Enhanced Subkiloparsec-scale Star Formation: Results from a JWST Size Analysis of 341 Galaxies at 5 < z < 14
We present a comprehensive search and analysis of high-redshift galaxies in a suite of nine public JWST extragalactic fields taken in Cycle 1, covering a total effective search area of $\sim 358\,{\mathrm{arcmin}}^{2}$ . Through conservative (8 σ ) photometric selection, we identify 341 galaxies at...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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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/ad1404 |
| _version_ | 1797300609038155776 |
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| author | Takahiro Morishita Massimo Stiavelli Ranga-Ram Chary Michele Trenti Pietro Bergamini Marco Chiaberge Nicha Leethochawalit Guido Roberts-Borsani Xuejian Shen Tommaso Treu |
| author_facet | Takahiro Morishita Massimo Stiavelli Ranga-Ram Chary Michele Trenti Pietro Bergamini Marco Chiaberge Nicha Leethochawalit Guido Roberts-Borsani Xuejian Shen Tommaso Treu |
| author_sort | Takahiro Morishita |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We present a comprehensive search and analysis of high-redshift galaxies in a suite of nine public JWST extragalactic fields taken in Cycle 1, covering a total effective search area of $\sim 358\,{\mathrm{arcmin}}^{2}$ . Through conservative (8 σ ) photometric selection, we identify 341 galaxies at 5 < z < 14, with 109 having spectroscopic redshift measurements from the literature, including recent JWST NIRSpec observations. Our regression analysis reveals that the rest-frame UV size–stellar mass relation follows ${R}_{\mathrm{eff}}\propto {M}_{* }^{0.19\pm 0.03}$ , similar to that of star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 3, but scaled down in size by ∼0.7 dex. We find a much slower rate for the average size evolution over the redshift range, R _eff ∝ (1 + z ) ^−0.4±0.2 , than that derived in the literature. A fraction (∼13%) of our sample galaxies are marginally resolved even in the NIRCam imaging (≲100 pc), located at ≳1.5 σ below the derived size–mass slope. These compact sources exhibit a high star formation surface density Σ _SFR > 10 M _⊙ yr ^−1 kpc ^−2 , a range in which only <0.01% of the local star-forming galaxy sample is found. For those with available NIRSpec data, no evidence of ongoing supermassive black hole accretion is observed. A potential explanation for the observed high [O iii ]-to-H β ratios could be high shock velocities, likely originating within intense star-forming regions characterized by high Σ _SFR . Lastly, we find that the rest-frame UV and optical sizes of our sample are comparable. Our results are consistent with these early galaxies building up their structures inside out and being yet to exhibit the strong color gradient seen at lower redshift. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:10:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fac046e4041449d3b765e184b6553dd4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:10:36Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-fac046e4041449d3b765e184b6553dd42024-02-21T15:02:58ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572024-01-019631910.3847/1538-4357/ad1404Enhanced Subkiloparsec-scale Star Formation: Results from a JWST Size Analysis of 341 Galaxies at 5 < z < 14Takahiro Morishita0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8512-1404Massimo Stiavelli1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9935-6047Ranga-Ram Chary2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7583-0621Michele Trenti3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9391-305XPietro Bergamini4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1383-9414Marco Chiaberge5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1564-3802Nicha Leethochawalit6https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4570-3159Guido Roberts-Borsani7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4140-1367Xuejian Shen8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6196-823XTommaso Treu9https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8460-0390IPAC, California Institute of Technology , MC 314-6, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA ; takahiro@ipac.caltech.eduSpace Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USAIPAC, California Institute of Technology , MC 314-6, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA ; takahiro@ipac.caltech.eduSchool of Physics, University of Melbourne , Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D) , AustraliaDipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Milano , Via Celoria 16, I-20133 Milano, Italy; INAF—OAS, Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna , via Gobetti 93/3, I-40129 Bologna, ItalySpace Telescope Science Institute for the European Space Agency (ESA) , ESA Office, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; The William H. Miller III Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore, MD 21218, USANational Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) , Mae Rim, Chiang Mai, 50180, ThailandDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of California , Los Angeles, 430 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Astronomy, University of Geneva , Chemin Pegasi 51, 1290 Versoix, SwitzerlandTAPIR, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Department of Physics & Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA 02139, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of California , Los Angeles, 430 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USAWe present a comprehensive search and analysis of high-redshift galaxies in a suite of nine public JWST extragalactic fields taken in Cycle 1, covering a total effective search area of $\sim 358\,{\mathrm{arcmin}}^{2}$ . Through conservative (8 σ ) photometric selection, we identify 341 galaxies at 5 < z < 14, with 109 having spectroscopic redshift measurements from the literature, including recent JWST NIRSpec observations. Our regression analysis reveals that the rest-frame UV size–stellar mass relation follows ${R}_{\mathrm{eff}}\propto {M}_{* }^{0.19\pm 0.03}$ , similar to that of star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 3, but scaled down in size by ∼0.7 dex. We find a much slower rate for the average size evolution over the redshift range, R _eff ∝ (1 + z ) ^−0.4±0.2 , than that derived in the literature. A fraction (∼13%) of our sample galaxies are marginally resolved even in the NIRCam imaging (≲100 pc), located at ≳1.5 σ below the derived size–mass slope. These compact sources exhibit a high star formation surface density Σ _SFR > 10 M _⊙ yr ^−1 kpc ^−2 , a range in which only <0.01% of the local star-forming galaxy sample is found. For those with available NIRSpec data, no evidence of ongoing supermassive black hole accretion is observed. A potential explanation for the observed high [O iii ]-to-H β ratios could be high shock velocities, likely originating within intense star-forming regions characterized by high Σ _SFR . Lastly, we find that the rest-frame UV and optical sizes of our sample are comparable. Our results are consistent with these early galaxies building up their structures inside out and being yet to exhibit the strong color gradient seen at lower redshift.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad1404Galaxy structureHigh-redshift galaxiesStar formation |
| spellingShingle | Takahiro Morishita Massimo Stiavelli Ranga-Ram Chary Michele Trenti Pietro Bergamini Marco Chiaberge Nicha Leethochawalit Guido Roberts-Borsani Xuejian Shen Tommaso Treu Enhanced Subkiloparsec-scale Star Formation: Results from a JWST Size Analysis of 341 Galaxies at 5 < z < 14 The Astrophysical Journal Galaxy structure High-redshift galaxies Star formation |
| title | Enhanced Subkiloparsec-scale Star Formation: Results from a JWST Size Analysis of 341 Galaxies at 5 < z < 14 |
| title_full | Enhanced Subkiloparsec-scale Star Formation: Results from a JWST Size Analysis of 341 Galaxies at 5 < z < 14 |
| title_fullStr | Enhanced Subkiloparsec-scale Star Formation: Results from a JWST Size Analysis of 341 Galaxies at 5 < z < 14 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhanced Subkiloparsec-scale Star Formation: Results from a JWST Size Analysis of 341 Galaxies at 5 < z < 14 |
| title_short | Enhanced Subkiloparsec-scale Star Formation: Results from a JWST Size Analysis of 341 Galaxies at 5 < z < 14 |
| title_sort | enhanced subkiloparsec scale star formation results from a jwst size analysis of 341 galaxies at 5 z 14 |
| topic | Galaxy structure High-redshift galaxies Star formation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad1404 |
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