely among TDGs/tidal tails, from 10−2 to 10 Gyr−1, demonstrating significant variations in star formation activity. Potential factors contributing to the low SFE in the Antennae tail tips include extensive tides and/or the young age of the tail. [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]

We present the first results from a high-resolution simulation with a focus on galactic wind driving for an isolated galaxy with a halo mass of ∼1011 M ⊙ (similar to the Large Magellanic Cloud) and a total gas mass of ∼6 × 108 M ⊙, resulting in ∼108 gas cells at ∼4 M ⊙ mass resolution. We adopt a resolved stellar feedback model with nonequilibrium cooling and heating, including photoelectric heating and photoionizing radiation, as well as supernovae, coupled to the second-order meshless finite-mass method for hydrodynamics. These features make this the largest resolved interstellar medium (ISM) galaxy model run to date. We find mean star formation rates around 0.05 M ⊙ yr−1 and evaluate typical time-averaged loading factors for mass (η M ∼ 1.0, in good agreement with recent observations) and energy (η E ∼ 0.01). The bulk of the mass of the wind is transported by the warm (T < 5 × 105 K) phase, while there is a similar amount of energy transported in the warm and the hot phases (T > 5 × 105 K). We find an average opening angle of 30° for the wind, decreasing with higher altitude above the midplane. The wind mass loading is decreasing (flat) for the warm (hot) phase as a function of the star formation surface rate density ΣSFR, while the energy loading shows inverted trends with ΣSFR, decreasing for the warm wind and increasing for the hot wind, although with very shallow slopes. These scalings are in good agreement with previous simulations of resolved wind driving in the multiphase ISM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a methodology for modeling the joint ionizing impact due to a "simple X-ray population" (SXP) and its corresponding simple stellar population (SSP), where "simple" refers to a single age and metallicity population. We construct composite spectral energy distributions (SEDs) including contributions from ultraluminous X-ray sources and stars, with physically meaningful and consistent consideration of the relative contributions of each component as a function of instantaneous burst age and stellar metallicity. These composite SEDs are used as input for photoionization modeling with Cloudy, from which we produce a grid for the time- and metallicity-dependent nebular emission from these composite populations. We make the results from the photoionization simulations publicly available. We find that the addition of the SXP prolongs the high-energy ionizing output from the population—and correspondingly increases the intensity of nebular lines such as He ii λ 1640,4686, [Ne v ] λ 3426,14.3 μ m, and [O iv ] 25.9 μ m by factors of at least two relative to models without an SXP spectral component. This effect is most pronounced for instantaneous bursts of star formation on timescales >10 Myr and at low metallicities (∼0.1 Z ⊙), due to the imposed time- and metallicity-dependent behavior of the SXP relative to the SSP. We propose nebular emission line diagnostics accessible with JWST suitable for inferring the presence of a composite SXP + SSP, and we discuss how the ionization signatures compare to models for sources such as intermediate-mass black holes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate how patchy reionization affects the star formation history (SFH) and stellar metallicity of ultrafaint dwarf galaxies (UFDs). Patchy reionization refers to varying ultraviolet background strengths depending on a galaxy's environment. Recent observations highlight the significance of this effect on UFDs, as UFDs can have different SFHs depending on their relative position with respect to their host halo during the period of reionization. However, most cosmological hydrodynamic simulations do not consider environmental factors such as patchy reionization, and the effect of reionization is typically applied homogeneously. Using a novel approach to implement patchy reionization, we show how SFHs of simulated UFDs can change. Our cosmological hydrodynamic zoom-in simulations focus on UFD analogs with M vir ∼ 109 M ⊙, M * ≲ 105 M ⊙ at z = 0. We find that patchy reionization can weaken the effect of reionization by 2 orders of magnitude up to z = 3, enabling late star formation in half of the simulated UFDs, with quenching times ∼460 Myr later than those with homogeneous reionization. We also show that halo merger and mass assembly can affect the SFHs of simulated UFDs, in addition to patchy reionization. The average stellar iron-to-hydrogen ratio, [Fe/H], of the simulated UFDs with patchy reionization increases by 0.22–0.42 dex. Finally, our findings suggest that patchy reionization could be responsible for the extended SFHs of Magellanic UFDs compared to non-Magellanic UFDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep Very Large Telescope/MUSE optical integral field spectroscopy has recently revealed an abundant population of ultra-faint galaxies (M UV ≈ −15; 0.01 L ⋆) at z = 2.9−6.7 due to their strong Ly α emission with no detectable continuum. The implied Ly α equivalent widths can be in excess of 100–200 Å, challenging existing models of normal star formation and indicating extremely young ages, small stellar masses, and a very low amount of metal enrichment. We use JWST/NIRSpec's microshutter array to follow up 45 of these galaxies (11 hr in G235M/F170LP and 7 hr in G395M/F290LP), as well as 45 lower-equivalent width Ly α emitters. Our spectroscopy covers the range 1.7−5.1 micron in order to target strong optical emission lines: H α, [O iii ], H β, and [N II]. Individual measurements as well as stacks reveal line ratios consistent with a metal-poor nature (2%−40% Z ⊙, depending on the calibration). The galaxies with the highest equivalent widths of Ly α, in excess of 90 Å, have lower [N II]/H α (1.9 σ) and [O iii ]/H β (2.2 σ) ratios than those with lower equivalent widths, implying lower gas-phase metallicities at a combined significance of 2.4 σ. This implies a selection based on Ly α equivalent width is an efficient technique for identifying younger, less chemically enriched systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mere existence of multiple stellar generations in Milky Way globular clusters indicates that each generation was unable to stop star formation, that instead persisted unimpeded for several million years. This evidence argues for an extended stage of star formation within a forming globular cluster, during which stellar feedback was substantially ineffective and the nascent globular cluster was able to accrete processed gas from its surrounding, and efficiently convert it into successive stellar generations. It has been argued that such delayed feedback results from core collapse in most massive stars failing to trigger an energetic supernova explosion, but rather leading directly to black hole formation. Thus, globular clusters offer a concrete phenomenological example for the lack of feedback in young starbursts, an option that has been widely advocated to account for the unexpected abundance of ultraviolet-luminous galaxies at z = 9–16, as revealed by JWST observations. The paper is meant to attract attention to this opportunity for a synergic cooperation of globular cluster and high-redshift