MUSE Spectroscopic Identifications of Ultra-faint Emission Line Galaxies with M-UV similar to-15

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2018

Authors

Maseda, MV (Author) Other; Bacon, R (Author) Other; Franx, M (Author) Other; J. Brinchmann (Author) Other; Schaye, J (Author) Other; Boogaard, LA (Author) Other; Bouche, N (Author) Other; Bouwens, RJ (Author) Other; Cantalupo, S (Author) Other; Contini, T (Author) Other; Hashimoto, T (Author) Other; Inami, H (Author) Other; Marino, RA (Author) Other; Muzahid, S (Author) Other; Nanayakkara, T (Author) Other; Richard, J (Author) Other; Schmidt, KB (Author) Other; Verhamme, A (Author) Other; Wisotzki, L (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Astrophysical Journal Letters

Vol. 865

Final page: L1

ISSN: 2041-8205

Publisher: American Astronomical Society

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 25 Citations

Scopus - 32 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00P-MMC

DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/aade4b

Abstract (EN): Using an ultra-deep blind survey with the MUSE integral field spectrograph on the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope, we obtain spectroscopic redshifts to a depth never before explored: galaxies with observed magnitudes m(AB) greater than or similar to 30-32. Specifically, we detect objects via Ly alpha emission at 2.9 < z < 6.7 without individual continuum counterparts in areas covered by the deepest optical/near-infrared imaging taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. In total, we find 102 such objects in 9 square arcminutes at these redshifts. Detailed stacking analyses confirm the Ly alpha emission as well as the 1216 angstrom breaks and faint ultraviolet continua (M-UV similar to -15). This makes them the faintest spectroscopically confirmed objects at these redshifts, similar to the sources believed to reionize the universe. A simple model for the expected fraction of detected/undetected Ly alpha emitters as a function of luminosity is consistent with these objects being the high-equivalent width tail of the normal Ly alpha-emitter population at these redshifts.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7