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We report the spectroscopic discovery of a massive quiescent galaxy at $z_{\rm spec}=7.29\pm0.01$, just $\sim700\,$Myr after the Big Bang. RUBIES-UDS-QG-z7 was selected from public JWST/NIRCam and MIRI imaging from the PRIMER survey and observed with JWST/NIRSpec as part of RUBIES. The NIRSpec/PRISM spectrum reveals one of the strongest Balmer breaks observed thus far at $z>6$, no emission lines, but tentative Balmer and Ca absorption features, as well as a Lyman break. Simultaneous modeling of the NIRSpec/PRISM spectrum and NIRCam and MIRI photometry (spanning $0.9-18\,\mu$m) shows that the galaxy formed a stellar mass of log$(M_*/M_\odot)=10.23^{+0.04}_{-0.04}$ in a rapid $\sim 100-200\,$Myr burst of star formation at $z\sim8-9$, and ceased forming stars by $z\sim8$ resulting in $\log \rm{sSFR/yr}^{-1}<-10$. We measure a small physical size of $209_{-24}^{+33}\,{\rm pc}$, which implies a high stellar mass surface density within the effective radius of $\log(\Sigma_{*,\rm e}/{\rm M_\odot\,kpc}^{-2})=10.85_{-0.12}^{+0.11}$ comparable to the densities measured in quiescent galaxies at $z\sim2-5$. The 3D stellar mass density profile of RUBIES-UDS-QG-z7 is remarkably similar to the central densities of local massive ellipticals, suggesting that at least some of their cores may have already been in place at $z>7$. The discovery of RUBIES-UDS-QG-z7 has strong implications for galaxy formation models: the estimated number density of quiescent galaxies at $z\sim7$ is $>100\times$ larger than predicted from any model to date, indicating that quiescent galaxies have formed earlier than previously expected., Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures, submitted to ApJ

Self-supervised learning (SSL) applied to natural images has demonstrated a remarkable ability to learn meaningful, low-dimension representations without labels, resulting in models that are adaptable to many different tasks. Until now, applications of SSL to astronomical images have been limited to Galaxy Zoo datasets, which require a significant amount of pre-processing to prepare sparse images centered on a single galaxy. With wide-field survey instruments at the forefront of the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) era, this approach to gathering training data is impractical. We demonstrate that continuum images from surveys like the MeerKAT Galactic Cluster Legacy Survey (MGCLS) can be successfully used with SSL, without extracting single-galaxy cutouts. Using the SSL framework DINO, we experiment with various preprocessing steps, augmentations, and architectures to determine the optimal approach for this data. We train both ResNet50 and Vision Transformer (ViT) backbones. Our models match state-of-the-art results (trained on Radio Galaxy Zoo) for FRI/FRII morphology classification. Furthermore, they predict the number of compact sources via linear regression with much higher accuracy. However, fine-tuning results in similar performance between our models, the state-of-the-art, and open-source models on multi-class morphology classification. Using source-rich crops from wide-field images to train multi-purpose models is an easily scalable approach that significantly reduces data preparation time. For the tasks evaluated in this work, twenty thousand crops is sufficient training data for models that produce results similar to state-of-the-art. In the future, complex tasks like source detection and characterization, together with domain-specific tasks, ought to demonstrate the true advantages of training models with radio astronomy data over natural-image foundation models., Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures. A version of this paper has been accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. All datasets used in this work are public, and the code and pre-trained checkpoints are available at https://github.com/elastufka/mgcls_dino

We use JWST/NIRSpec observations from the Assembly of Ultradeep Rest-optical Observations Revealing Astrophysics (AURORA) survey to constrain the shape of the nebular attenuation curve of a star-forming galaxy at z=4.41, GOODSN-17940. We utilize 11 unblended HI recombination lines to derive the attenuation curve spanning optical to near-infrared wavelengths (3751-9550 \r{A}). We then leverage a high-S/N spectroscopic detection of the rest-frame ultraviolet continuum in combination with rest-UV photometric measurements to constrain the shape of the curve at ultraviolet wavelengths. While this UV constraint is predominantly based on stellar emission, the large measured equivalent widths of H$\alpha$ and H$\beta$ indicate that GOODSN-17940 is dominated by an extremely young stellar population <10 Myr in age such that the UV stellar continuum experiences the same attenuation as the nebular emission. The resulting combined nebular attenuation curve spans 1400-9550 \r{A} and has a shape that deviates significantly from commonly assumed dust curves in high-redshift studies. Relative to the Milky Way, SMC, and Calzetti curves, the new curve has a steeper slope at long wavelengths ($\lambda>5000$ \r{A}) while displaying a similar slope across blue-optical wavelengths ($\lambda=3750-5000$ \r{A}). In the ultraviolet, the new curve is shallower than the SMC and Calzetti curves and displays no significant 2175 \r{A} bump. This work demonstrates that the most commonly assumed dust curves are not appropriate for all high-redshift galaxies. These results highlight the ability to derive nebular attenuation curves for individual high-redshift sources with deep JWST/NIRSpec spectroscopy, thereby improving the accuracy of physical properties inferred from nebular emission lines., Comment: 21 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, submitted to ApJ

We present results on the emission-line properties of z=1.4-7.5 star-forming galaxies in the Assembly of Ultradeep Rest-optical Observations Revealing Astrophysics (AURORA) Cycle 1 JWST/NIRSpec program. Based on its depth, continuous wavelength coverage from 1--5 microns, and medium spectral resolution (R~1000), AURORA includes detections of a large suite of nebular emission lines spanning a broad range in rest wavelength. We investigate the locations of AURORA galaxies in multiple different emission-line diagrams, including traditional "BPT" diagrams of [OIII]/Hbeta vs. [NII]/Halpha, [SII]/Halpha, and [OI]/Halpha, and the "ionization-metallicity" diagram of [OIII]/[OII] (O32) vs. ([OIII]+[OII])/Hbeta (R23). We also consider a bluer rest-frame "ionization-metallicity" diagram introduced recently to characterize z>10 galaxies: [NeIII]/[OII] vs. ([NeIII]+[OII])/Hdelta; as well as longer-wavelength diagnostic diagrams extending into the rest-frame near-IR: [OIII]/Hbeta vs. [SIII]/[SII] (S32); and HeI/Pagamma and [SIII]/Pagamma vs. [FeII]/Pabeta. With a significant boost in signal-to-noise and large, representative samples of individual galaxy detections, the AURORA emission-line diagrams presented here definitively confirm a physical picture in which chemically-young, alpha-enhanced, massive stars photoionize the ISM in distant galaxies with a harder ionizing spectrum at fixed nebular metallicity than in their z~0 counterparts. We also uncover previously unseen evolution prior to z~2 in the [OIII]/Hbeta vs. [NII]/Halpha diagram, which motivates deep NIRSpec observations at even higher redshift. Finally, we present the first statistical sample of rest-frame near-IR emission-line diagnostics in star-forming galaxies at high redshift. In order to truly interpret rest-frame near-IR line ratios including [FeII], we must obtain better constraints on dust depletion in the high-redshift ISM., Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, submitted to ApJ

JWST is uncovering the properties of ever increasing numbers of galaxies at z>6, during the epoch of reionization. Connecting these observed populations to the process of reionization requires understanding how efficiently they produce Lyman continuum (LyC) photons and what fraction (fesc) of these photons escape into the intergalactic medium. By applying the Cox proportional hazards model, a survival analysis technique, to the Low-redshift Lyman Continuum Survey (LzLCS), we develop new, empirical, multivariate predictions for fesc. The models developed from the LzLCS reproduce the observed fesc for z~3 samples, which suggests that LyC emitters may share similar properties at low and high redshift. Our best-performing models for the z~3 galaxies include information about dust attenuation, ionization, and/or morphology. We then apply these models to z$\gtrsim$6 galaxies. For large photometric samples, we find a median predicted fesc=0.047-0.14. For smaller spectroscopic samples, which may include stronger emission line galaxies, we find that $\geq$33% of the galaxies have fesc >0.2, and we identify several candidate extreme leakers with fesc $\geq$0.5. The current samples show no strong trend between predicted fesc and UV magnitude, but limited spectroscopic information makes this result uncertain. Multivariate predictions can give significantly different results from single variable predictions, and the predicted fesc for high-redshift galaxies can differ significantly depending on whether star formation rate surface density or radius is used as a measure of galaxy morphology. We provide all parameters necessary to predict fesc for additional samples of high-redshift galaxies using these models., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 33 pages, 9 figures, 10 tables, plus appendix