research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The upcoming generation of optical spectrographs on four meter-class telescopes, with their huge multiplexing capabilities, excellent spectral resolution, and unprecedented wavelength coverage, will provide high-quality spectra for thousands of galaxies. These data will allow us to examine of the stellar population properties at intermediate redshift, an epoch that remains unexplored by large and deep surveys. Aims. We assess our capability to retrieve the mean stellar metallicity in galaxies at different redshifts and signal-to-noise ratios (S/N), while simultaneously exploiting the ultraviolet (UV) and optical rest-frame wavelength coverage. Methods. The work is based on a comprehensive library of spectral templates of stellar populations, covering a wide range of age and metallicity values and built assuming various star formation histories, to cover an observable parameter space with diverse chemical enrichment histories and dust attenuation. We took into account possible observational errors, simulating realistic observations of a large sample of galaxies carried out with WEAVE at the William Herschel Telescope at different redshifts and S/N values. We measured all the available and reliable indices on the simulated spectra and on the comparison library. We then adopted a Bayesian approach to compare the two sets of measurements in order to obtain the probability distribution of stellar metallicity with an accurate estimate of the uncertainties. Results. The analysis of the spectral indices has shown how some mid-UV indices, such as BL3580 and Fe3619, can provide reliable constraints on stellar metallicity, along with optical indicators. The analysis of the mock observations has shown that even at S/N = 10, the metallicity can be derived within 0.3 dex, in particular, for stellar populations older than 2 Gyr. The S/N value plays a crucial role in the uncertainty of the estimated metallicity and so, the differences between S/N = 10 and S/N = 30 are quite large, with uncertainties of ~0.15 dex in the latter case. On the contrary, moving from S/N = 30 to S/N = 50, the improvement on the uncertainty of the metallicity measurements is almost negligible. Our results are in good agreement with other theoretical and observational works in the literature and show how the UV indicators, coupled with classic optical ones, can be advantageous in constraining metallicities. Conclusions. We demonstrate that a good accuracy can be reached on the spectroscopic measurements of the stellar metallicity of galaxies at intermediate redshift, even at low S/N, when a large number of indices can be employed, including some UV indices. This is very promising for the upcoming surveys carried out with new, highly multiplexed, large-field spectrographs, such as StePS at the WEAVE and 4MOST, which will provide spectra of thousands of galaxies covering large spectral ranges (between 3600 and 9000 Å in the observed frame) at relatively high S/N (>10 Å−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The analysis of core-collapse supernova (CCSN) environments can provide important information on the life cycle of massive stars and constrain the progenitor properties of these powerful explosions. The MUSE instrument at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) enables detailed local environment constraints of the progenitors of large samples of CCSNe. Using a homogeneous SN sample from the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN) survey, an untargeted and spectroscopically complete transient survey, has enabled us to perform a minimally biased statistical analysis of CCSN environments. Aims. We analyze 111 galaxies observed by MUSE that hosted 112 CCSNe – 78 II, nine IIn, seven IIb, four Ic, seven Ib, three Ibn, two Ic-BL, one ambiguous Ibc, and one superluminous SN – detected or discovered by the ASAS-SN survey between 2014 and 2018. The majority of the galaxies were observed by the All-weather MUse Supernova Integral field Nearby Galaxies (AMUSING) survey. Here we analyze the immediate environment around the SN locations and compare the properties between the different CCSN types and their light curves. Methods. We used stellar population synthesis and spectral fitting techniques to derive physical parameters for all H II regions detected within each galaxy, including the star formation rate (SFR), Hα equivalent width (EW), oxygen abundance, and extinction. Results. We found that stripped-envelope supernovae (SESNe) occur in environments with a higher median SFR, Hα EW, and oxygen abundances than SNe II and SNe IIn/Ibn. Most of the distributions have no statistically significant differences, except between oxygen abundance distributions of SESNe and SNe II, and between Hα EW distributions of SESNe and SNe II. The distributions of SNe II and IIn are very similar, indicating that these events explode in similar environments. For the SESNe, SNe Ic have higher median SFRs, Hα EWs, and oxygen abundances than SNe Ib. SNe IIb have environments with similar SFRs and Hα EWs to SNe Ib, and similar oxygen abundances to SNe Ic. We also show that the postmaximum decline rate, s, of SNe II correlates with the Hα EW, and that the luminosity and the Δm15 parameter of SESNe correlate with the oxygen abundance, Hα EW, and SFR at their environments. This suggests a connection between the explosion mechanisms of these events to their environment properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present emission-line ratios from a sample of 27 Lyman-break galaxies from z ∼ 5.5 − 9.5 with −17.0 < M1500 < −20.4, measured from ultra-deep JWST/NIRSpec multi-object spectroscopy from the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES). We used a combination of 28 h deep PRISM/CLEAR and 7 h deep G395M/F290LP observations to measure, or place strong constraints on, ratios of widely studied rest-frame optical emission lines including Hα, Hβ, [O II] λλ3726, 3729, [Ne III] λ3869, [O III] λ4959, [O III] λ5007, [O I] λ6300, [N II] λ6583, and [S II] λλ6716, 6731 in individual z > 5.5 spectra. We find that the emission-line ratios exhibited by these z ∼ 5.5 − 9.5 galaxies occupy clearly distinct regions of line-ratio space compared to typical z ∼ 0 − 3 galaxies, instead being more consistent with extreme populations of lower-redshift galaxies. This is best illustrated by the [O III]/[O II] ratio, tracing interstellar medium (ISM) ionisation, in which we observe more than half of our sample to have [O III]/[O II] > 10. Our high signal-to-noise spectra reveal more than an order of magnitude of scatter in line ratios such as [O II]/Hβ and [O III]/[O II], indicating significant diversity in the ISM conditions within the sample. We find no convincing detections of [N II] λ6583 in our sample, either in individual galaxies, or a stack of all G395M/F290LP spectra. The emission-line ratios observed in our sample are generally consistent with galaxies with extremely high ionisation parameters (log U ∼ −1.5), and a range of metallicities spanning from ∼0.1 × Z⊙ to higher than ∼0.3 × Z⊙, suggesting we are probing low-metallicity systems undergoing periods of rapid star formation, driving strong radiation fields. These results highlight the value of deep observations in constraining the properties of individual galaxies, and hence probing diversity within galaxy population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first generation