The VANDELS survey: A strong correlation between Ly$α$ equivalent width and stellar metallicity at $\mathbf{3\leq z \leq 5}$
F. Cullen, R. J. McLure, J. S. Dunlop, A. C. Carnall, D. J. McLeod, A. E. Shapley, R. Amorín, M. Bolzonella, M. Castellano, A. Cimatti, M. Cirasuolo, O. Cucciat… 展开作者
F. Cullen, R. J. McLure, J. S. Dunlop, A. C. Carnall, D. J. McLeod, A. E. Shapley, R. Amorín, M. Bolzonella, M. Castellano, A. Cimatti, M. Cirasuolo, O. Cucciati, A. Fontana, F. Fontanot, B. Garilli, L. Guaita, M. J. Jarvis, L. Pentericci, L. Pozzetti, M. Talia, G. Zamorani, A. Calabrò, G. Cresci, J. P. U. Fynbo, N. P. Hathi, M. Giavalisco, A. Koekemoer, F. Mannucci, A. Saxena
We present the results of a new study investigating the relationship between observed Ly$α$ equivalent width ($W_λ$(Ly$α$)) and the metallicity of the ionizing stellar population ($Z_{\star}$) for a sample of $768$ star-forming galaxies at $3 \leq z \leq 5$ drawn from the VANDELS survey. Dividing our sample into quartiles of rest-frame $W_λ$(Ly$α$) across the range $-58 \unicode{xC5} \lesssim$ $W_λ$(Ly$α$) $\lesssim 110 \unicode{xC5}$ we determine $Z_{\star}$ from full spectral fitting of composite far-ultraviolet (FUV) spectra and find a clear anti-correlation between $W_λ$(Ly$α$) and $Z_{\star}$. Our results indicate that $Z_{\star}$ decreases by a factor $\gtrsim 3$ between the lowest $W_λ$(Ly$α$) quartile ($\langle$$W_λ$(Ly$α$)$\rangle=-18\unicode{xC5}$) and the highest $W_λ$(Ly$α$) quartile ($\langle$$W_λ$(Ly$α$)$\rangle=24\unicode{xC5}$). Similarly, galaxies typically defined as Lyman Alpha Emitters (LAEs; $W_λ$(Ly$α$) $>20\unicode{xC5}$) are, on average, metal poor with respect to the non-LAE galaxy population ($W_λ$(Ly$α$) $\leq20\unicode{xC5}$) with $Z_{\star}$$_{\rm{non-LAE}}\gtrsim 2 \times$ $Z_{\star}$$_{\rm{LAE}}$. Finally, based on the best-fitting stellar models, we estimate that the increasing strength of the stellar ionizing spectrum towards lower $Z_{\star}$ is responsible for $\simeq 15-25\%$ of the observed variation in $W_λ$(Ly$α$) across our sample, with the remaining contribution ($\simeq 75-85\%$) being due to a decrease in the HI/dust covering fractions in low $Z_{\star}$ galaxies.
We study the relationships between stellar mass, size and age within the quiescent population, using two mass-complete spectroscopic samples with $\mathrm{log_{10}}(M_{\star}/\mathrm{M_{\odot}})>10.3$, taken from VANDELS at $1.0<z<1.3$, and LEGA-C at $0.6<z<0.8$. Using robust D$_{n}$4000 values, we demonstrate that the well-known 'downsizing' signature is already in place by $z\simeq1.1$, with D$_{n}$4000 increasing by $\simeq0.1$ across a $\simeq$ 1 dex mass interval for both VANDELS and LEGA-C. We then proceed to investigate the evolution of the quiescent galaxy stellar mass-size relation fr…
The estimate of stellar metallicities (Z*) of high-z galaxies are of paramount importance in order to understand the complexity of dust effects and the reciprocal interrelations among stellar mass, dust attenuation, stellar age, and metallicity. Benefiting from uniquely deep FUV spectra of >500 star-forming galaxies at redshifts 2<z<5 extracted from the VANDELS survey and stacked in bins of stellar mass (M*) and UV continuum slope (beta), we estimate their stellar metallicities Z* from stellar photospheric absorption features at 1501 and 1719 Angstrom, which are calibrated with Starburst99 mod…
We present the results of a new study of dust attenuation at redshifts $3 < z < 4$ based on a sample of $236$ star-forming galaxies from the VANDELS spectroscopic survey. Motivated by results from the First Billion Years (FiBY) simulation project, we argue that the intrinsic spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of star-forming galaxies at these redshifts have a self-similar shape across the mass range $8.2 \leq$ log$(M_{\star}/M_{\odot}) \leq 10.6$ probed by our sample. Using FiBY data, we construct a set of intrinsic SED templates which incorporate both detailed star formation and chemical ab…