To understand how galaxies reionized the universe, we must determine how the escape fraction of Lyman Continuum (LyC) photons (fesc) depends on galaxy properties. Using the z~0.3 Low-redshift Lyman Continuum Survey (LzLCS), we develop and analyze new multivariate predictors of fesc. These predictions use the Cox proportional hazards model, a survival analysis technique that incorporates both detections and upper limits. Our best model predicts the LzLCS fesc detections with a root-mean-square (RMS) scatter of 0.31 dex, better than single-variable correlations. According to ranking techniques, the most important predictors of fesc are the equivalent width (EW) of Lyman-series absorption lines and the UV dust attenuation, which track line-of-sight absorption due to HI and dust. The HI absorption EW is uniquely crucial for predicting fesc for the strongest LyC emitters, which show properties similar to weaker LyC emitters and whose high fesc may therefore result from favorable orientation. In the absence of HI information, star formation rate surface density ($\Sigma_{\rm SFR}$) and [O III]/[O II] ratio are the most predictive variables and highlight the connection between feedback and fesc. We generate a model suitable for z>6, which uses only the UV slope, $\Sigma_{\rm SFR}$, and [O III]/[O II]. We find that $\Sigma_{\rm SFR}$ is more important in predicting fesc at higher stellar masses, whereas [O III]/[O II] plays a greater role at lower masses. We also analyze predictions for other parameters, such as the ionizing-to-non ionizing flux ratio and Ly=alpha escape fraction. These multivariate models represent a promising tool for predicting fesc at high redshift., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 34 pages + appendix, 12 figures

We present results from Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) spectral line-scan observations at 3-mm and 2-mm bands of three near-infrared-dark (NIR-dark) galaxies behind two massive lensing clusters MACS J0417.5-1154 and RXC J0032.1+1808. Each of these three sources is a faint (de-lensed $S_{\text{1.2 mm}}$ $<$ 1 mJy) triply lensed system originally discovered in the ALMA Lensing Cluster Survey. We have successfully detected CO and [C I] emission lines and confirmed that their spectroscopic redshifts are $z=3.652$, 2.391, and 2.985. By utilizing a rich multi-wavelength data set, we find that the NIR-dark galaxies are located on the star formation main sequence in the intrinsic stellar mass range of log ($M_*$/$M_\odot$) = 9.8 - 10.4, which is about one order of magnitude lower than that of typical submillimeter galaxies (SMGs). These NIR-dark galaxies show a variety in gas depletion times and spatial extent of dust emission. One of the three is a normal star-forming galaxy with gas depletion time consistent with a scaling relation, and its infrared surface brightness is an order of magnitude smaller than that of typical SMGs. Since this galaxy has an elongated axis ratio of $\sim 0.17$, we argue that normal star-forming galaxies in an edge-on configuration can be heavily dust-obscured. This implies that existing deep WFC3/F160W surveys may miss a fraction of typical star-forming main-sequence galaxies due to their edge-on orientation., Comment: 23 pages, 10 figures, Submitted to ApJ

With stunning clarity, JWST has revealed the Universe's first billion years. The scientific community is analyzing a wealth of JWST imaging and spectroscopic data from that era, and is in the process of rewriting the astronomy textbooks. Here, 1.5 years into the JWST science mission, we provide a snapshot of the great progress made towards understanding the initial chapters of our cosmic history. We highlight discoveries and breakthroughs, topics and issues that are not yet understood, and questions that will be addressed in the coming years, as JWST continues its revolutionary observations of the Early Universe. While this compendium is written by a small number of authors, invited to ISSI Bern in March 2024 as part of the 2024 ISSI Breakthrough Workshop, we acknowledge the work of a large community that is advancing our collective understanding of the evolution of the Early Universe., Comment: review article written by the attendees of the 2024 ISSI breakthrough workshop "The first billion year of the Universe", submitted. Comments welcome

Low-mass galaxies can significantly contribute to reionization due to their potentially high Lyman continuum (LyC) escape fraction and relatively high space density. We present a constraint on the LyC escape fraction from low-mass galaxies at z = 1.3 - 3.0. We obtained rest-frame UV continuum imaging with the ACS/SBC and the WFC3/UVIS from the Hubble Space Telescope for eight strongly-lensed galaxies that were identified in the Sloan Giant Arc Survey (SGAS) and the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH). The targeted galaxies were selected to be spectroscopically confirmed, highly magnified, and blue in their UV spectral shapes ($\beta<-1.7$). Our targets include intrinsically low luminosity galaxies down to a magnification-corrected absolute UV magnitude of $M_{\rm UV}\sim-14$. We perform custom-defined aperture photometry to place the most reliable upper limits of LyC escape from our sample. From our observations, we report no significant ($>$$2\sigma$) detections of LyC fluxes, placing 1$\sigma$ upper limits on the absolute LyC escape fractions of 3 - 15%. Our observations do not support the expected increased escape fractions of LyC photons from intrinsically UV faint sources. Considering the highly anisotropic geometry of LyC escape, increasing the sample size of faint galaxies in future LyC observations is crucial., Comment: Submitted to ApJ (16 pages, 6 figures, 5 tables)

Reconstructing sky models from dirty radio images for accurate source localization and flux estimation is crucial for studying galaxy evolution at high redshift, especially in deep fields using instruments like the Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA). With new projects like the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), there's a growing need for better source extraction methods. Current techniques, such as CLEAN and PyBDSF, often fail to detect faint sources, highlighting the need for more accurate methods. This study proposes using stochastic neural networks to rebuild sky models directly from dirty images. This method can pinpoint radio sources and measure their fluxes with related uncertainties, marking a potential improvement in radio source characterization. We tested this approach on 10164 images simulated with the CASA tool simalma, based on ALMA's Cycle 5.3 antenna setup. We applied conditional Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Models (DDPMs) for sky models reconstruction, then used Photutils to determine source coordinates and fluxes, assessing the model's performance across different water vapor levels. Our method showed excellence in source localization, achieving more than 90% completeness at a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as low as 2. It also surpassed PyBDSF in flux estimation, accurately identifying fluxes for 96% of sources in the test set, a significant improvement over CLEAN+ PyBDSF's 57%. Conditional DDPMs is a powerful tool for image-to-image translation, yielding accurate and robust characterisation of radio sources, and outperforming existing methodologies. While this study underscores its significant potential for applications in radio astronomy, we also acknowledge certain limitations that accompany its usage, suggesting directions for further refinement and research., Comment: In production in Astronomy&Astrophyics

The geometry of the neutral gas in and around galaxies is a key regulator of the escape of ionizing photons. We present the first statistical study aiming at linking the neutral and ionized gas distributions to the Lyman continuum (LyC) escape fraction (fesc(LyC)) in a sample of 22 confirmed LyC leakers and non-leakers at z~0.35 using the Keck Cosmic Web Imager (Keck/KCWI) and the Low Resolution Spectrograph 2 (HET/LRS2). Our integral field unit data enable the detection of neutral and low-ionization gas, as traced by Mg II, and ionized gas, as traced by [O II], extending beyond the stellar continuum for 7 and 10 objects, respectively. All but one object with extended Mg II emission also shows extended [O II] emission; in this case, Mg II emission is always more extended than [O II] by a factor 1.3 on average. Most of the galaxies with extended emission are non or weak LyC leakers (fesc(LyC) < 5%), but we find a large diversity of neutral gas configurations around these weakly LyC-emitting galaxies. Conversely, the strongest leakers (fesc(LyC) > 10%) appear uniformly compact in both Mg II and [O II] with exponential scale lengths <1 kpc. We also find a trend between fesc(LyC) and the spatial offsets of the nebular gas and the stellar continuum emission. Moreover, we find significant anti-correlations between the spatial extent of the neutral gas and the [O III]/[O II] ratio, and H$\beta$ equivalent width, as well as positive correlations with metallicity and UV size, suggesting that galaxies with more compact neutral gas sizes are more highly ionized. The observations suggest that strong LyC emitters do not have extended neutral gas halos and ionizing photons may be emitted in many directions. Combined with high ionization diagnostics, we propose the Mg II, and potentially [O II], spatial compactness are indirect indicators of LyC emitting galaxies at high-redshift., Comment: 31 pages, 24 figures, 4 tables, submitted to A&A

Sources that leak Lyman-continuum (LyC) photons and lead to the reionisation of the universe are intensely studied using multiple observing facilities. Recently, the Low-redshift LyC Survey (LzLCS) has found the first large sample of LyC emitting galaxies at low redshift ($z\sim 0.3$) with the Hubble Space Telescope/Cosmic Origins Spectrograph. The LzLCS sample contains a robust estimate of the LyC escape fraction ($f_\mathrm{esc}^\mathrm{LyC}$) for 66 galaxies spanning a wide range of $f_\mathrm{esc}^\mathrm{LyC}$. Here we, for the first time, aim to study the radio continuum (RC) properties of LzLCS sources and their dependence on $f_\mathrm{esc}^\mathrm{LyC}$. We present Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array RC observations at C (4-8 GHz), S (2-4 GHz) and L (1-2 GHz) bands for a sub-sample of the LzLCS sources. The radio spectral index ($\alpha^{\mathrm{3GHz}}_\mathrm{6GHz}$) spans a wide range from being flat ( $\geq -0.1$) to very steep ($\leq -1.0$). The strongest leakers in our sample show flat $\alpha^{\mathrm{3GHz}}_\mathrm{6GHz}$, weak leakers have $\alpha^{\mathrm{3GHz}}_\mathrm{6GHz}$ close to normal star-forming galaxies, and non-leakers are characterized by steep $\alpha^{\mathrm{3GHz}}_\mathrm{6GHz}$. We argue that a combination of young ages, free-free absorption, and a flat cosmic-ray energy spectrum can altogether lead to a flat $\alpha^{\mathrm{3GHz}}_\mathrm{6GHz}$ for strong leakers. Non-leakers are characterized by steep spectra which can arise due to break/cutoff at high frequencies. Such a cutoff in the spectrum can arise in a single injection model of CRs characteristic of galaxies which have recently stopped star formation. Such a relation between $\alpha^{\mathrm{3GHz}}_\mathrm{6GHz}$ and $f_\mathrm{esc}^\mathrm{LyC}$ hints at the interesting role of supernovae, CRs, and magnetic fields in facilitating the escape ( and/or the lack) of LyC photons. (Abridged), Comment: 20 pages, 17 figures, 4 tables, 8 appendix pages, Astronomy & Astrophysics in press