of stars, often called Population III (or Pop III), form from metal-free primordial gas at redshifts z ∼ 30 and below. They dominate the cosmic star-formation history until z ∼ 15–20, at which point the formation of metal-enriched Population II stars takes over. We review current theoretical models for the formation, properties, and impact of Pop III stars and discuss existing and future observational constraints. Key takeaways from this review include the following: Primordial gas is highly susceptible to fragmentation and Pop III stars form as members of small clusters with a logarithmically flat mass function. Feedback from massive Pop III stars plays a central role in regulating subsequent star formation, but major uncertainties remain regarding its immediate impact. In extreme conditions, supermassive Pop III stars can form, reaching masses of several 105M⊙. Their remnants may be the seeds of the supermassive black holes observed in high-redshift quasars. Direct observations of Pop III stars in the early Universe remain extremely challenging. Indirect constraints from the global 21-cm signal or gravitational waves are more promising. Stellar archeological surveys allow us to constrain both the low-mass and the high-mass ends of the Pop III mass distribution. Observations suggest that most massive Pop III stars end their lives as core-collapse supernovae rather than as pair-instability supernovae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We search for local extremely metal-poor galaxies (EMPGs), selecting photometric candidates by broadband color excess and machine-learning techniques with the SDSS photometric data. After removing stellar contaminants by shallow spectroscopy with Seimei and Nayuta telescopes, we confirm that three candidates are EMPGs with 0.05–0.1 Z ⊙ by deep Magellan/MagE spectroscopy for faint [Oiii] λ 4363 lines. Using a statistical sample consisting of 105 spectroscopically confirmed EMPGs taken from our study and the literature, we calculate the cross-correlation function (CCF) of the EMPGs and all SDSS galaxies to quantify environments of EMPGs. Comparing another CCF of all SDSS galaxies and comparison of SDSS galaxies in the same stellar-mass range (107.0–108.4 M ⊙), we find no significant (>1 σ) difference between these two CCFs. We also compare mass–metallicity relations (MZRs) of the EMPGs and those of galaxies at z ∼ 0–4 with a steady chemical evolution model and find that the EMPG MZR is comparable with the model prediction on average. These clustering and chemical properties of EMPGs are explained by a scenario of stochastic metal-poor gas accretion on metal-rich galaxies showing metal-poor star formation. Extending the broadband color excess technique to a high- z EMPG search, we select 17 candidates of z ∼ 4–5 EMPGs with the deep (≃30 mag) near-infrared JWST/NIRCam images obtained by ERO and ERS programs. We find galaxy candidates with negligible [Oiii] λ λ 4959,5007 emission weaker than the local EMPGs and known high- z galaxies, suggesting that some of these candidates may fall in the range of 0–0.01 Z ⊙, which potentially breaks the lowest metallicity limit known to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation is potentially a mechanism through which the circumgalactic medium (CGM) can regulate a galaxy's star formation. Here, we present idealized simulations of isolated Milky Way–like galaxies intended to examine the ability of galaxies to self-regulate their star formation, in particular via precipitation. We also examine the impact of rotation in the CGM. Using six simulations, we explore variations in the initial CGM t cool/ t ff ratio and rotation profile. Those variations affect the amount of gas accretion and star formation within the galactic disk. To encourage this accretion and better study its dependence on CGM structure, we gradually increase the efficiency of stellar feedback during the first half of our simulations. Yet despite this gradual increase, the resulting outflows quickly evacuate large, hot cavities within the CGM and even beyond r 200. Some of the CGM gas avoids interacting with the cavities and is able to feed the disk along its midplane, but the cooling of feedback-heated gas far from the midplane is too slow to supply the disk with additional gas. Our simulations illustrate the importance of physical mechanisms in the outer CGM and IGM for star formation regulation in Milky Way–scale halos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate galactic winds in the HizEA galaxies, a collection of 46 late-stage galaxy mergers at z = 0.4–0.8, with stellar masses of log (M * / M ⊙) = 10.4 – 11.5 , star formation rates (SFRs) of 20–500 M ⊙ yr−1, and ultra-compact (a few 100 pc) central star-forming regions. We measure their gas kinematics using the Mg ii λ λ 2796,2803 absorption lines in optical spectra from MMT, Magellan, and Keck. We find evidence of outflows in 90% of targets, with maximum outflow velocities of 550–3200 km s−1. We combine these data with ten samples from the literature to construct scaling relations for outflow velocity versus SFR, star formation surface density (ΣSFR), M *, and SFR/ M *. The HizEA galaxies extend the dynamic range of the scaling relations by a factor of ∼2–4 in outflow velocity and an order of magnitude in SFR and ΣSFR. The ensemble scaling relations exhibit strong correlations between outflow velocity, SFR, SFR/ R, and ΣSFR, and weaker correlations with M * and SFR/ M *. The HizEA galaxies are mild outliers on the SFR and M * scaling relations, but they connect smoothly with more typical star-forming galaxies on plots of outflow velocity versus SFR/ R and ΣSFR. These results provide further evidence that the HizEA galaxies' exceptional outflow velocities are a consequence of their extreme star formation conditions rather than hidden black hole activity, and they strengthen previous claims that ΣSFR is one of the most important properties governing the velocities of galactic winds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use the large spectroscopic data set of the MOSFIRE Deep Evolution Field survey to investigate some of the key factors responsible for the elevated ionization parameters (U) inferred for high-redshift galaxies, focusing in particular on the role of star-formation-rate surface density (ΣSFR). Using a sample of 317 galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts z spec ≃ 1.9–3.7, we construct composite rest-frame optical spectra in bins of ΣSFR and infer electron densities, n e, using the ratio of the [O ii ] λ λ 3727, 3730 doublet. Our analysis suggests a significant (≃3 σ) correlation between n e and ΣSFR. We further find significant correlations between U and ΣSFR for composite spectra of a subsample of 113 galaxies, and for a smaller sample of 25 individual galaxies with inferences of U. The increase in n e—and possibly also the volume filling factor of dense clumps in H ii regions—with ΣSFR appear to be important factors in explaining the relationship between U and ΣSFR. Further, the increase in n e and SFR with redshift at a fixed stellar mass can account for most of the redshift evolution of U. These results suggest that the gas density, which sets n e and the overall level of star formation activity, may play a more important role than metallicity evolution in explaining the elevated ionization parameters of high-redshift galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using CANUCS imaging