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Brian C. Lemaux

Publications and source records attributed to Brian C. Lemaux.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Extreme Enrichment at Cosmic Dawn: Three FeII-Strong Quasars at z > 6 from the JWST Aether survey

We present three outliers on the quasar main sequence at z>6, as revealed by JWST/NIRSpec IFU observations from the Aether survey, a program targeting ~200 quasars at cosmic dawn. The quasars, J0216-5226, J0320-3521, and J1429+5447, exhibit exceptionally strong FeII emission and weak H$β$ and [OIII] lines, indicating rapid chemical enrichment within the first Gyr of cosmic history. Their FeII strengths ($R_{\rm{FeII},\lambda4570} \equiv \rm{EW}_{\rm{FeII}}/\rm{EW}_{\rm{H}β}$) range between ~2.5-3.6, placing them among the top ~3% of SDSS quasars at ($0\lesssim z\lesssim 1$). The H$α$ emission lines of J0216-5226 and J1429+5447 imply black hole masses of $\sim1-7\times10^9$ M$_{\odot}$ with $λ_{\rm{Edd}}\sim0.1-0.6$, comparable to typical high-z quasars, although virial black hole masses may be systematically overestimated in strong FeII emitters. In contrast, J0320-3521 hosts a lower mass black hole of $\sim0.2-2\times10^9$ M$_{\odot}$, suggesting possible super-Eddington rate accretion with $λ_{\rm{Edd}}$~0.5-6.0. The IFU data of J0320-3521 reveal a distinct emission-line region at a projected distance of ~1.5 kpc, consistent with either an interacting companion or ionized gas associated to the quasar. We further identify a complex environment around J1429+5447, including two candidate companion galaxies or extended ionized gas structures. These quasars with bright emission-line regions, J0320-3521 and J1429+5447, are radio-loud sources, while J0216-5226 remains undetected in radio ($R_{5\rm{GHz,} \,3σ}\lesssim4$). Together, these results confirm previous findings that highly enriched, rapidly growing black holes were already in place at cosmic dawn. Despite the small sample size, our results further highlight the diversity in environment and radio-jet properties among quasars that otherwise share the same extreme region of the quasar fundamental plane.

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Rapid growth in a dual AGN during a gas-rich merger at z~4.5

The late stages of galaxy mergers - when two supermassive black holes (SMBHs) reach kiloparsec-scale separations - represent a critical phase for understanding SMBH growth, galaxy co-evolution, and the progenitors of low-frequency gravitational waves. Yet confirmed close-separation (<3 kpc) dual active galactic nuclei (AGNs) remain confined to the local Universe, despite predictions that such systems should be common in the merger-rich early Universe. Here we report the discovery of LID-1166, a dual AGN with a projected separation of ~1.5 kpc at z~4.5, representing the first such system known beyond the local Universe. Spatially resolved JWST/NIRSpec integral-field spectroscopy reveals two spatially and kinematically distinct narrow-line emission components with a line-of-sight velocity offset of ~ -164 km/s. Both components additionally exhibit broad Ha emission, including a compact off-nuclei broad Ha component associated with the companion source, confirming two actively accreting SMBHs. Independent ALMA [CII] 158 um observations reveal corresponding spatially and kinematically distinct cold gas components associated with the same nuclei, demonstrating that the system is a gas-rich merger. While undergoing super-Eddington accretion during a late-stage merger, the SMBHs already lie on the local black hole-host mass relation for massive elliptical galaxies within the uncertainties, suggesting that rapid, obscured growth may help establish this relation early in cosmic history. LID-1166 reveals a previously hidden phase of SMBH growth and points to a missing population of heavily obscured, merger-driven dual AGNs at high redshift.

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Two Exciting High-redshift Galaxy Candidates Turn Out to Be Two Exciting Ultra-cool Brown Dwarfs

From the onset of observations of JWST we have discovered unexpectedly luminous galaxies at redshifts $z>10$ and as high as $z=14$. With their discovery, the question immediately followed as to where their progenitors are, since such progenitors should be within reach of existing surveys. However, the discovery of several bright candidates at $z>15$ may indicate further discrepancies between pre-JWST model predictions and current observations. Progenitors of the bright $z\sim 14$ galaxies should be visible at redshifts as high as $z\sim 20-30$, showing in the data as F277W and F356W dropouts. We identify two such candidates in the Bullet Cluster JWST data; however, subsequent NIRSpec follow-up data show spectra that can be well fit with Y dwarf templates with temperatures ${272\mbox{--}351\mbox{K}}$ and ${445\mbox{--}525\mbox{K}}$ (using ATMO2020 and Sonora Elf Owl models) and distances of $\sim 150\mbox{--}650\mbox{pc}$. The first is one of the lowest-temperature brown dwarfs known, and the lowest-temperature brown dwarf detected spectroscopically outside the solar neighborhood. With additional NIRCam imaging taken $\sim 1$ year later, we also detect their proper motions of $(49 \pm 8)\,\mbox{mas/yr}$ and $(24 \pm 3)\,\mbox{mas/yr}$, further indicating that at least some F277W and F356W dropouts are sub-stellar cold Milky Way objects such as brown dwarfs.