We report the detection of a 13$\sigma$ H$\alpha$ emission line from HDF850.1 at $z=5.188\pm0.001$ using the FRESCO NIRCam F444W grism observations. Detection of H$\alpha$ in HDF850.1 is noteworthy, given its high far-IR luminosity, substantial dust obscuration, and the historical challenges in deriving its redshift. HDF850.1 shows a clear detection in the F444W imaging data, distributed between a northern and southern component, mirroring that seen in [CII] from the Plateau de Bure Interferometer. Modeling the SED of each component separately, we find that the northern component has a higher mass, star formation rate (SFR), and dust extinction than the southern component. The observed H$\alpha$ emission appears to arise entirely from the less-obscured southern component and shows a similar $\Delta$v$\sim$+130 km/s velocity offset to that seen for [CII] relative to the source systemic redshift. Leveraging H$\alpha$-derived redshifts from FRESCO observations, we find that HDF850.1 is forming in one of the richest environments identified to date at $z>5$, with 100 $z=5.17-5.20$ galaxies distributed across 10 structures and a $\sim$(15 cMpc)$^3$ volume. Based on the evolution of analogous structures in cosmological simulations, the $z=5.17-5.20$ structures seem likely to collapse into a single $>$10$^{14}$ $M_{\odot}$ cluster by $z\sim0$. Comparing galaxy properties forming within this overdensity with those outside, we find the masses, SFRs, and $UV$ luminosities inside the overdensity to be clearly higher. The prominence of H$\alpha$ line emission from HDF850.1 and other known highly-obscured $z>5$ galaxies illustrates the potential of NIRCam-grism programs to map both the early build-up of IR-luminous galaxies and overdense structures., Comment: Submitted to MNRAS. 20 pages, 10 figures and 8 tables (including appendices)

Over the past decade, the existence of a substantial population of optically invisible, massive galaxies at $z\gtrsim3$ has been implied from mid-infrared to millimeter observations. With the unprecedented sensitivity of the JWST, such extremely massive galaxy candidates have immediately been identified even at $z>7$, in much larger numbers than expected. These discoveries raised a hot debate. If confirmed, early, high-mass galaxies challenge the current models of galaxy formation. However, the lack of spectroscopic confirmations leads to uncertain stellar mass ($M_{\star}$) estimates, and the possible presence of active galactic nuclei (AGN) adds further uncertainty. Here, we present the first sample of 36 dust-obscured galaxies with robust spectroscopic redshifts at $z_{\rm spec}=5-9$ from the JWST FRESCO survey. The three most extreme sources at $z\sim5-6$ ($\sim$1 billion years after the Big Bang) are so massive (log$M_{\star}/M_{\odot}$ $\gtrsim11.0$) that they would require, on average, about 50% of the baryons in their halos to be converted into stars -- two to three times higher than even the most efficient galaxies at later times. The extended emission of these galaxies suggests limited contribution by AGN. This population of ultra-massive galaxies accounts for 20% of the total cosmic star formation rate density at $z\sim5-6$, suggesting a substantial proportion of extremely efficient star formation in the early Universe., Comment: Submitted to Nature. 22 pages, 4 main figures, 7 supplementary figures, 3 supplementary tables. Comments are welcome

We present a study aiming at detecting VMS in local star-forming region from the imprint they leave on the integrated UV and optical light. We analyzed a sample of 27 star-forming regions and galaxies in the local Universe. We selected sources with a metallicity close to that of the LMC. We defined empirical criteria to distinguish sources dominated by VMS and Wolf-Rayet stars (WR), using template spectra of VMS- and WR-dominated regions. We subsequently built population synthesis models with an updated treatment of VMS. We show that the UV range alone is not sufficient to distinguish between VMS- and WR-dominated sources. The region of the WR bumps in the optical breaks the degeneracy. In particular, the morphology of the blue bump at 4640-4686 A is a key diagnostic. Beyond the prototypical R136 region we identify two galaxies showing clear signatures of VMS. In two other galaxies or regions the presence of VMS can be suspected, as already discussed in the literature. The stellar population is clearly dominated by WR stars in seven other sources. The most recent BPASS population synthesis models can neither account for the strong HeII 1640 emission, nor for the shape of the blue bump in VMS- and WR-dominated sources. Our models that include VMS more realistically reproduce the UV-optical spectra of VMS-dominated sources. We conclude that VMS are present in some local star-forming regions, but that separating them from WR-dominated populations requires optical spectroscopy with a high signal-to-noise ratio. A high equivalent width of HeII 1640 is not a sufficient condition for identifying VMS. Populations synthesis models need to take VMS into account by incorporating not only evolutionary tracks, but also dedicated spectral libraries. Finally, we stress that the treatment of WR stars needs to be improved as well., Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures + appendix. Accepted in Astronomy and Astrophysics

We investigate the variation in the upper end of stellar initial mass function (uIMF) in 375 young and compact star clusters in five nearby galaxies within $\sim 5$ Mpc. All the young stellar clusters (YSCs) in the sample have ages $\lesssim 4$ Myr and masses above 500 $M_{\odot}$, according to standard stellar models. The YSC catalogs were produced from Hubble Space Telescope images obtained as part of the Legacy ExtraGalactic UV Survey (LEGUS) Hubble treasury program. They are used here to test whether the uIMF is universal or changes as a function of the cluster's stellar mass. We perform this test by measuring the H$\alpha$ luminosity of the star clusters as a proxy for their ionizing photon rate, and charting its trend as a function of cluster mass. Large cluster numbers allow us to mitigate the stochastic sampling of the uIMF. The advantage of our approach relative to previous similar attempts is the use of cluster catalogs that have been selected independently of the presence of H$\alpha$ emission, thus removing a potential sample bias. We find that the uIMF, as traced by the H$\alpha$ emission, shows no dependence on cluster mass, suggesting that the maximum stellar mass that can be produced in star clusters is universal, in agreement with previous findings.

We present Ly $\alpha$ imaging of 45 low redshift star-forming galaxies observed with the Hubble Space Telescope. The galaxies have been selected to have moderate to high star formation rates using far-ultraviolet (FUV) luminosity and \ha equivalent width criteria, but no constraints on Ly $\alpha$ luminosity. We employ a pixel stellar continuum fitting code to obtain accurate continuum subtracted Ly $\alpha$, H $\alpha$ and H $\beta$ maps. We find that Ly $\alpha$ is less concentrated than FUV and optical line emission in almost all galaxies with significant Ly $\alpha$ emission. We present global measurements of Ly $\alpha$ and other quantities measured in apertures designed to capture all of the Ly $\alpha$ emission. We then show how the escape fraction of Ly $\alpha$ relates to a number of other measured quantities (mass, metallicity, star formation, ionisation parameter, and extinction). We find that the escape fraction is strongly anti-correlated with nebular and stellar extinction, weakly anti-correlated with stellar mass, but no conclusive evidence for correlations with other quantities. We show that Ly $\alpha$ escape fractions are inconsistent with common dust extinction laws, and discuss how a combination of radiative transfer effects and clumpy dust models can help resolve the discrepancies. We present a star formation rate calibration based on Ly $\alpha$ luminosity, where the equivalent width of Ly $\alpha$ is used to correct for non-unity escape fraction, and show that this relation provides a reasonably accurate SFR estimate. We also show stacked growth curves of Ly $\alpha$ for the galaxies that can be used to find aperture loss fractions at a given physical radius., Comment: 48 pages, 21 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. Multipanel figures for all 45 galaxies will be available in the online version of the published paper (and here: https://stockholmuniversity.box.com/s/ghvnvjyhxts64hpbqh90uwcj5dlczlhm ). Data products will be available as a MAST HLSP soon (placeholder DOI: 10.17909/pbe1-m743)

Current observations favour that the massive ultraviolet-bright clumps with a median stellar mass of $\sim 10^7~M_{\odot}$, ubiquitously observed in $z\sim 1-3$ galaxies, are star-forming regions formed in-situ in galaxies. It has been proposed that they result from gas fragmentation due to gravitational instability of gas-rich, turbulent, high-redshift discs. We bring support to this scenario by reporting the new discovery of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) in the strongly lensed, clumpy, main-sequence galaxy, A521-sys1, at $z=1.043$. Its CO(4-3) emission was mapped with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) at an angular resolution of $0.19''\times 0.16''$, reading down to 30~pc thanks to gravitational lensing. We identified 14 GMCs, most being virialized, with $10^{5.9}- 10^{7.9}~M_{\odot}$ masses and a median $800~M_{\odot}~\rm{pc}^{-2}$ molecular gas mass surface density, that are, respectively, 100 and 10 times higher than for local GMCs. They are also characterized by 10 times higher supersonic turbulence with a median Mach number of 60. They end up to fall above the Larson scaling relations, similarly to the GMCs in another clumpy $z\simeq 1$ galaxy, the Cosmic Snake, although noteworthy differences between the two sets of high-redshift GMCs exist. Altogether they support that GMCs form with properties that adjust to the ambient interstellar medium conditions prevalent in the host galaxy whatever its redshift. The detected A521-sys1 GMCs are massive enough to be the parent gas clouds of stellar clumps, with a relatively high star-formation efficiency per free-fall time of $\sim 11$ per cent., Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS, in press