we found an apparent major merger of two |$z$| ∼ 5 ultra-low-mass galaxies (M ⋆∼107M⊙ each) that are doubly imaged and magnified ∼12–15× by the lensing cluster MACS 0417. Both galaxies are experiencing young (∼100 Myr), synchronised bursts of star formation with log (sSFR/Gyr−1) ∼1.3–1.4, yet SFRs of just ∼0.2M⊙ yr−1. They have sub-solar (Z ∼ 0.2Z⊙) gas-phase metallicities and are connected by an even more metal-poor star-forming bridge. The galaxy that forms from the merger will have a mass of at least M ⋆∼2 × 107 M⊙, at least half of it formed during the interaction-induced starburst. More than half of the ionizing photons produced by the system (before and during the merger) will have been produced during the burst. This system provides the first detailed look at a merger involving two high- |$z$| ultra-low-mass galaxies of the type believed to be responsible for reionizing the Universe. It suggests that such galaxies can grow via a combination of mass obtained through major mergers, merger-triggered starbursts, and long-term in-situ star formation. If such high- |$z$| mergers are common, then merger-triggered starbursts could be significant contributors to the ionizing photon budget of the Universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a detailed multiwavelength study of star formation in the dwarf galaxy NGC 4395, which hosts an active galactic nucleus (AGN). From our observations with the Ultra-Violet Imaging Telescope, we have compiled a catalog of 284 star-forming (SF) regions, out of which we could detect 120 SF regions in H α observations. Across the entire galaxy, we found the extinction-corrected star formation rate (SFR) in the far ultraviolet (UV) to range from 2.0 × 10−5 M ⊙ yr−1 to 1.5 × 10−2 M ⊙ yr−1 with a median of 3.0 × 10−4 M ⊙ yr−1, and the age to lie in the range of ∼1 to 98 Myr with a median of 14 Myr. In H α we found the SFR to range from 7.2 × 10−6 M ⊙ yr−1 to 2.7 × 10−2 M ⊙ yr−1 with a median of 1.7 × 10−4 M ⊙ yr−1, and the age to lie between 3 to 6 Myr with a median of 5 Myr. The stellar ages derived from H α show a gradual decline with galactocentric distance. We found three SF regions close to the center of NGC 4395 with high SFRs both from H α and UV, which could be attributed to feedback effects from the AGN. We also found six other SF regions in one of the spiral arms having higher SFRs. These are very close to supernova remnants, which could have enhanced the SFR locally. We obtained a specific SFR (SFR per unit mass) for the whole galaxy of 4.64 × 10−10 yr−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We employ the Feedback In Realistic Environments (FIRE-2) physics model to study how the properties of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) evolve during galaxy mergers. We conduct a pixel-by-pixel analysis of molecular gas properties in both the simulated control galaxies and galaxy major mergers. The simulated GMC pixels in the control galaxies follow a similar trend in a diagram of velocity dispersion (σ v ) versus gas surface density (Σmol) to the one observed in local spiral galaxies in the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS (PHANGS) survey. For GMC pixels in simulated mergers, we see a significant increase of a factor of 5–10 in both Σmol and σ v , which puts these pixels above the trend of PHANGS galaxies in the σ v versus Σmol diagram. This deviation may indicate that GMCs in the simulated mergers are much less gravitationally bound compared with simulated control galaxies with virial parameters (α vir) reaching 10–100. Furthermore, we find that the increase in α vir happens at the same time as the increase in global star formation rate, which suggests that stellar feedback is responsible for dispersing the gas. We also find that the gas depletion time is significantly lower for high- α vir GMCs during a starburst event. This is in contrast to the simple physical picture that low- α vir GMCs are easier to collapse and form stars on shorter depletion times. This might suggest that some other physical mechanisms besides self-gravity are helping the GMCs in starbursting mergers collapse and form stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feedback likely plays a crucial role in resolving discrepancies between observations and theoretical predictions of dwarf galaxy properties. Stellar feedback was once believed to be sufficient to explain these discrepancies, but it has thus far failed to fully reconcile theory and observations. The recent discovery of energetic galaxy-wide outflows in dwarf galaxies hosting active galactic nuclei (AGNs) suggests that AGN feedback may have a larger role in the evolution of dwarf galaxies than previously suspected. In order to assess the relative importance of stellar versus AGN feedback in these galaxies, we perform a detailed Keck/KCWI optical integral field spectroscopic study of a sample of low-redshift star-forming (SF) dwarf galaxies that show outflows in ionized gas in their Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectra. We characterize the outflows and compare them to observations of AGN-driven outflows in dwarfs. We find that SF dwarfs have outflow components that have comparable widths (W 80) to those of outflows in AGN dwarfs, but are much less blueshifted, indicating that SF dwarfs have significantly slower outflows than their AGN counterparts. Outflows in SF dwarfs are spatially resolved and significantly more extended than those in AGN dwarfs. The mass-loss, momentum, and energy rates of star-formation-driven outflows are much lower than those of AGN-driven outflows. Our results indicate that AGN feedback in the form of gas outflows may play an important role in dwarf galaxies and should be considered along with SF feedback in models of dwarf galaxy evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present results on the properties of extreme gas outflows in massive (M * ∼ 1011 M ⊙), compact, starburst (star formation rate, SFR∼ 200 M ⊙ yr−1) galaxies at z = 0.4–0.7 with very high star formation surface densities (ΣSFR ∼ 2000 M ⊙ yr−1 kpc−2). Using optical Keck/HIRES spectroscopy of 14 HizEA starburst galaxies, we identify outflows with maximum velocities of 820–2860 km s−1. High-resolution spectroscopy allows us to measure precise column densities and covering fractions as a function of outflow velocity and characterize the kinematics and structure of the cool gas outflow phase (T ∼ 104 K). We find substantial variation in the absorption profiles, which likely reflects the complex morphology of inhomogeneously distributed, clumpy gas and the intricacy of the turbulent mixing layers between the cold and hot outflow phases. There is not a straightforward correlation between the bursts in the galaxies' star formation histories and their wind absorption line profiles, as might naively be expected for starburst-driven winds. The lack of strong Mg ii absorption at the systemic velocity is likely an orientation effect, where the observations are down the axis of a blowout. We infer high mass outflow rates of ∼50–2200 M ⊙ yr−1, assuming a fiducial outflow size of 5 kpc, and mass loading factors of η ∼ 5 for most of the sample. While these values have high uncertainties, they suggest that starburst galaxies are capable of ejecting very large amounts of cool gas that will substantially impact their future evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a Keck/MOSFIRE rest-optical composite spectrum of 16 