Strategies for Obtaining Robust Spectral Energy Distribution Fitting Parameters for Galaxies at z ∼ 1 and z ∼ 2 in the Absence of Infrared Data
Robust estimation of star formation rates (SFRs) at higher redshifts ( z ≳ 1) using UV–optical–near-infrared (NIR) photometry is contingent on the ability of spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting to constrain the dust attenuation, stellar metallicity, and star formation history (SFH) simultaneo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2024-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad17c8 |
| _version_ | 1797322232534401024 |
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| author | Chandler Osborne Samir Salim |
| author_facet | Chandler Osborne Samir Salim |
| author_sort | Chandler Osborne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Robust estimation of star formation rates (SFRs) at higher redshifts ( z ≳ 1) using UV–optical–near-infrared (NIR) photometry is contingent on the ability of spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting to constrain the dust attenuation, stellar metallicity, and star formation history (SFH) simultaneously. IR-derived dust luminosities can help break the degeneracy between these parameters, but IR data are often not available. Here, we explore strategies for SED fitting at z ≳ 1 in the absence of IR data using a sample of log M _* > 10.2 star-forming galaxies from the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) for which 24 μ m data are available. We adopt the total IR luminosity ( L _TIR ) obtained from 24 μ m as the “ground truth,” which allows us to assess how well it can be recovered (as L _dust ) from UV–optical–NIR SED fitting. We test a variety of dust attenuation models, stellar population synthesis models, metallicity assumptions, and SFHs separately to identify which assumptions maximize the agreement (correlation and linearity) between L _TIR and L _dust . We find that a flexible dust attenuation law performs best. For stellar populations, we find that Bruzual & Charlot models are favored over those of Eldridge et al. Fixing the stellar metallicity at solar value is preferred to other fixed values or leaving it as a free parameter. For SFHs, we find that minimizing the variability in the recent (<100 Myr) SFH improves the agreement with L _TIR . Finally, we provide a catalog of galaxy parameters (including M _* and SFR) for CANDELS galaxies with $\mathrm{log}{M}_{* }\gt 8$ and 0.7 < z < 1.3, obtained using the models we found to be the most robust. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T05:11:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7a579408a04f4c78910fc4d4d22c53a2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T05:11:13Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-7a579408a04f4c78910fc4d4d22c53a22024-02-07T09:39:30ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572024-01-0196215910.3847/1538-4357/ad17c8Strategies for Obtaining Robust Spectral Energy Distribution Fitting Parameters for Galaxies at z ∼ 1 and z ∼ 2 in the Absence of Infrared DataChandler Osborne0Samir Salim1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2342-7501Department of Astronomy, Indiana University , Bloomington, IN 47408, USADepartment of Astronomy, Indiana University , Bloomington, IN 47408, USARobust estimation of star formation rates (SFRs) at higher redshifts ( z ≳ 1) using UV–optical–near-infrared (NIR) photometry is contingent on the ability of spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting to constrain the dust attenuation, stellar metallicity, and star formation history (SFH) simultaneously. IR-derived dust luminosities can help break the degeneracy between these parameters, but IR data are often not available. Here, we explore strategies for SED fitting at z ≳ 1 in the absence of IR data using a sample of log M _* > 10.2 star-forming galaxies from the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) for which 24 μ m data are available. We adopt the total IR luminosity ( L _TIR ) obtained from 24 μ m as the “ground truth,” which allows us to assess how well it can be recovered (as L _dust ) from UV–optical–NIR SED fitting. We test a variety of dust attenuation models, stellar population synthesis models, metallicity assumptions, and SFHs separately to identify which assumptions maximize the agreement (correlation and linearity) between L _TIR and L _dust . We find that a flexible dust attenuation law performs best. For stellar populations, we find that Bruzual & Charlot models are favored over those of Eldridge et al. Fixing the stellar metallicity at solar value is preferred to other fixed values or leaving it as a free parameter. For SFHs, we find that minimizing the variability in the recent (<100 Myr) SFH improves the agreement with L _TIR . Finally, we provide a catalog of galaxy parameters (including M _* and SFR) for CANDELS galaxies with $\mathrm{log}{M}_{* }\gt 8$ and 0.7 < z < 1.3, obtained using the models we found to be the most robust.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad17c8Galaxy formationGalaxy evolutionGalaxy massesGalaxy propertiesStar formationSpectral energy distribution |
| spellingShingle | Chandler Osborne Samir Salim Strategies for Obtaining Robust Spectral Energy Distribution Fitting Parameters for Galaxies at z ∼ 1 and z ∼ 2 in the Absence of Infrared Data The Astrophysical Journal Galaxy formation Galaxy evolution Galaxy masses Galaxy properties Star formation Spectral energy distribution |
| title | Strategies for Obtaining Robust Spectral Energy Distribution Fitting Parameters for Galaxies at z ∼ 1 and z ∼ 2 in the Absence of Infrared Data |
| title_full | Strategies for Obtaining Robust Spectral Energy Distribution Fitting Parameters for Galaxies at z ∼ 1 and z ∼ 2 in the Absence of Infrared Data |
| title_fullStr | Strategies for Obtaining Robust Spectral Energy Distribution Fitting Parameters for Galaxies at z ∼ 1 and z ∼ 2 in the Absence of Infrared Data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Strategies for Obtaining Robust Spectral Energy Distribution Fitting Parameters for Galaxies at z ∼ 1 and z ∼ 2 in the Absence of Infrared Data |
| title_short | Strategies for Obtaining Robust Spectral Energy Distribution Fitting Parameters for Galaxies at z ∼ 1 and z ∼ 2 in the Absence of Infrared Data |
| title_sort | strategies for obtaining robust spectral energy distribution fitting parameters for galaxies at z ∼ 1 and z ∼ 2 in the absence of infrared data |
| topic | Galaxy formation Galaxy evolution Galaxy masses Galaxy properties Star formation Spectral energy distribution |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad17c8 |
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