The Mg II 2796, 2803 doublet has been suggested to be a useful indirect indicator for the escape of Ly-alpha and Lyman continuum (LyC) photons in local star-forming galaxies. However, studies to date have focused on small samples of galaxies with strong Mg II or strong LyC emission. Here we present the first study of Mg II probing a large dynamic range of galaxy properties, using newly obtained high signal-to-noise, moderate-resolution spectra of Mg II for a sample of 34 galaxies selected from the Low-redshift Lyman Continuum Survey. We show that the galaxies in our sample have Mg II profiles ranging from strong emission to P-Cygni profiles, and to pure absorption. We find there is a significant trend (with a possibility of spurious correlations of ~ 2%) that galaxies detected as strong LyC Emitters (LCEs) also show larger equivalent widths of Mg II emission, and non-LCEs tend to show evidence of more scattering and absorption features in Mg II We then find Mg II strongly correlates with Ly-alpha in both equivalent width and escape fraction, regardless of whether the emission or absorption dominates the Mg II profiles. Furthermore, we present that, for galaxies categorized as Mg II emitters (MgE), one can adopt the information of Mg II, metallicity, and dust to estimate the escape fraction of LyC within a factor of 3. These findings confirm that Mg II lines can be used as a tool to select galaxies as LCEs and to serve as an indirect indicator for the escape of Ly-alpha and LyC., Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables, accepted to ApJ

We present ALMA deep spectroscopy for a lensed galaxy at $z_{\rm spec}=8.496$ with $\log(M_{\rm star}/M_{\odot})\sim7.8$ whose optical nebular lines and stellar continuum are detected by JWST/NIRSpec and NIRCam Early Release Observations in SMACS0723. Our ALMA spectrum shows [OIII]88$\mu$m and [CII]158$\mu$m line detections at $4.0\sigma$ and $4.5\sigma$, respectively. The redshift and position of the [OIII] line coincide with those of the JWST source, while the [CII] line is blue-shifted by 90 km s$^{-1}$ with a spatial offset of $0.''5$ ($\approx0.5$ kpc in source plane) from the JWST source. The NIRCam F444W image, including [OIII]$\lambda$5007 and H$\beta$ line emission, spatially extends beyond the stellar components by a factor of $>8$. This indicates that the $z=8.5$ galaxy has already experienced strong outflows whose oxygen and carbon produce the extended [OIII]$\lambda$5007 and the offset [CII] emission, which would promote ionizing photon escape and facilitate reionization. With careful slit-loss corrections and removals of emission spatially outside the galaxy, we evaluate the [OIII]88$\mu$m/$\lambda$5007 line ratio, and derive the electron density $n_{\rm e}$ by photoionization modeling to be $220^{+170}_{-100}$ cm$^{-3}$, which is comparable with those of $z\sim2-3$ galaxies. We estimate an [OIII]88$\mu$m/[CII]158$\mu$m line ratio in the galaxy of $>4$, as high as those of known $z\sim6-9$ galaxies. This high [OIII]88$\mu$m/[CII]158$\mu$m line ratio is generally explained by the high $n_{\rm e}$ as well as the low metallicity ($Z_{\rm gas}/Z_{\odot}=0.04^{+0.02}_{-0.02}$), high ionization parameter ($\log U > -2.27$), and low carbon-to-oxygen abundance ratio ($\log$(C/O) $=[-0.52:-0.24]$) obtained from the JWST/NIRSpec data; further [CII] follow-up observations will constrain the covering fraction of photodissociation regions., Comment: 27 pages, 11 figures, 5 tables. ApJ in press

The fraction of ionizing photons escaping from galaxies, $f_{esc}$, is at the same time a crucial parameter in modelling reionization and a very poorly known quantity, especially at high redshift. Recent observations are starting to constrain the values of $f_{esc}$ in low-z star-forming galaxies, but the validity of this comparison remains to be verified. Applying at high-z the empirical relation between $f_{esc}$ and the UV slope trends derived from the Low-z Lyman Continuum Survey, we use the DELPHI semi-analytical galaxy formation model to estimate the global ionizing emissivity of high-z galaxies, which we use to compute the resulting reionization history. We find that both the global ionizing emissivity and reionization history match the observational constraints. Assuming that the low-z correlations hold during the epoch of reionization, we find that galaxies with $-16 \lesssim M_{UV} \lesssim -13.5$ are the main drivers of reionization. We derive a population-averaged $\langle f_{esc} \rangle \simeq 8\%, 10\%, 20\%$ at z=4.5, 6, 8., Comment: 5+1 page, 3 figures, submitted to A&A

Direct observations of low-mass, low-metallicity galaxies at $z\gtrsim4$ provide an indispensable opportunity for detailed inspection of the ionization radiation, gas flow, and metal enrichment in sources similar to those that reionized the Universe. Combining the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), VLT/MUSE, and ALMA, we present detailed observations of a strongly lensed, low-mass ($\approx 10^{7.6}$ ${\rm M}_\odot$) galaxy at $z=3.98$ (also see Vanzella et al. 2022). We identify strong narrow nebular emission, including CIV $\lambda\lambda1548,1550$, HeII $\lambda1640$, OIII] $\lambda\lambda1661,1666$, [NeIII] $\lambda3868$, [OII] $\lambda3727$, and Balmer series of Hydrogen from this galaxy, indicating a metal-poor HII region ($\lesssim 0.12\ {\rm Z}_\odot$) powered by massive stars. Further, we detect a metal-enriched damped Ly$\alpha$ system (DLA) associated with the galaxy with the HI column density of $N_{\rm{HI}}\approx 10^{21.8}$ cm$^{-2}$. The metallicity of the associated DLA may reach the super solar metallicity (${\gtrsim Z}_\odot$). Moreover, thanks to JWST and gravitational lensing, we present the resolved UV slope ($\beta$) map at the spatial resolution of $\approx 100$ pc at $z=4$, with steep UV slopes reaching $\beta \approx -2.5$ around three star-forming clumps. Combining with low-redshift analogs, our observations suggest that low-mass, low-metallicity galaxies, which dominate reionization, could be surrounded by a high covering fraction of the metal-enriched, neutral-gaseous clouds. This implies that the metal enrichment of low-mass galaxies is highly efficient, and further support that in low-mass galaxies, only a small fraction of ionizing radiation can escape through the interstellar or circumgalactic channels with low column-density neutral gas., Comment: 4 figures, 1 table; Accepted for Publication in the ApJL

A strong nuclear kilomaser, W1, has been found in the nearby galaxy NGC 253, associated with a forming super star cluster. Kilomasers could arise from the accretion disc around supermassive stars (>10^3 Msun), hypothetical objects that have been proposed as polluters responsible for the chemical peculiarities in globular clusters. The supermassive stars would form via runaway collisions, simultaneously with the cluster. Their discs are perturbed by stellar flybys, inspiralling and colliding stars. This raises the question if an accretion disc would at all be able to survive in such a dynamic environment and mase water lines. We investigated what the predicted maser spectrum of such a disc would look like using 2D hydrodynamic simulations and compared this to the W1 kilomaser. We derived model maser spectra from the simulations by using a general maser model for appropriate disc temperatures. All our model discs survived. The model maser spectra for the most destructive case for the simulations of M = 1000 Msun are a reasonable match with the W1 kilomaser spectrum in terms of scaling, flux values and some of the signal trends. Details in the spectrum suggest that a star of a few 1000 Msun might fit even better, with 10,000 Msun clearly giving too large velocities. Our investigations thus support the hypothesis that kilomasers could pinpoint supermassive stars., Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures

We present the radio properties of 66 spectroscopically-confirmed normal star-forming galaxies (SFGs) at $4.4

Star-forming galaxies are considered the likeliest source of the H I ionizing Lyman Continuum (LyC) photons that reionized the intergalactic medium at high redshifts. However, above z >~ 6, the neutral intergalactic medium prevents direct observations of LyC. Therefore, recent years have seen the development of indirect indicators for LyC that can be calibrated at lower redshifts and applied in the Epoch of Reionization. Emission from Mg II \ly\ly 2796, 2803 doublet has been proposed as a promising LyC proxy. In this paper, we present new Hubble Space Telescope/Cosmic Origins Spectrograph observations for 8 LyC emitter candidates, selected to have strong Mg II emission lines. We securely detect LyC emission in 50% (4/8) galaxies with 2$\sigma$ significance. This high detection rate suggests that strong Mg II emitters might be more likely to leak LyC than similar galaxies without strong Mg II. Using photoionization models, we constrain the escape fraction of Mg II as ~ 15 -- 60%. We confirm that the escape fraction of Mg II correlates tightly with that of Lyman-alpha (LyA), which we interpret as an indication that the escape fraction of both species is controlled by resonant scattering in the same low column density gas. Furthermore, we show that the combination of the Mg II emission and dust attenuation can be used to estimate the escape fraction of LyC statistically. These findings confirm that Mg II emission can be adopted to estimate the escape fraction of LyA and LyC in local star-forming galaxies and may serve as a useful indirect indicator at the Epoch of Reionization., Comment: 24 pages, 15 figures, 7 tables, accepted to ApJ

