MNRAS-2016-Wilkins-659-67.pdf (555.37 kB)
Quantifying the UV-continuum slopes of galaxies to z ˜ 10 using deep Hubble+Spitzer/IRAC observations
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 00:14 authored by Stephen WilkinsStephen Wilkins, Rychard J Bouwens, Pascal A Oesch, Ivo Labbé, Mark Sargent, Joseph Caruana, Julie Wardlow, Scott ClayMeasurements of the UV-continuum slopes ß provide valuable information on the physical properties of galaxies forming in the early universe, probing the dust reddening, age, metal content, and even the escape fraction. While constraints on these slopes generally become more challenging at higher redshifts as the UV-continuum shifts out of the Hubble Space Telescope bands (particularly at z > 7), such a characterization actually becomes abruptly easier for galaxies in the redshift window z = 9.5-10.5 due to the Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera 3.6 µm-band probing the rest-UV continuum and the long wavelength baseline between this Spitzer band and the Hubble Hf160w band. Higher S/N constraints on ß are possible at z ˜ 10 than at z = 8. Here, we take advantage of this opportunity and five recently discovered bright z = 9.5-10.5 galaxies to present the first measurements of the mean ß for a multi-object sample of galaxy candidates at z ˜ 10. We find the measured ßobs's of these candidates are -2.1 ± 0.3 ± 0.2 (random and systematic), only slightly bluer than the measured ß's (ßobs ˜ -1.7) at 3.5 < z < 7.5 for galaxies of similar luminosities. Small increases in the stellar ages, metallicities, and dust content of the galaxy population from z ˜ 10 to z ˜ 7 could easily explain the apparent evolution in ß.
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Publication status
- Published
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- Published version
Journal
Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical SocietyISSN
0035-8711Publisher
Oxford University PressExternal DOI
Issue
1Volume
455Page range
659-667Department affiliated with
- Physics and Astronomy Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2016-02-09First Open Access (FOA) Date
2016-02-09First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2016-02-08Usage metrics
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