typical gravitationally lensed star-forming dwarf galaxies at 1.7 ≲ z ≲ 2.6 (z mean = 2.30), all chosen independent of emission-line strength. These galaxies have a median stellar mass of log (M * / M ⊙) med = 8.29 − 0.43 + 0.51 and a median star formation rate of S F R H α m e d = 2.25 − 1.26 + 2.15 M ⊙ y r − 1 . We measure the faint electron-temperature-sensitive [O iii ] λ 4363 emission line at 2.5 σ (4.1 σ) significance when considering a bootstrapped (statistical-only) uncertainty spectrum. This yields a direct-method oxygen abundance of 12 + log (O / H) direct = 7.88 − 0.22 + 0.25 ( 0.15 − 0.06 + 0.12 Z ⊙ ). We investigate the applicability at high z of locally calibrated oxygen-based strong-line metallicity relations, finding that the local reference calibrations of Bian et al. best reproduce (≲0.12 dex) our composite metallicity at fixed strong-line ratio. At fixed M *, our composite is well represented by the z ∼ 2.3 direct-method stellar mass—gas-phase metallicity relation (MZR) of Sanders et al. When comparing to predicted MZRs from the IllustrisTNG and FIRE simulations, having recalculated our stellar masses with more realistic nonparametric star formation histories (log (M * / M ⊙) med = 8.92 − 0.22 + 0.31) , we find excellent agreement with the FIRE MZR. Our composite is consistent with no metallicity evolution, at fixed M * and SFR, of the locally defined fundamental metallicity relation. We measure the doublet ratio [O ii ] λ 3729/[O ii ] λ 3726 = 1.56 ± 0.32 (1.51 ± 0.12) and a corresponding electron density of n e = 1 − 0 + 215 cm − 3 ( n e = 1 − 0 + 74 cm − 3 ) when considering the bootstrapped (statistical-only) error spectrum. This result suggests that lower-mass galaxies have lower densities than higher-mass galaxies at z ∼ 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Galaxy formation and evolution are regulated by the feedback from galactic winds. Absorption lines provide the most widely available probe of winds. However, since most data only provide information integrated along the line of sight, they do not directly constrain the radial structure of the outflows. In this paper, we present a method to directly measure the gas electron density in outflows (n e ), which in turn yields estimates of outflow cloud properties (e.g., density, volume filling factor, and sizes/masses). We also estimate the distance (r n ) from the starburst at which the observed densities are found. We focus on 22 local star-forming galaxies primarily from the COS Legacy Archive Spectroscopic SurveY (CLASSY). In half of them, we detect absorption lines from fine-structure excited transitions of Si ii (i.e., Si ii *). We determine n e from relative column densities of Si ii and Si ii *, given Si ii * originates from collisional excitation by free electrons. We find that the derived n e correlates well with the galaxy's star formation rate per unit area. From photoionization models or assuming the outflow is in pressure equilibrium with the wind fluid, we get r n ∼ 1–2 r * or ∼5 r *, respectively, where r * is the starburst radius. Based on comparisons to theoretical models of multiphase outflows, nearly all of the outflows have cloud sizes large enough for the clouds to survive their interaction with the hot wind fluid. Most of these measurements are the first ever for galactic winds detected in absorption lines and, thus, will provide important constraints for future models of galactic winds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present integral field, far-infrared (FIR) spectroscopy of Mrk 54, a local Lyman continuum emitter, obtained with FIFI-LS on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. This is only the second time, after Haro 11, that [C ii ] 158 μ m and [O iii ] 88 μ m spectroscopy of the known LCEs have been obtained. We find that Mrk 54 has a strong [C ii ] emission that accounts for ∼1% of the total FIR luminosity, whereas it has only moderate [O iii ] emission, resulting in the low [O iii ]/[C ii ] luminosity ratio of 0.22 ± 0.06. In order to investigate whether [O iii ]/[C ii ] is a useful tracer of f esc (LyC escape fraction), we examine the correlations of [O iii ]/[C ii ] and (i) the optical line ratio of O32 ≡ [O iii ] 5007 Å/[O ii ] 3727 Å, (ii) specific star formation rate, (iii) [O iii ] 88 μ m/[O i ] 63 μ m ratio, (iv) gas-phase metallicity, and (v) dust temperature based on a combined sample of Mrk 54 and the literature data from the Herschel Dwarf Galaxy Survey and the LITTLE THINGS Survey. We find that galaxies with high [O iii ]/[C ii ] luminosity ratios could be the result of high ionization (traced by O32), bursty star formation, high ionized-to-neutral gas volume filling factors (traced by [O iii ] 88 μ m/[O i ] 63 μ m), and low gas-phase metallicities, which is in agreement with theoretical predictions. We present an empirical relation between the [O iii ]/[C ii ] ratio and f esc based on the combination of the [O iii ]/[C ii ] and O32 correlation, and the known relation between O32 and f esc. The relation implies that high-redshift galaxies with high [O iii ]/[C ii ] ratios revealed by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array may have f esc ≳ 0.1, significantly contributing to the cosmic reionization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elliptical galaxies with blue optical colours and significant star formation are hypothesised to be major merger remnants of gas-rich spiral galaxies or normal elliptical galaxies with a sudden burst of star formation. We present here a scenario in which blue elliptical galaxies identified in shallow imaging surveys may fail to recover faint features that are indicative of past merger activity using a nearby major merger remnant. Based on deep optical imaging data of the post-merger galaxy, NGC 7252, we demonstrate that the galaxy can appear as an elliptical galaxy if it is observed at higher redshifts. The main body and the low surface brightness merger features found at the outskirts of the galaxy are blue in the optical g − r colour map. We argue that the higher-redshift blue elliptical galaxies discovered in surveys as shallow as the SDSS or DECaLS may be advanced mergers whose defining tidal features fall below the detection limits of the surveys. This should be taken into consideration during the morphological classification of these systems in future and ongoing surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luminous infrared starbursts in the early Universe are thought to be the progenitors of massive quiescent galaxies identified at redshifts 2–4. Using the Mid-IRfrared Instrument (MIRI) on board the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), we present mid-infrared sub-arcsec imaging and spectroscopy of such a starburst: the slightly lensed hyper-luminous infrared system SPT0311-58 at z = 6.9. The MIRI IMager (MIRIM) and Medium Resolution Spectrometer (MRS) observations target the stellar (rest-frame 1.26 μm emission) structure and ionised (Paα and Hα) medium on kpc scales in the system. The MIRI observations are compared with existing ALMA far-infrared continuum and [C II]158μm imaging at a similar angular resolution. Even though the ALMA observations imply very high star formation rates (SFRs) in the eastern (E) and western (W) galaxies of the system, the Hα line is, strikingly, not detected in our MRS observations. This fact, together with the detection of the ionised gas phase in Paα, implies very high