The Lyman continuum (LyC) cannot be observed at the epoch of reionization (z {\gtrsim} 6) due to intergalactic H I absorption. To identify Lyman continuum emitters (LCEs) and infer the fraction of escaping LyC, astronomers have developed various indirect diagnostics of LyC escape. Using measurements of the LyC from the Low-redshift Lyman Continuum Survey (LzLCS), we present the first statistical test of these diagnostics. While optical depth indicators based on Ly{\alpha}, such as peak velocity separation and equivalent width, perform well, we also find that other diagnostics, such as the [O III]/[O II] flux ratio and star formation rate surface density, predict whether a galaxy is a LCE. The relationship between these galaxy properties and the fraction of escaping LyC flux suggests that LyC escape depends strongly on H I column density, ionization parameter, and stellar feedback. We find LCEs occupy a range of stellar masses, metallicities, star formation histories, and ionization parameters, which may indicate episodic and/or different physical causes of LyC escape., Comment: ApJ, accepted. 31 pages, 26 figures, 1 table

The nature of the sources powering nebular HeII emission in star-forming galaxies remains debated, and various types of objects have been considered, including Wolf-Rayet stars, X-ray binaries, and Population III stars. Modern X-ray observations show the ubiquitous presence of hot gas filling star-forming galaxies. We use a collisional ionization plasma code to compute the specific HeII ionizing flux produced by hot gas and show that if its temperature is not too high (less than 2.5 MK), then the observed levels of soft diffuse X-ray radiation could explain HeII ionization in galaxies. To gain a physical understanding of this result, we propose a model that combines the hydrodynamics of cluster winds and hot superbubbles with observed populations of young massive clusters in galaxies. We find that in low-metallicity galaxies, the temperature of hot gas is lower and the production rate of HeII ionizing photons is higher compared to high-metallicity galaxies. The reason is that the slower stellar winds of massive stars in lower-metallicity galaxies input less mechanical energy in the ambient medium. Furthermore, we show that ensembles of star clusters up to 10-20 Myr old in galaxies can produce enough soft X-rays to induce nebular HeII emission. We discuss observations of the template low-metallicity galaxy I Zw 18 and suggest that the HeII nebula in this galaxy is powered by a hot superbubble. Finally, appreciating the complex nature of stellar feedback, we suggest that soft X-rays from hot superbubbles are among the dominant sources of HeII ionizing flux in low-metallicity star-forming galaxies., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted by A&A

There is now ample evidence that dust is already present in abundance at high z. However, given the faintness of distant galaxies in the optical and the NIR, datasets are still limited and how the dust affects the emerging radiation of galaxies at very high redshift is not yet fully understood. Using the ALPINE survey, our objective is to quantify the dust attenuation properties in galaxies at z=4.4-5.5, and in particular the shape of their attenuation curve. Using the CIGALE code, we model the stellar populations and their interaction with the dust in order to measure some of the physical properties of a subsample of 23 main-sequence ALPINE galaxies. We find that the attenuation curves span a broad range of properties, from curves that are much steeper than the SMC extinction curve, to shallower than the starburst attenuation curve. The shape of the attenuation curves strongly depends on the V-band attenuation. Galaxies with the lowest attenuation also present the steepest curves. The steepness of such curves is probably the consequence of the combination of the intrinsic physical properties of the dust, the relative distribution of stars and dust in the interstellar medium, and the differential reddening. The broad range of attenuation curves found at z~5 shows that no single attenuation curve is appropriate for main sequence galaxies and that assuming a fixed curve can lead to large errors, for instance in the interpretation and use of the IRX-beta diagram, if SED modeling is not feasible. Great caution should be exercised when correcting high redshift galaxies for the presence of dust using the UV slope beta as it can affect the estimation of both SFR and stellar mass even at low V-band attenuation due to the steepness of the attenuation curve. However, when SED modeling can be used, the impact of the choice of the attenuation curve on the SFR and the stellar mass is limited., Comment: 20 pages, 14 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A

Combining 66 ultraviolet (UV) spectra and ancillary data from the Low-Redshift Lyman Continuum Survey (LzLCS) and 23 LyC observations by earlier studies, we form a statistical sample of star-forming galaxies at $z \sim 0.3$ to study the role of the cold interstellar medium (ISM) gas in the leakage of ionizing radiation. We first constrain the massive star content (ages and metallicities) and UV attenuation, by fitting the stellar continuum with a combination of simple stellar population models. The models, together with accurate LyC flux measurements, allow to determine the absolute LyC photon escape fraction for each galaxy ($f_{\rm esc}^{\rm abs}$). We measure the equivalent widths and residual fluxes of multiple HI and low-ionization state (LIS) lines, and the geometrical covering fraction adopting the picket-fence model. The $f_{\rm esc}^{\rm abs}$ spans a wide range, with a median (0.16, 0.84 quantiles) of 0.04 (0.02, 0.20), and 50 out of the 89 galaxies detected in the LyC. The HI and LIS line equivalent widths scale with the UV luminosity and attenuation, and inversely with the residual flux of the lines. The HI and LIS residual fluxes are correlated, indicating that the neutral gas is spatially traced by the LIS transitions. We find the observed trends of the absorption lines and the UV attenuation are primarily driven by the covering fraction. The non-uniform gas coverage demonstrates that LyC photons escape through low-column density channels in the ISM. The equivalent widths and residual fluxes of the UV lines strongly correlate with $f_{\rm esc}^{\rm abs}$: strong LyC leakers show weak absorption lines, low UV attenuation, and large Ly$\alpha$ equivalent widths. We finally show that simultaneous UV absorption line and dust attenuation measurements can predict, on average, the escape fraction of galaxies and the method can be applied to galaxies across a wide redshift range., Comment: 30 pages, 16 figures, 3 tables; accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics on December 16, 2021. Tables A1 to A4 are part of the LzLCS science products and will be publicly available in a dedicated website

The origins of Lyman continuum (LyC) photons responsible for the reionization of the universe are as of yet unknown and highly contested. Detecting LyC photons from the epoch of reionization is not possible due to absorption by the intergalactic medium, which has prompted the development of several indirect diagnostics to infer the rate at which galaxies contribute LyC photons to reionize the universe by studying lower-redshift analogs. We present the Low-redshift Lyman Continuum Survey (LzLCS) comprising measurements made with HST/COS for a z=0.2-0.4 sample of 66 galaxies. After careful processing of the FUV spectra, we obtain a total of 35 Lyman continuum emitters (LCEs) detected with 97.725% confidence, nearly tripling the number of known local LCEs. We estimate escape fractions from the detected LyC flux and upper limits on the undetected LyC flux, finding a range of LyC escape fractions up to 50%. Of the 35 LzLCS LCEs, 12 have LyC escape fractions greater than 5%, more than doubling the number of known local LCEs with cosmologically relevant LyC escape., Comment: ApJS, accepted. 28 pages, 19 figures, 8 tables. Full machine readable tables will be made available by the publisher at the time of publication

Using Integral Field Unit (IFU) spectroscopy, we present here the spatially resolved morphologies of [SII]$\lambda$6717,6731/H$\alpha$ and [SII]$\lambda$6717,6731/[OIII]$\lambda$5007 emission line ratios for the first time in a Blueberry Lyman-$\alpha$ emitter (BBLAE) at z $\sim$ 0.047. Our derived morphologies show that the extreme starburst region of the BBLAE, populated by young ($\leqslant$ 10 Myr), massive Wolf-Rayet stars, is [SII]-deficient, while the rest of the galaxy is [SII]-enhanced. We infer that the extreme starburst region is density-bounded (i.e., optically thin to ionizing photons), and the rest of the galaxy is ionization-bounded $-$ indicating a Blister-type morphology. We find that the previously reported small escape fraction (10%) of Ly$\alpha$ photons is from our identified density-bounded HII region of the BBLAE. This escape fraction is likely constrained by a porous dust distribution. We further report a moderate correlation between [SII]-deficiency and inferred Lyman Continuum (LyC) escape fraction using a sample of confirmed LyC leakers studied in the literature, including the BBLAE studied here. The observed correlation also reveals its dependency on the stellar mass and gas-phase metallicity of the leaky galaxies. Finally, the future scope and implications of our work are discussed in detail., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ

The cosmic ionizing emissivity from star-forming galaxies has long been anchored to UV luminosity functions. Here we introduce an emissivity framework based on Ly$\alpha$ emitters (LAEs), which naturally hones in on the subset of galaxies responsible for the ionizing background due to the intimate connection between the production and escape of Ly$\alpha$ and LyC photons. Using constraints on the escape fractions of bright LAEs ($L_{\rm{Ly\alpha}}>0.2 L^{*}$) at $z\approx2$ obtained from resolved Ly$\alpha$ profiles, and arguing for their redshift-invariance, we show that: (i) quasars and LAEs together reproduce the relatively flat emissivity at $z\approx2-6$, which is non-trivial given the strong evolution in both the star-formation density and quasar number density at these epochs and (ii) LAEs produce late and rapid reionization between $z\approx6-9$ under plausible assumptions. Within this framework, the $>10\times$ rise in the UV population-averaged $f_{\rm{esc}}$ between $z\approx3-7$ naturally arises due to the same phenomena that drive the growing Ly$\alpha$ emitter fraction with redshift. Generally, a LAE dominated emissivity yields a peak in the distribution of the ionizing budget with UV luminosity as reported in latest simulations. Using our adopted parameters ($f_{\rm{esc}}=50\%$, $\xi_{\rm{ion}}=10^{25.9}$ Hz erg$^{-1}$ for half the bright LAEs), a highly ionizing minority of galaxies with $M_{\rm UV}<-17$ accounts for the entire ionizing budget from star-forming galaxies. Rapid flashes of LyC from such rare galaxies produce a "disco" ionizing background. We conclude proposing tests to further develop our suggested Ly$\alpha$-anchored formalism., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Figure 2 shows the main result -- the comoving emissivity due to bright LAEs. Our fiducial model is based on results presented in our companion paper -- Naidu & Matthee et al. 2022, arXiv: 2110.11961

The ionizing photon escape fraction (LyC $f_{\rm{esc}}$) of star-forming galaxies is the single greatest unknown in the reionization budget. Stochastic sightline effects prohibit the direct separation of LyC leakers from non-leakers at significant redshift. Here we circumvent this uncertainty by inferring $f_{\rm{esc}}$ with resolved (R>4000) LyA profiles from the X-SHOOTER LyA survey at z=2 (XLS-z2). We select leakers ($f_{\rm{esc}}>20$%) and non-leakers ($f_{\rm{esc}}<5$%) from a representative sample of $>0.2 L^{*}$ LyA emitters (LAEs). With median stacked spectra of these subsets covering 1000-8000 {\AA} (rest-frame) we investigate the conditions for LyC $f_{\rm{esc}}$. We find the following differences between leakers vs. non-leakers: (i) strong nebular CIV and HeII emission vs. non-detections, (ii) O32~8.5 vs. ~3, (iii) Ha/Hb indicating no dust vs. E(B-V)~0.3, (iv) MgII emission close to the systemic velocity vs. redshifted, optically thick MgII, (v) LyA $f_{\rm{esc}}$ of ~50% vs. ~10%. The extreme EWs in leakers (O3+Hb~1100 {\AA}) constrain the characteristic timescale of LyC escape to ~3-10 Myr bursts when short-lived stars with the hardest ionizing spectra shine. The defining traits of leakers -- extremely ionizing stellar populations, low column densities, a dust-free, high ionization state ISM -- occur simultaneously in the $f_{\rm{esc}}>20\%$ stack, suggesting they are causally connected, and motivating why indicators like O32 may suffice to constrain $f_{\rm{esc}}$ at z>6 with JWST. The leakers comprise half our sample, have a median LyC $f_{\rm{esc}}$~50%, and an ionising production efficiency $\log({\xi_{\rm{ion}}/\rm{Hz\ erg^{-1}}})$~25.9. These results show LAEs -- the type of galaxies rare at z=2, but that become the norm at higher redshift -- are highly efficient ionizers, with extreme $\xi_{\rm{ion}}$ and prolific $f_{\rm{esc}}$ occurring in sync. (ABRIDGED), Comment: Submitted to MNRAS. Figure 4 and Table 2 show key results from the stacks. Figure 8 presents a unifying scheme for the LyC duty cycle. Our companion paper (Matthee & Naidu et al. 2021) works out implications of these results for the cosmic UV background at $z\approx2-8$. Comments warmly welcomed and greatly appreciated!

We study the spatially resolved physical properties of the Cosmic Snake arc in MACS J1206.2-0847 and the arc in Abell 0521 (A521). These are two strongly lensed galaxies at redshifts $z=1.036$ and $z=1.044$. We used observations of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The former gives access to the star formation rate (SFR) and stellar mass ($M_\star$), and the latter to the H$_2$ molecular gas mass ($M_{\mathrm{mol}}$). HST and ALMA observations have similar angular resolutions of $0.15^{\prime \prime}-0.2^{\prime \prime}$, which with the help of strong gravitational lensing enable us to reach spatial resolutions down to $\sim 30\,\mathrm{pc}$ and $\sim 100\,\mathrm{pc}$ in these two galaxies, respectively. These resolutions are close to the resolution of observations of nearby galaxies. We study the radial profiles of SFR, $M_\star$, and $M_{\mathrm{mol}}$ surface densities of these high-redshift galaxies and compare the corresponding exponential scale lengths with those of local galaxies. We find that the scale lengths in the Cosmic Snake are about $0.5\,\mathrm{kpc}-1.5\,\mathrm{kpc}$, and they are 3 to 10 times larger in A521. This is a significant difference knowing that the two galaxies have comparable integrated properties. These high-redshift scale lengths are nevertheless comparable to those of local galaxies, which cover a wide distribution. The particularity of our high-redshift radial profiles is the normalisation of the $M_{\mathrm{mol}}$ surface density profiles ($\Sigma M_{\mathrm{mol}}$), which are offset by up to a factor of 20 with respect to the profiles of $z=0$ counterparts. The SFR surface density profiles are also offset by the same factor as $\Sigma M_{\mathrm{mol}}$, as expected from the Kennicutt-Schmidt law., Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

We present a Spitzer/IRAC survey of H-faint ($H_{160} \gtrsim 26.4$, $<5\sigma$) sources in 101 lensing cluster fields. Across a CANDELS/Wide-like survey area of $\sim$648 arcmin$^2$ (effectively $\sim$221 arcmin$^2$ in the source plane), we have securely discovered 53 sources in the IRAC Channel-2 band (CH2, 4.5 $\mathrm{\mu m}$; median CH2$=22.46\pm0.11$ AB mag) that lack robust HST/WFC3-IR F160W counterparts. The most remarkable source in our sample, namely ES-009 in the field of Abell 2813, is the brightest H-faint galaxy at 4.5 $\mathrm{\mu m}$ known so far ($\mathrm{CH2}=20.48\pm0.03$ AB mag). We show that the H-faint sources in our sample are massive (median $M_\mathrm{star} = 10^{10.3\pm 0.3}$ $M_\odot$), star-forming (median star formation rate $=100_{-40}^{+60}$ $M_\odot$yr$^{-1}$) and dust-obscured ($A_V=2.6\pm0.3$) galaxies around a median photometric redshift of $z=3.9\pm0.4$. The stellar continua of 14 H-faint galaxies can be resolved in the CH2 band, suggesting a median circularized effective radius ($R_\mathrm{e,circ}$; lensing corrected) of $1.9\pm0.2$ kpc and $<1.5$ kpc for the resolved and whole samples, respectively. This is consistent with the sizes of massive unobscured galaxies at $z\sim4$, indicating that H-faint galaxies represent the dusty tail of the distribution of a wider galaxy population. Comparing with the ALMA dust continuum sizes of similar galaxies reported previously, we conclude that the heavy dust obscuration in H-faint galaxies is related to the compactness of both stellar and dust continua ($R_\mathrm{e,circ}\sim 1$ kpc). These H-faint galaxies make up $16_{-7}^{+13}$% of the galaxies in the stellar mass range of $10^{10}-10^{11.2}$ $M_\odot$ at $z=3\sim5$, contributing to $8_{-4}^{+8}$% of the cosmic star formation rate density in this epoch and likely tracing the early phase of massive galaxy formation., Comment: 26 pages, 10 figures, 3 tables. Accepted for publication in ApJ

The shape of the ionising spectra of galaxies is a key ingredient to reveal their physical properties and to our understanding of the ionising background radiation. A long-standing unsolved problem is the presence of HeII nebular emission in many low-metallicity star-forming galaxies. This emission requires ionising photons with energy >54 eV, which are not produced in sufficient amounts by normal stellar populations. To examine if high mass X-ray binaries and ultra-luminous X-ray sources (HMXB/ULX) can explain the observed HeII nebular emission and how their presence alters other emission lines, we compute photoionisation models of galaxies including such sources. We combine spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of integrated stellar populations with constrained SEDs of ULXs to obtain composite spectra with varying amounts of X-ray luminosity, parameterised by Lx/SFR. With these we compute photoionisation models to predict the emission line fluxes of the optical recombination lines of H and He+, and the main metal lines of OIII, OII, OI, and NII. The predictions are then compared to a large sample of low-metallicity galaxies. We find that it is possible to reproduce the nebular HeII and other line observations with our spectra and with amounts of Lx/SFR compatible with the observations. Our work suggests that HMBX/ULX could be responsible for the observed nebular HeII emission. However, the strengths of the high and low ionisation lines, such as HeII and OI, depend strongly on the X-ray contribution and on the assumed SEDs of the high energy source(s); the latter are poorly known., Comment: Accepted by A&A on 13/09/2021