We present the results of a study utilising ultra-deep, rest-frame UV, spectroscopy to quantify the relationship between stellar mass and stellar metallicity for 681 star-forming galaxies at $2.5<z<5.0$ ($\langle z \rangle = 3.5 \pm 0.6$) drawn from the VANDELS survey. Via a comparison with high-resolution stellar population models, we determine stellar metallicities for a set of composite spectra formed from subsamples selected by mass and redshift. Across the stellar mass range $8.5 < \mathrm{log}(\langle M_{\ast} \rangle/\rm{M}_{\odot}) < 10.2$ we find a strong correlation between stellar m…
We study the mean properties of a large representative sample of 217 galaxies showing CIII] emission at $2<z<4$, selected from a parent sample of $\sim$750 main-sequence star-forming galaxies in the VANDELS survey. These CIII] emitters have a broad range of UV luminosities, thus allowing a detailed stacking analysis to characterize their stellar mass, star formation rate (SFR) and stellar metallicity, as a function of the UV emission line ratios, EWs, and the carbon-to-oxygen (C/O) abundance ratio. Reliable CIII] detections represent $\sim$30% of the parent sample. Extreme CIII] emitters (EW(C…
In this work, we study the evolution of the mass-metallicity relations (MZRs) as predicted by the GAlaxy Evolution and Assembly (GAEA) semi-analytic model. We contrast these predictions with recent results from the VANDELS survey, that allows us to expand the accessible redshift range for the stellar MZR up to $z\sim3.5$. We complement our study by considering the evolution of the gas-phase MZR in the same redshift range. We show that GAEA is able to reproduce the observed evolution of the $z<3.5$ gas-phase MZR and $z<0.7$ stellar MZR, while it overpredicts the stellar metallicity at $z\sim3.5…
We explore X-ray emission from a sample of 18 He II 1640 emitting star-forming galaxies at z ~ 2.3-3.6 from the VANDELS survey in the Chandra Deep Field South, to set constraints on the role of X-ray sources in powering the He II emission. We find that 4 He II emitters have tentative detections with S/N ~ 2 and have X-ray luminosities, L_X = 1.5-4.9 x 10^41 erg/s. The stacked luminosity of all 18 He II emitters is 2.6 x 10^41 erg/s, and that of a subset of 13 narrow He II emitters (FHWM(He II) < 1000 km/s) is 3.1 x 10^41 erg/s. We also measure stacked L_X for non-He II emitters through bootstr…
We derived stellar ages and metallicities [Z/H] for $\sim$70 passive early type galaxies (ETGs) selected from VANDELS survey over the redshift range 1.0$<$$z$$<$1.4 and stellar mass range 10$<$log(M$_*$/M$_\odot$)$<$11.6. We find significant systematics in their estimates depending on models and wavelength ranges considered. Using the full-spectrum fitting technique, we find that both [Z/H] and age increase with mass as for local ETGs. Age and metallicity sensitive spectral indices independently confirm these trends. According to EMILES models, for 67 per cent of the galaxies we find [Z/H]$>$0…
We use VANDELS spectroscopic data overlapping with the $\simeq$7 Ms Chandra Deep Field South survey to extend studies of high-mass X-ray binary systems (XRBs) in 301 normal star-forming galaxies in the redshift range $3 < z < 5.5$. Our analysis evaluates correlations between X-ray luminosities ($L_X$), star formation rates (SFR) and stellar metallicities ($Z_\star$) to higher redshifts and over a wider range in galaxy properties than hitherto. Using a stacking analysis performed in bins of both redshift and SFR for sources with robust spectroscopic redshifts without AGN signatures, we find con…
We present a rest-frame UV-optical stacked spectrum representative of massive quiescent galaxies at $1.0<z<1.3$ with log$(M_*/\rm{M_\odot})>10.8$. The stack is constructed using VANDELS survey data, combined with new KMOS observations. We apply two independent full-spectral-fitting approaches, measuring a total metallicity, [Z/H]=$-0.13\pm0.08$ with Bagpipes, and [Z/H]=$0.04\pm0.14$ with Alf, a fall of $\sim0.2-0.3$ dex compared with the local Universe. We also measure an iron abundance, [Fe/H] =$-0.18\pm0.08$, a fall of $\sim0.15$ dex compared with the the local Universe. We measure the alpha…
Strong He II emission is produced by low-metallicity stellar populations. Here, we aim to identify and study a sample of He II $λ1640$-emitting galaxies at redshifts of $z \sim 2.5-5$ in the deep VANDELS spectroscopic survey.. We identified a total of 33 Bright He II emitters (S/N > 2.5) and 17 Faint emitters (S/N < 2.5) in the VANDELS survey and used the available deep multi-wavelength data to study their physical properties. After identifying seven potential AGNs in our sample and discarding them from further analysis, we divided the sample of \emph{Bright} emitters into 20 \emph{Narrow} (FW…