internal nebular extinction with lower limits (AV) of 4.2 (E) and 3.9 mag (W) as well as even larger values (5.6 (E) and 10.0 (W)) by spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting analysis. The extinction-corrected Paα lower limits of the SFRs are 383 and 230 M⊙ yr−1 for the E and W galaxies, respectively. This represents 50% of the SFRs derived from the [C II]158 μm line and infrared light for the E galaxy and as low as 6% for the W galaxy. The MIRIM observations reveal a clumpy stellar structure, with each clump having 3–5×109M⊙ mass in stars, leading to a total stellar mass of 2.0 and 1.5×1010M⊙ for the E and W galaxies, respectively. The specific star formation (sSFR) in the stellar clumps ranges from 25 to 59 Gyr−1, assuming a star formation with a 50–100 Myr constant rate. This sSFR is three to ten times larger than the values measured in galaxies of similar stellar mass at redshifts 6–8. Thus, SPT0311-58 clearly stands out as a starburst system when compared with typical massive star-forming galaxies at similar high redshifts. The overall gas mass fraction is Mgas/M* ∼ 3, similar to that of z ∼ 4.5–6 star-forming galaxies, suggesting a flattening of the gas mass fraction in massive starbursts up to redshift 7. The kinematics of the ionised gas in the E galaxy agrees with the known [C II] gas kinematics, indicating a physical association between the ionised gas and the cold ionised or neutral gas clumps. The situation in the W galaxy is more complex, as it appears to be a velocity offset by about +700 km s−1 in the Paα relative to the [C II] emitting gas. The nature of this offset and its reality are not fully established and require further investigation. The observed properties of SPT0311-58, such as the clumpy distribution at sub(kpc) scales and the very high average extinction, are similar to those observed in low- and intermediate-z luminous (E galaxy) and ultra-luminous (W galaxy) infrared galaxies, even though SPT0311-58 is observed only ∼800 Myr after the Big Bang. Such massive, heavily obscured clumpy starburst systems as SPT0311-58 likely represent the early phases in the formation of a massive high-redshift bulge, spheroids and/or luminous quasars. This study demonstrates that MIRI and JWST are, for the first time, able to explore the rest-frame near-infrared stellar and ionised gas structure of these galaxies, even during the Epoch of Reionization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive, young stars are the main source of energy that maintains multiphase structure and turbulence in the interstellar medium (ISM), and without this "feedback" the star formation rate (SFR) would be much higher than is observed. Rapid energy loss in the ISM and efficient energy recovery by stellar feedback lead to coregulation of SFRs and the ISM state. Realistic approaches to this problem should solve for the dynamical evolution of the ISM, including star formation and the input of feedback energy self-consistently and accurately. Here, we present the TIGRESS-NCR numerical framework, in which UV radiation, supernovae, cooling and heating processes, and gravitational collapse are modeled explicitly. We use an adaptive ray-tracing method for UV radiation transfer from star clusters represented by sink particles, accounting for attenuation by dust and gas. We solve photon-driven chemical equations to determine the abundances of hydrogen (time dependent) and carbon/oxygen-bearing species (steady state), which then set cooling and heating rates self-consistently. Applying these methods, we present high-resolution magnetohydrodynamics simulations of differentially rotating local galactic disks representing typical conditions of nearby star-forming galaxies. We analyze ISM properties and phase distributions and show good agreement with existing multiwavelength galactic observations. We measure midplane pressure components (turbulent, thermal, and magnetic) and the weight, demonstrating that vertical dynamical equilibrium holds. We quantify the ratios of pressure components to the SFR surface density, which we call the feedback yields. The TIGRESS-NCR framework will allow for a wide range of parameter exploration, including in low-metallicity systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiwavelength images from the Hubble Space Telescope covering the wavelength range 0.27–1.6 μ m show that the central area of the nearby dwarf galaxy NGC 4449 contains several tens of compact sources that are emitting in the hydrogen recombination line Pa β (1.2818 μ m) but are only marginally detected in H α (0.6563 μ m) and undetected at wavelengths λ ≤ 0.55 μ m. An analysis of the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of these sources indicates that they are likely relatively young stellar clusters heavily attenuated by dust. The selection function used to identify the sources prevents meaningful statistical analyses of their age, mass, and dust extinction distributions. However, these cluster candidates have ages ∼5–6 Myr and A V > 6 mag, according to their SED fits, and are extremely compact, with typical deconvolved radii of 1 pc. The dusty clusters are located at the periphery of the dark clouds within the galaxy and appear to be partially embedded. Density and pressure considerations indicate that the H ii regions surrounding these clusters may be stalled, and that pre-supernova (pre-SN) feedback has not been able to clear the clusters of their natal cocoons. These findings are in potential tension with existing models that regulate star formation with pre-SN feedback, since pre-SN feedback acts on short timescales, ≲4 Myr, for a standard stellar initial mass function. The existence of a population of dusty stellar clusters with ages >4 Myr, if confirmed by future observations, paints a more complex picture for the role of stellar feedback in controlling star formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present ultradeep Keck/MOSFIRE rest-optical spectra of two star-forming galaxies at z = 2.18 in the COSMOS field with bright emission lines, representing more than 20 hr of total integration. The fidelity of these spectra enabled the detection of more than 20 unique emission lines for each galaxy, including the first detection of the auroral [O ii ] λλ 7322, 7332 lines at high redshift. We use these measurements to calculate the electron temperature in the low-ionization O+ zone of the ionized interstellar medium and derive abundance ratios of O/H, N/H, and N/O using the direct method. The N/O and α /Fe abundance patterns of these galaxies are consistent with rapid formation timescales and ongoing strong starbursts, in accord with their high specific star formation rates. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using auroral [O ii ] measurements for accurate metallicity studies at high redshift in a higher-metallicity and lower-excitation regime previously unexplored with the direct method in distant galaxies. These results also highlight the difficulty in obtaining the measurements required for direct-method metallicities from the ground. We emphasize the advantages that the JWST/NIRSpec instrument will bring to high-redshift metallicity studies, where the combination of increased sensitivity and uninterrupted wavelength coverage will yield more than an order of magnitude increase in efficiency for multiplexed auroral-line surveys relative to current ground-based facilities. Consequently, the advent of JWST promises to be the beginning of a new era of precision chemical abundance studies of the early universe at a level of detail rivaling that of local galaxy studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early cosmic epochs are characterized by low metallicity and high specific star-formation rates. These conditions are dominated by massive-star feedback that may be dramatically different than the traditional model dominated by hot, thermal superwinds driven by supernova explosions. Instead, metal-poor feedback from massive stars may be radiation-dominated, with weak mechanical feedback, possibly aiding the escape of Lyα and Lyman continuum radiation. I will describe our understanding that is emerging from observations of starburst galaxies in the local universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultracompact Hii regions (UC-HII) are the young, very dense cores of massive star-forming regions in dwarf galaxies, where newly formed massive OB stars are surrounded by natal molecular clouds. Thermal energy deposited by mechanical feedback from a cluster of massive OB stars can form a superwind, which may lead to a wind-blown bubble as well as radiative cooling. We investigate the formation of radiatively cooling superwinds in UC-HII using a radiative cooling module in the hydrodynamics program. We built a grid of hydrodynamic simulations to determine the dependence of radiative cooling on the cluster radius, mass-deposition rate, wind velocity, and ambient medium in UC-HII. Our findings could help to better understand star formation in massive star-forming regions, where cool superwinds could trigger the formation of molecular clumpy regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new determinations of the rest-UV luminosity functions (LFs) at z = 2â€"9 to extremely low luminosities (>âˆ'14 mag) from a sample of >2500 lensed galaxies found behind the Hubble Frontier Fields (HFF) clusters. For the first time, we present faint-end slope results from lensed samples that are fully consistent with blank-field results over the redshift range z = 2â€"9, while reaching to much lower luminosities than possible from the blank-field studies. Combining the deep lensed sample with the large blank-field samples allows us to set tight constraints on the faint-end slope α of the z = 2â€"9 UV LFs and its evolution. We find a smooth flattening in α from âˆ'2.28 ± 0.10 (z = 9) to âˆ'1.53 ± 0.03 (z = 2) with cosmic time (dα / dz = âˆ'0.11 ± 0.01), fully consistent with dark matter halo buildup. We utilize these new results to present new measurements of the evolution in the UV luminosity density ρ UV brighter than âˆ'13 mag from z ∼ 9 to z ∼ 2. Accounting for the star formation rate (SFR) densities to faint luminosities implied by our LF results, we find that unobscured star formation dominates the SFR density at z ≳ 4, with obscured star formation dominant thereafter. Having shown we can quantify the faint-end slope α of the LF accurately with our lensed HFF samples, we also quantify the apparent curvature in the shape of the UV LF through a curvature parameter δ. The constraints on the curvature δ strongly rule out the presence of a turn-over brighter than âˆ'13.1 mag at z ∼ 3, âˆ'14.3 mag at z ∼ 6, and âˆ'15.5 mag at all other redshifts between z ∼ 9 and z ∼ 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the effect of dark stars (DSs) on the reionization history of the universe, and the interplay between them and feedback due to Lymanâ€"Werner (LW) radiation in reducing the cosmic microwave background (CMB) optical depth to a value within the Ď„ = 0.054 ± 0.007 range measured by Planck. We use a semianalytic approach to evaluate reionization histories and CMB optical depths, which includes Population II stars in atomic cooling halos and Population III stars in minihalos with LW feedback, preceded by a DS phase. We show that while LW feedback by itself can reduce the integrated optical depth to the last scattering surface to ∼0.05 only if the Population III star formation efficiency is less than ∼0.2%, the inclusion of a population of DSs can naturally lead to the measured CMB optical depth for much larger Population III star formation efficiencies ≳1%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the results of analyses of galactic outflows in a sample of 45 low-redshift starburst galaxies in the COS Legacy Archive Spectroscopic SurveY (CLASSY), augmented by five additional similar starbursts with Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) data. The outflows are traced by blueshifted absorption lines of metals spanning a wide range of ionization potential. The high quality and broad spectral coverage of CLASSY data enable us to disentangle the absorption due to the static interstellar medium (ISM) from that due to outflows. We further use different line multiplets and doublets to determine the covering fraction, column density, and ionization state as a function of velocity for each outflow. We measure the outflow’s mean velocity and velocity width, and find that both correlate in a highly significant way with the star formation rate, galaxy mass, and circular velocity over ranges of four orders of magnitude for the first two properties. We also estimate outflow rates of metals, mass, momentum, and kinetic energy. We find that, at most, only about 20% of silicon created and ejected by supernovae in the starburst is carried out in the warm phase we observe. The outflows’ mass-loading factor increases steeply and inversely with both circular and outflow velocity (logâ€"log slope ∼âˆ'1.6), and reaches ∼10 for dwarf galaxies. We find that the outflows typically carry about 10%â€"100% of the momentum injected by massive stars and about 1%â€"20% of the kinetic energy. We show that these results place interesting constraints on, and new insights into, models and simulations of galactic winds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection of two z ∼ 13 galaxy candidates has opened a new window on galaxy formation at an era only 330 Myr after the big bang. Here, we investigate the physical nature of these sources: are we witnessing star forming galaxies or quasars at such early epochs? If powered by star formation, the observed ultraviolet (UV) luminosities and number densities can be jointly explained if: (i) these galaxies are extreme star-formers with star formation rates 5−24 × higher than those expected from extrapolations of average lower-redshift relations; (ii) the star formation efficiency increases with halo mass and is countered by increasing dust attenuation from z ∼ 10−5; (iii) they form stars with an extremely top-heavy initial mass function. The quasar hypothesis is also plausible, with the UV luminosity produced by black holes of |$\sim 10^8 \, \rm M_\odot$| accreting at or slightly above the Eddington rate (f Edd ∼ 1.0). This black hole mass at z ∼ 13 would require very challenging, but not implausible, growth parameters. If spectroscopically confirmed, these two sources will represent a remarkable laboratory to study the Universe at previously inaccessible redshifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document titled "IAU volume 18 issue 361 Cover and Back matter" is an author index for the Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. It provides a list of authors and the corresponding page numbers where their work can be found in the journal. The index showcases a diverse range of authors from different backgrounds and perspectives. The focus of IAU Symposium 361 was on massive stars, with astrophysicists gathering to discuss various aspects of these stars, such as their formation, evolution, supernovae, and gravitational waves. The symposium placed special emphasis on massive stars in the early Universe and compared them to stars in our Galaxy and low-metallicity galaxies in the local Universe. The proceedings include contributions from both a virtual preview meeting and an in-person meeting, featuring highlight talks and presentations from researchers worldwide. This volume is part of the Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union series, which offers timely overviews of astronomy research. [Extracted from the article]