We report the discovery of J0121+0025, an extremely luminous and young star-forming galaxy (M_UV = -24.11, log[L_Lya / erg s^-1] = 43.8) at z = 3.244 showing copious Lyman continuum (LyC) leakage (f_esc,abs ~ 40%). High signal-to-noise ratio rest-frame UV spectroscopy with the Gran Telescopio Canarias reveals a high significance (7.9 sigma) emission below the Lyman limit (< 912A), with a flux density level f_900A = 0.78 +/- 0.10 uJy, and strong P-Cygni in wind lines of OVI 1033A, NV 1240A and CIV 1550A that are indicative of a young age of the starburst (<10 Myr). The spectrum is rich in stellar photospheric features, for which a significant contribution of an AGN at these wavelengths is ruled out. Low-ionization ISM absorption lines are also detected, but are weak (EW0 ~ 1A) and show large residual intensities, suggesting a clumpy geometry of the gas with a non-unity covering fraction or a highly ionized ISM. The contribution of a foreground and AGN contamination to the LyC signal is unlikely. Deep optical to Spitzer/IRAC 4.5um imaging show that the spectral energy distribution of J0121+0025 is dominated by the emission of the young starburst, with log(M*/Msun) = 9.9 +/- 0.1 and SFR = 981 +/- 232 Msun yr^-1. J0121+0025 is the most powerful LyC emitter known among the star-forming galaxy population. The discovery of such luminous and young starburst leaking LyC radiation suggests that a significant fraction of LyC photons can escape in sources with a wide range of UV luminosities and are not restricted to the faintest ones as previously thought. These findings might shed further light on the role of luminous starbursts to the cosmic reionization., Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRAS. v2: reference list updated

Dark matter halos that reach the HI-cooling mass without prior star formation or external metal pollution represent potential sites for the formation of small - extremely faint - Population III galaxies at high redshifts. Gravitational lensing may in rare cases boost their fluxes to detectable levels, but to find even a small number of such objects in randomly selected regions of the sky requires very large areas to be surveyed. Because of this, a small, wide-field telescope can in principle offer better detection prospects than a large telescope with a smaller field of view. Here, we derive the minimum comoving number density required to allow gravitational lensing to lift such objects at redshift $z=5-16$ above the detection thresholds of blind surveys carried out with the James Webb space telescope (JWST), the Roman space telescope (RST) and Euclid. We find that the prospects for photometric detections of Pop III galaxies is promising, and that they are better for RST than for JWST and Euclid. However, the Pop III galaxies favoured by current simulations have number densities too low to allow spectroscopic detections based on the strength of the HeII1640 emission line in any of the considered surveys unless very high star formation efficiencies ($\epsilon > 0.1$) are envoked. We argue that targeting individual cluster lenses instead of the wide field surveys considered in this paper results in better spectroscopic detection prospects, while for photometric detection, the wide field surveys perform considerably better., Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures

The properties of galaxies at redshift $z>6$ hold the key to our understanding of the early stages of galaxy evolution and can potentially identify the sources of the ultraviolet radiation that give rise to the epoch of reionisation. The far-infrared cooling line of [CII] at 158$\mu$m is known to be bright and correlate with the star formation rate (SFR) of low-redshift galaxies, and hence is also suggested to be an important tracer of star formation and interstellar medium properties for very high-redshift galaxies. With the aim to study the interstellar medium properties of gravitationally lensed galaxies at $z>6$, we search for [CII] and thermal dust emission in a sample of 52 $z\sim6$ galaxies observed by the ALMA Lensing Cluster Survey (ALCS). We perform our analysis using \textsc{LineStacker}, stacking both [CII] and continuum emission. The target sample is selected from multiple catalogues, and the sample galaxies have spectroscopic redshift or low-uncertainty photometric redshifts ($\sigma_z < 0.02$) in nine galaxy clusters. Source properties of the target galaxies are either extracted from the literature or computed using spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting. Both weighted-average and median stacking are used, on both the full sample and three sub-samples. Our analyses find no detection of either [CII] or continuum. An upper limit on $L_{\rm [CII]}$ is derived, implying that [CII] remains marginally consistent for low-SFR $z>6$ galaxies but likely is under-luminous compared to the local $L_{\rm [CII]}$-SFR relationship. We discuss potential biases and possible physical effects that may be the cause of the non-detection. Further, the upper limit on the dust continuum implies that less than half of the star formation is obscured.

The relationship between galaxy characteristics and the reionization of the universe remains elusive, mainly due to the observational difficulty in accessing the Lyman continuum (LyC) at these redshifts. It is thus important to identify low-redshift LyC-leaking galaxies that can be used as laboratories to investigate the physical processes that allow LyC photons to escape. The weakness of the [S II] nebular emission lines relative to typical star-forming galaxies has been proposed as a LyC predictor. In this paper, we show that the [S II]-deficiency is an effective method to select LyC-leaking candidates using data from the Low-redshift LyC Survey, which has detected flux below the Lyman edge in 35 out of 66 star-forming galaxies with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph onboard the Hubble Space Telescope. We show that LyC leakers tend to be more [S II]-deficient and that the fraction of their detections increases as [S II]-deficiency becomes more prominent. Correlational studies suggest that [S II]-deficiency complements other LyC diagnostics (such as strong Lyman-$\alpha$ emission and high [O III]/[O II]). Our results verify an additional technique by which reionization-era galaxies could be studied., Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables; published in ApJ

We present the first results from the X-SHOOTER Lyman-$\alpha$ survey at $z=2$ (XLS-$z2$). XLS-$z2$ is a deep spectroscopic survey of 35 Lyman-$\alpha$ emitters (LAEs) utilising $\approx90$ hours of exposure time with VLT/X-SHOOTER and covers rest-frame Ly$\alpha$ to H$\alpha$ emission with R$\approx4000$. We present the sample selection, the observations and the data reduction. Systemic redshifts are measured from rest-frame optical lines for 33/35 sources. In the stacked spectrum, our LAEs are characterised by an interstellar medium with little dust, a low metallicity and a high ionisation state. The ionising sources are young hot stars that power strong emission-lines in the optical and high ionisation lines in the UV. The LAEs exhibit clumpy UV morphologies and have outflowing kinematics with blue-shifted SiII absorption, a broad [OIII] component and a red-skewed Ly$\alpha$ line. Typically 30 % of the Ly$\alpha$ photons escape, of which one quarter on the blue side of the systemic velocity. A fraction of Ly$\alpha$ photons escapes directly at the systemic suggesting clear channels enabling a $\approx10$ % escape of ionising photons, consistent with an inference based on MgII. A combination of a low effective HI column density, a low dust content and young star-burst determine whether a star forming galaxy is observed as a LAE. The first is possibly related to outflows and/or a fortunate viewing angle, while we find that the latter two in LAEs are typical for their stellar mass of 10$^9$ M$_{\odot}$., Comment: Main text 26 pages. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

We present an ALMA 1.3 mm (Band 6) continuum survey of lensed submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) at $z=1.0\sim3.2$ with an angular resolution of $\sim0.2$". These galaxies were uncovered by the Herschel Lensing Survey (HLS), and feature exceptionally bright far-infrared continuum emission ($S_\mathrm{peak} \gtrsim 90$ mJy) owing to their lensing magnification. We detect 29 sources in 20 fields of massive galaxy clusters with ALMA. Using both the Spitzer/IRAC (3.6/4.5 $\mathrm{\mu m}$) and ALMA data, we have successfully modeled the surface brightness profiles of 26 sources in the rest-frame near- and far-infrared. Similar to previous studies, we find the median dust-to-stellar continuum size ratio to be small ($R_\mathrm{e,dust}/R_\mathrm{e,star} = 0.38\pm0.14$) for the observed SMGs, indicating that star formation is centrally concentrated. This is, however, not the case for two spatially extended main-sequence SMGs with a low surface brightness at 1.3 mm ($\lesssim 0.1$ mJy arcsec$^{-2}$), in which the star formation is distributed over the entire galaxy ($R_\mathrm{e,dust}/R_\mathrm{e,star}>1$). As a whole, our SMG sample shows a tight anti-correlation between ($R_\mathrm{e,dust}/R_\mathrm{e,star}$) and far-infrared surface brightness ($\Sigma_\mathrm{IR}$) over a factor of $\simeq$ 1000 in $\Sigma_\mathrm{IR}$. This indicates that SMGs with less vigorous star formation (i.e., lower $\Sigma_\mathrm{IR}$) lack central starburst and are likely to retain a broader spatial distribution of star formation over the whole galaxies (i.e., larger $R_\mathrm{e,dust}/R_\mathrm{e,star}$). The same trend can be reproduced with cosmological simulations as a result of central starburst and potentially subsequent "inside-out" quenching, which likely accounts for the emergence of compact quiescent galaxies at $z\sim2$., Comment: 32 pages, 18 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in ApJ

