REBELS-25: multi-phase morphology and kinematics at z = 7.31

Lucie E. Rowland; Hiddo S. B. Algera; Jacqueline Hodge; Mauro Stefanon; Rychard Bouwens; Manuel Aravena; Lucy Astles; Karin Cescon; Elisabete da Cunha; Ilse de Looze; Andrea Ferrara; Rebecca Fisher; Yoshinobu Fudamoto; Thomas Herard-Demanche; Hanae Inami; Mahsa Kohandel; Lena Komarova; Andrés Laza Ramos; Themiya Nanayakkara; Katherine Ormerod; Andrea Pallottini; Siân Phillips; Sander Schouws; Piyush Sharda; Renske Smit; Paul van der Werf

arXiv · 2608.25982

REBELS-25: multi-phase morphology and kinematics at z = 7.31

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Abstract

We present a spatially resolved, multi-wavelength study of the massive, star-forming galaxy REBELS-25 at a redshift of $z=7.31$. We combine new high-resolution ALMA [O III]88$\mu$m observations with resolution-matched [C II], dust continuum, and JWST/NIRSpec IFU spectroscopy, providing a $\lesssim1$ kpc view of the morphology, interstellar medium (ISM) conditions, and multi-tracer gas kinematics of one of the most mature galaxies known in the reionisation era. We find differing morphologies from the rest-frame UV to far-infrared (FIR) emission, with the UV and optical emission appearing clumpy and irregular, whereas the FIR emission is well-described by near-exponential disc profiles, with [C II] being the most extended. Comparing the resolved UV and FIR emission, we find that obscured star formation contributes $\sim55$-$98$% of the total star formation rate across the galaxy, demonstrating that dust obscuration strongly shapes the observed UV and optical morphology. Resolved ionisation-line diagnostics show no significant variation across the source at $\sim1$ kpc resolution, consistent with broadly similar ISM conditions among the identified regions. Kinematic modelling reveals that both the warm ionised gas, traced by [O III]88$\mu$m, and the colder neutral gas, traced by [C II], share the same large-scale rotating structure and are dynamically cold, with ratios of ordered-to-random motion, $V/\sigma$, of $\sim11$ and 4.5, respectively, although we find evidence for non-circular motions that are not well-described by a simple rotating disc. Overall, these results further support a picture in which REBELS-25 hosts a dusty, chemically enriched, and dynamically cold ISM already in place at $z=7.31$.

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Lucie E. Rowland, Hiddo S. B. Algera, Jacqueline Hodge, Mauro Stefanon, Rychard Bouwens, Manuel Aravena, Lucy Astles, Karin Cescon, Elisabete da Cunha, Ilse de Looze, Andrea Ferrara, Rebecca Fisher, Yoshinobu Fudamoto, Thomas Herard-Demanche, Hanae Inami, Mahsa Kohandel, Lena Komarova, Andrés Laza Ramos, Themiya Nanayakkara, Katherine Ormerod, Andrea Pallottini, Siân Phillips, Sander Schouws, Piyush Sharda, Renske Smit, Paul van der Werf. 2026-08-26. REBELS-25: multi-phase morphology and kinematics at z = 7.31. https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.25982

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