We present a study designed to measure the average LyC escape fraction ($\langle f_{\rm esc}\rangle$) of star-forming galaxies at z=3.5. We assemble a sample of 148 galaxies from the VANDELS survey at $3.35\leq z_{\rm spec}\leq3.95$, selected to minimize line-of-sight contamination of their photometry. For this sample, we use ultra-deep, ground-based, $U-$band imaging and HST $V-$band imaging to robustly measure the distribution of $\mathcal{R_{\rm obs}}$ $=(L_{\rm LyC}/L_{\rm UV})_{\rm obs}$. We then model the distribution as a function of $\langle f_{\rm esc}\rangle$, carefully accounting fo…
In the local universe, galaxies in clusters show different properties compared to more isolated systems. Understanding how this difference originates and whether it is already in place at high redshift is still a matter of debate. Thanks to uniquely deep optical spectra from the VANDELS survey, we investigate environmental effects on the stellar mass-metallicity relation (MZR) for a sample of ~1000 star-forming galaxies at 2<z<4. We complement our dataset with MOSFIRE follow-up of 21 galaxies to study the environmental dependence of the gas-phase MZR. Robust stellar and gas metallicities are d…
The evolution of [OIII]$+\rm{H}β$ equivalent width from $\mathbf{z\simeq3-8}$: implications for the production and escape of ionizing photons during reionization
We exploit the unprecedented depth of integral field data from the KMOS Ultra-deep Rotational Velocity Survey (KURVS) to analyse the strong (H$α$) and forbidden ([NII], [SII]) emission line ratios in 22 main-sequence galaxies at $z\approx1.5$. Using the [NII]/H$α$ emission-line ratio we confirm the presence of the stellar mass $-$ gas-phase metallicity relation at this epoch, with galaxies exhibiting on average 0.13$\pm$0.04 dex lower gas-phase metallicity (12+log(O/H)$_{\rm M13}$=8.40$\pm$0.03) for a given stellar mass ($\log_{10}$($M_{\rm *}$[$M_{\odot}$]=10.1$\pm$0.1) than local main-sequen…
We present a detailed analysis of the rest-frame optical emission line ratios for three spectroscopically confirmed galaxies at $z>7.5$. The galaxies were identified in the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Early Release Observations field SMACS J0723.3$-$7327. By quantitatively comparing Balmer and oxygen line ratios of these galaxies with various low-redshift "analogue" populations (e.g. Green Peas, Blueberries, etc.), we show that no single analogue population captures the diversity of line ratios of all three galaxies observed at $z>7.5$. We find that S06355 at $z=7.67$ and S10612 at $z=7.…
JWST & ALMA Joint Analysis with [OII]$λλ$3726,3729, [OIII]$λ$4363, [OIII]88$μ$m, and [OIII]52$μ$m: Multi-Zone Evolution of Electron Densities at $\mathbf{z\sim0-14}$ and Its Impact on Metallicity Measurements
We use deep \textit{Hubble Space Telescope} spectroscopy to constrain the metallicities and (\editone{light-weighted}) ages of massive ($\log M_\ast/M_\odot\gtrsim10$) galaxies selected to have quiescent stellar populations at $1.0<z<1.8$. The data include 12--orbit depth coverage with the WFC3/G102 grism covering $\sim$ $8,000<λ<11,500$~Å\, at a spectral resolution of $R\sim 210$ taken as part of the CANDELS Lyman-$α$ Emission at Reionization (CLEAR) survey. At $1.0<z<1.8$, the spectra cover important stellar population features in the rest-frame optical. We simulate a suite of stellar popula…
The Milky Way halo was predominantly formed by the merging of numerous progenitor galaxies. However, our knowledge of this process is still incomplete, especially in regard to the total number of mergers, their global dynamical properties and their contribution to the stellar population of the Galactic halo. Here, we uncover the Milky Way mergers by detecting groupings of globular clusters, stellar streams and satellite galaxies in action ($\mathbf{J}$) space. While actions fully characterize the orbits, we additionally use the redundant information on their energy ($\textit{E}$) to enhance th…