We present bright [CII] 158 $\mu$m line detections from a strongly magnified and multiply-imaged ($\mu\sim20-160$) sub-$L^{*}$ ($M_{\rm UV}$ = $-19.75^{+0.55}_{-0.44}$) Lyman-break galaxy (LBG) at $z=6.0719\pm0.0004$ from the ALMA Lensing Cluster Survey (ALCS). Emission lines are identified at 268.7 GHz at $\geq$ 8$\sigma$ exactly at positions of two multiple images of the LBG behind the massive galaxy cluster RXCJ0600$-$2007. Our lens models, updated with the latest spectroscopy from VLT/MUSE, indicate that a sub region of the LBG crosses the caustic and is lensed into a long ($\sim6''$) arc with a local magnification of $\mu\sim 160$, for which the [CII] line is also significantly detected. The source-plane reconstruction resolves the interstellar medium (ISM) structure, showing that the [CII] line is co-spatial with the rest-frame UV continuum at the scale of $\sim$300 pc. The [CII] line properties suggest that the LBG is a rotation-dominated system whose velocity gradient explains a slight difference of redshifts between the whole LBG and its sub region. The star formation rate (SFR)-$L_{\rm [CII]}$ relations from the sub to the whole regions of the LBG are consistent with those of local galaxies. We evaluate the lower limit of the faint-end of the [CII] luminosity function at $z=6$, and find that it is consistent with predictions from semi analytical models and from the local SFR-$L_{\rm [CII]}$ relation with a SFR function at $z=6$. These results imply that the local SFR-$L_{\rm [CII]}$ relation is universal for a wide range of scales including the spatially resolved ISM, the whole region of galaxy, and the cosmic scale, even in the epoch of reionization., Comment: 27 pages, 10 figures, 6 tables, ApJ in press

MOSAIC is the planned multi-object spectrograph for the 39m Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). Conceived as a multi-purpose instrument, it offers both high multiplex and multi-IFU capabilities at a range of intermediate to high spectral resolving powers in the visible and the near-infrared. MOSAIC will enable unique spectroscopic surveys of the faintest sources, from the oldest stars in the Galaxy and beyond to the first populations of galaxies that completed the reionisation of the Universe--while simultaneously opening up a wide discovery space. In this contribution we present the status of the instrument ahead of Phase B, showcasing the key science cases as well as introducing the updated set of top level requirements and the adopted architecture. The high readiness level will allow MOSAIC to soon enter the construction phase, with the goal to provide the ELT community with a world-class MOS capability as soon as possible after the telescope first light., Comment: Accepted to SPIE

GN-z11 was photometrically selected as a luminous star-forming galaxy candidate at redshift z > 10 based on Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging data. Follow-up HST near-infrared grism observations detected a continuum break that was explained as the Ly-alpha break corresponding to z = 11.09 (+0.08-0.12). However, its accurate redshift remained unclear. Here we report a probable detection of three ultraviolet (UV) emission lines from GN-z11, which can be interpreted as the [C III] 1907, C III] 1909 doublet and O III] 1666 at z = 10.957+/-0.001 (when the Universe was only ~420 Myr old, or ~3% of its current age). This is consistent with the redshift of the previous grism observations, supporting GN-z11 as the most distant galaxy known to date. Its UV lines likely originate from dense ionized gas that is rarely seen at low redshifts, and its strong [C III] and C III] emission is partly due to an active galactic nucleus (AGN) or enhanced carbon abundance. GN-z11 is luminous and young, yet moderately massive, implying a rapid build-up of stellar mass in the past. Future facilities will be able to find the progenitors of such galaxies at higher redshift and probe the cosmic epoch in the beginning of re-ionization., Comment: Published in Nature Astronomy on Dec 14, 2020; 21 pages; authors' version

One of the outstanding problems of current observational cosmology is to understand the nature of sources that produced the bulk of the ionizing radiation after the Cosmic Dark Age. Direct detection of these reionization sources is practically infeasible at high redshift due to the steep decline of intergalactic medium transmission. However, a number of low-redshift analogs emitting Lyman continuum at~900 Angstrom ~restframe are now detected at $z< 0.4$ and there are detections in the range $ 2.5< z< 3.5$ also. Here, we report the detection of Lyman continuum emission with a high escape fraction (>20%) from a low-mass clumpy galaxy at z=1.42, in the middle of the redshift range where no detection has been made before and near the peak of the Cosmic Star-formation history. The observation was made in the Hubble Extreme Deep field by the wide-field Ultra-Violet-Imaging Telescope onboard AstroSat. This is the first detection of Extreme Ultraviolet radiation from a distant galaxy at a rest-frame wavelength of 600 Angstrom, and it opens up a new window to constrain the shape of the ionization spectrum. Further observations with AstroSat should significantly increase the sample of Lyman continuum leaking galaxies at Cosmic Noon., Comment: Published on 24th August, 2020, by Nature Astronomy Letters. The published version is available at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-020-1173-5

We propose a new mission called Space Project for Astrophysical and Cosmological Exploration (SPACE) as part on the ESA long term planning Voyage 2050 programme. SPACE will study galaxy evolution at the earliest times, with the key goals of charting the formation of the heavy elements, measuring the evolution of the galaxy luminosity function, tracing the build-up of stellar mass in galaxies over cosmic time, and finding the first super-massive black holes (SMBHs) to form. The mission will exploit a unique region of the parameter space, between the narrow ultra-deep surveys with HST and JWST, and shallow wide-field surveys such as Roman Space Telescope and EUCLID, and should yield by far the largest sample of any current or planned mission of very high redshift galaxies at z > 10 which are sufficiently bright for detailed follow-up spectroscopy. Crucially, we propose a wide-field spectroscopic near-IR + mid-IR capability which will greatly enhance our understanding of the first galaxies by detecting and identifying a statistical sample of the first galaxies and the first SMBH, and to chart the metal enrichment history of galaxies in the early Universe - potentially finding signatures of the very first stars to form from metal-free primordial gas. The wide-field and wavelength range of SPACE will also provide us a unique opportunity to study star formation by performing a wide survey of the Milky Way in the near-IR + mid-IR. This science project can be enabled either by a stand-alone ESA-led M mission or by an instrument for an L mission (with ESA and/or NASA, JAXA and other international space agencies) with a wide-field (sub-)millimetre capability at wavelength > 500 microns., Comment: Submitted to Experimental Astronomy as one of the proposals for the European Space Agency Voyage 2050 Programme

We present the first [CII] 158 $\mu$m luminosity function (LF) at $z\sim 5$ from a sample of serendipitous lines detected in the ALMA Large Program to INvestigate [CII] at Early times (ALPINE). A search performed over the 118 ALPINE pointings revealed several serendipitous lines. Based on their fidelity, we selected 14 lines for the final catalog. According to the redshift of their counterparts, we identified 8 out of 14 detections as [CII] lines at $z\sim 5$, and two as CO transitions at lower redshifts. The remaining 4 lines have an elusive identification in the available catalogs and we considered them as [CII] candidates. We used the 8 confirmed [CII] and the 4 [CII] candidates to build one of the first [CII] LFs at $z\sim 5$. We found that 11 out of these 12 sources have a redshift very similar to that of the ALPINE target in the same pointing, suggesting the presence of overdensities around the targets. Therefore, we split the sample in two (a "clustered" and "field" sub-sample) according to their redshift separation and built two separate LFs. Our estimates suggest that there could be an evolution of the [CII] LF between $z \sim 5$ and $z \sim 0$. By converting the [CII] luminosity to star formation rate we evaluated the cosmic star formation rate density (SFRD) at $z\sim 5$. The clustered sample results in a SFRD $\sim 10$ times higher than previous measurements from UV-selected galaxies. On the other hand, from the field sample (likely representing the average galaxy population) we derived a SFRD $\sim 1.6$ higher compared to current estimates from UV surveys but compatible within the errors. Because of the large uncertainties, observations of larger samples are necessary to better constrain the SFRD at $z\sim 5$. This study represents one of the first efforts aimed at characterizing the demography of [CII] emitters at $z\sim 5$ using a mm-selection of galaxies., Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures; submitted to Astronomy & Astrophysics

We study six luminous Lyman-alpha emitters (LAEs) with very blue rest-frame UV continua at $5.7\le z \le 6.6$. These LAEs have previous HST and Spitzer IRAC observations. Combining our newly acquired HST images, we find that their UV-continuum slopes $\beta$ are in a range of $-3.4\le \beta \le -2.6$. Unlike previous, tentative detections of $\beta \simeq -3$ in photometrically selected, low-luminosity galaxies, our LAEs are spectroscopically confirmed and luminous ($M_{\rm UV}<-20$ mag). We model their broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs), and find that two $\beta\simeq-2.6\pm0.2$ galaxies can be well fitted with young and dust-free stellar populations. However, it becomes increasingly difficult to fit bluer galaxies. We explore further interpretations by including non-zero LyC escape fraction $f_{\rm esc}$, very low metallicities, and/or AGN contributions. Assuming $f_{\rm esc}\simeq0.2$, we achieve the bluest slopes $\beta\simeq-2.7$ when nebular emission is considered. This can nearly explain the SEDs of two galaxies with $\beta\simeq-2.8$ and --2.9 ($\sigma_{\beta}=0.15$). Larger $f_{\rm esc}$ values and very low metallicities are not favored by the strong nebular line emission (evidenced by the IRAC flux) or the observed (IRAC 1 - IRAC 2) color. Finally, we find that the $\beta\simeq-2.9$ galaxy can potentially be well explained by the combination of a very young population with a high $f_{\rm esc}$ ($\ge0.5$) and an old, dusty population. We are not able to produce two $\beta \simeq -3.4 \pm0.4$ galaxies. Future deep spectroscopic observations are needed to fully understand these galaxies., Comment: Published in ApJ on 2020 Feb 1; Authors' version (9 pages); See published version at https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ab64ea