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Quantifying the Impact of Incompleteness on Identifying and Interpreting Galaxy Protocluster Populations with the TNG-Cluster Simulation

We use the TNG-Cluster simulation to investigate how stellar mass and star formation rate (SFR) incompleteness affect the identification of density peaks within galaxy protoclusters at different redshifts. Our analysis focuses on a sample of $352$ protoclusters, defined as the progenitor populations of galaxies that reside within the virialized region of $z=0$ clusters with $M_{\rm{200}}^{z=0}\sim10^{14.3-15.5}~{\rm M}_{\odot}$. For comparison, we define our "baseline" protocluster population as galaxies with ${M}_{\star}> 10^{8.5}~{\rm M}_{\odot}$ at any redshift. We find that ${M}_{\star}$-limited (${M}_{\star} > 10^{9.5}~{\rm M}_{\odot}$) and SFR-limited ($\rm{SFR} > 10~{\rm M}_{\odot} \mathrm{yr}^{-1}$) subpopulations recover the baseline highest galaxy density peak in roughly $\sim60\%$ of cases within an accuracy of $1.0$ pMpc (corresponding to an angular scale of $\sim 2-2.5$ arcmin) at $z > 2$. This recovery fraction drops to $\sim40-50\%$ when restricting to galaxies with ${M}_{\star} > 10^{10.0}~{\rm M}_{\odot}$. We find that the baseline highest galaxy density peaks typically coincide with the highest dark matter and stellar mass density peaks, with separations less than $0.5$ pMpc in $\sim60-75\%$ of cases at $z>2$. This agreement drops to $\sim45-50\%$ when restricting to galaxies with ${M}_{\star} > 10^{10.0}~{\rm M}_{\odot}$. These results indicate that identifying the densest regions of protoclusters -- i.e., the core -- is highly sensitive to stellar mass and SFR completeness limits. Nevertheless, at $z>2$ we find that the baseline highest galaxy density peaks are generally sites of enhanced star formation and accelerated mass growth relative to the remainder of the protocluster, consistent with some observational studies.

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Mapping dark matter in the Bullet Cluster using JWST imaging and spectroscopy

We present an updated gravitational lens model of the Bullet cluster (1E 0657-56) by combining JWST NIRCam imaging and NIRSpec spectroscopy. Although previous lens models relied on many multiply imaged galaxies, only six systems had spectroscopic redshifts prior to this work. Our lens model is constrained by a catalogue of 135 secure multiple images from 27 background galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts, uniformly covering both subclusters and a wide redshift range of 0.9 - 6.7. We also provide a catalogue of 199 multiple image candidates. We modelled the cluster with Lenstool and incorporated several large-scale haloes, cluster members, the intracluster gas, and group-scale haloes surrounding the cluster core, motivated by spectroscopic studies of cluster member kinematics. We describe the main cluster component with a complex, elongated double-peaked distribution, and the subcluster with a single large-scale halo aligning closely with the brightest cluster galaxy ($4_{-2}^{+3}$ kpc). The uncertainty of the displacement has been improved threefold thanks to the addition of JWST systems. The addition of group-scale substructures, roughly following the two axes of cluster assembly, improves the fit to the multiple image positions and provides a physically motivated alternative to constant shear. Our lens model shows the closest agreement with previous studies in aperture mass profiles at $\sim60$ kpc from the brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs), but exhibits significant differences in the detailed mass distribution as a result of different lens-modelling strategies and adopted constraints. The differences are reflected in small but spatially coherent deviations between the new spectroscopic redshifts and redshifts predicted by earlier lens models.