The systematic targeting of extended Ly α emission around high-redshift quasars resulted in the discovery of rare and bright Enormous Ly α Nebulae (ELANe) associated with multiple active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We initiate here “a multiwavelength study of ELAN environments” (AMUSE2) focusing on the ELAN around the z ∼ 3 quasar SDSS J1040+1020, aka the Fabulous ELAN. We report on VLT/HAWK-I, APEX/LABOCA, JCMT/SCUBA-2, SMA/850 ÎĽ m, and ALMA CO(5-4), and 2 mm observations and compare them to previously published VLT/MUSE data. The continuum and line detections enable a first estimate of the star formation rates, dust, stellar, and molecular gas masses in four objects associated with the ELAN (three AGNs and one Ly α emitter), confirming that the quasar host is the most star-forming (star formation rate of ∼500 M ⊙ yrâˆ'1) and massive galaxy (M star ∼ 1011 M ⊙) in the system, and thus can be assumed as central. All four embedded objects have similar molecular gas reservoirs ( M H 2 ∼ 10 10 M ⊙), resulting in short depletion timescales. This fact together with the estimated total dark matter halo mass, M DM = (0.8â€"2) Ă— 1013 M ⊙, imply that this ELAN will evolve into a giant elliptical galaxy. Consistently, the constraint on the baryonic mass budget for the whole system indicates that the majority of baryons should reside in a massive warm/hot reservoir (up to 1012 M ⊙), needed to complete the baryons count. Additionally, we discuss signatures of gas infall on the compact objects as traced by Ly α radiative transfer effects and the evidence for the alignment between the satellites’ spins and their directions to the central. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study properties of the interstellar medium, an ingredient of stars, and star formation activity, in four nearby galaxy pairs in the early and mid stages of interaction for both a galaxy scale and a kpc scale. The galaxy-scale Kennicutt–Schmidt law shows that seven of eight interacting galaxies have a star formation rate within a factor of three compared with the best fit of the isolated galaxies, although we have shown that molecular hydrogen gas is efficiently produced from atomic hydrogen during the interaction in the previous paper (Kaneko et al. 2017 PASJ, 69, 66). The galaxy-scale specific star formation rate (sSFR) and star formation efficiency (SFE) in interacting galaxies are comparable to those in isolated galaxies. We also investigate SFE and the Kennicutt–Schmidt law on a kpc scale. The spatial distributions of SFE reveal that SFE is locally enhanced, and the enhanced regions take place asymmetrically or at off-centre regions. The local enhancement of SFE could be induced by shock. We find that the index of the Kennicutt–Schmidt law for the interacting galaxies in the early stage is 1.30 ± 0.04, which is consistent with that of the isolated galaxies. Since CO emission, which is used in the Kennicutt–Schmidt law, is a tracer of the amount of molecular gas, this fact suggests that dense gas, which is more directly connected to star formation, is not changed at the early stage of interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compact star formation appears to be generally common in dusty star-forming galaxies (SFGs). However, its role in the framework set by the scaling relations in galaxy evolution remains to be understood. In this work we follow up on the galaxy sample from the GOODS-ALMA 2.0 survey, an ALMA blind survey at 1.1 mm covering a continuous area of 72.42 arcmin2 using two array configurations. We derived physical properties, such as star formation rates, gas fractions, depletion timescales, and dust temperatures for the galaxy sample built from the survey. There exists a subset of galaxies that exhibit starburst-like short depletion timescales, but they are located within the scatter of the so-called main sequence of SFGs. These are dubbed starbursts in the main sequence and display the most compact star formation and they are characterized by the shortest depletion timescales, lowest gas fractions, and highest dust temperatures of the galaxy sample, compared to typical SFGs at the same stellar mass and redshift. They are also very massive, accounting for ∼60% of the most massive galaxies in the sample (log(M*/M⊙) > 11.0). We find trends between the areas of the ongoing star formation regions and the derived physical properties for the sample, unveiling the role of compact star formation as a physical driver of these properties. Starbursts in the main sequence appear to be the extreme cases of these trends. We discuss possible scenarios of galaxy evolution to explain the results drawn from our galaxy sample. Our findings suggest that the star formation rate is sustained in SFGs by gas and star formation compression, keeping them within the main sequence even when their gas fractions are low and they are presumably on the way to quiescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the internal distribution of star formation efficiency in IRAS 08339+6517 (hereafter IRAS08), using ∼200 pc resolution CO(2 âˆ' 1) observations from NOEMA. The molecular gas depletion time changes by 2 orders-of-magnitude from disk-like values in the outer parts to less than 108 yr inside the half-light radius. This translates to a star formation efficiency per freefall time that also changes by 2 orders-of-magnitude, reaching 50%â€"100%, different than local spiral galaxies and the typical assumption of constant, low star formation efficiencies. Our target is a compact, massive disk galaxy that has a star formation rate 10Ă— above the z = 0 main sequence; Toomre Q ≈ 0.5âˆ'0.7 and high gas velocity dispersion (σ mol ≈ 25 km sâˆ'1). We find that IRAS08 is similar to other rotating, starburst galaxies from the literature in the resolved ÎŁ SFR ∝ ÎŁ mol N relation. By combining resolved literature studies we find that the distance from the main sequence is a strong indicator of the Kennicutt-Schmidt power-law slope, with slopes of N ≈ 1.6 for starbursts from 100 to 104 M ⊙ pcâˆ'2. Our target is consistent with a scenario in which violent disk instabilities drive rapid inflows of gas. It has low values of Toomre- Q, and also at all radii, the inflow timescale of the gas is less than the depletion time, which is consistent with the flat metallicity gradients in IRAS08. We consider these results in light of popular star formation theories; in general observations of IRAS08 find the most tension with theories in which star formation efficiency is a constant. Our results argue for the need of high-spatial-resolution CO observations for a larger number of similar targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]