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When Jets Don't Quench: Near-Infrared H$_{2}$ in Star Forming Low-Excitation Radio Galaxies

We present new Gemini/GNIRS near-infrared spectroscopic observations of eight low-redshift ($z < 0.1$) blue low-excitation radio galaxies (BLERGs), a rare subset ($\sim 2.5\%$ of low-excitation radio galaxies; LERGs) that complicate the classical jet-mode AGN picture by combining radio activity with star-forming, gas-rich hosts. These star-forming BLERGs exhibit significant warm H$_2$ emission traced via ro-vibrational transitions at $T \sim 2000$--$4000$ K. We find that BLERGs span a broad range of mass-normalized warm H$_2$ luminosities ($L_{\rm H_2}/M_\star$), comparable to radio-emitting early-type galaxies, yet without a clear positive dependence on radio power. Instead, the strongest H$_2$ emission preferentially occurs in morphologically disturbed and advanced-merger systems, while compact radio sources ($\lesssim 20$ kpc) remain plausible sites of localized jet-ISM interaction. Together, these results suggest that merger-driven processes, including tidal shocks, gas inflows, and disturbed interstellar medium conditions, are the dominant drivers of warm molecular gas excitation in BLERGs, although localized jet-driven heating may contribute in individual systems. The compact radio morphologies, gas-rich hosts, and rarity of BLERGs are consistent with a short-lived evolutionary phase in which radio AGN activity coexists with an interaction-driven, molecular-rich interstellar medium prior to the onset of large-scale maintenance-mode feedback. Spatially resolved spectroscopy and higher-resolution radio imaging will be essential to disentangle the relative roles of mergers and jets in regulating the molecular gas of jet-mode AGN.

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A massive and evolved slow-rotating galaxy in the early Universe

In the contemporary Universe, most galaxies are supported by ordered rotation, yet a significant subset of the most massive and quiescent systems are dominated by random stellar motions and classified as slow rotators. These galaxies are widely thought to arise through processes that remove angular momentum and erase disk-like structures, but when and how this transformation occurs remains uncertain. Slow rotators are expected to be rare at early cosmic times, and observational studies of massive galaxies at high redshift have so far revealed only rapidly rotating systems. Here we report James Webb Space Telescope near-infrared integral field spectroscopy of XMM-VID1-2075, a massive quiescent galaxy at $z=3.449$. The galaxy displays disturbed low-surface-brightness features and a low stellar spin parameter, $λ_{R_e} = 0.123^{+0.073}_{-0.023}$, consistent with dispersion-dominated kinematics. These results demonstrate that the formation of slow-rotating massive galaxies was already underway when the Universe was less than 2 Gyr old.

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The HST-Hyperion Survey: Environmental Imprints on the Stellar-Mass Function at z~2.5

Not all galaxies at Cosmic Noon evolve in the same way. It remains unclear how the local environment -- especially the extreme overdensities of protoclusters -- affects stellar mass assembly at high redshift. The stellar mass function (SMF) encodes these processes; comparing SMFs across environments reveals differences in evolutionary history. We present the SMF of the Hyperion proto-supercluster at $z\sim2.5$, one of the largest and most massive protostructures known. This dataset provides the most statistically robust SMF of a single protostructure at $z>2$. By comparing the SMF of overdense peaks within Hyperion to the coeval field, we ask: how early, and how strongly, does a dense environment favor massive galaxies? Using COSMOS2020 photometry with ground-based and new HST grism spectroscopy, we construct a 3D overdensity map that assigns galaxies to peaks, outskirts, or the field. We perform 100 Monte Carlo realizations to propagate redshift and mass uncertainties, and derive SMFs normalized to the field. The peaks show a clear excess of massive galaxies: number densities at $\log(M_*/M_\odot)\sim 11$ are ~10x higher than the field, while those at $\log(M_*/M_\odot)\sim 9.5$ are enhanced by only ~3.5x. By contrast, the outskirts and Hyperion as a whole mirror the field. Environmental effects on stellar mass growth are thus evident by $z\sim 2.5$. The densest regions already host galaxies with accelerated growth, while the global SMF masks this signal. Protostructures therefore begin shaping the high-mass end of the SMF well before cluster quenching, and may drive the elevated star formation at Cosmic Noon.

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BlastBerries: How Supernovae Affect Lyman Continuum Escape Fractions and Ionizing Photon Production in Local Analogs of High-Redshift Galaxies

While compact, star-forming galaxies are believed to play a key role in cosmic reionization, the physical mechanisms enabling the escape of ionizing photons through the galactic interstellar medium remain unclear. Supernova (SN) feedback is one possible mechanism for clearing neutral gas channels to allow the escape of Lyman continuum photons. Here, we use SN discoveries in low-redshift analogs of high-redshift star-forming galaxies -- Green Pea galaxies and their even lower-redshift counterparts, Blueberry (BB) galaxies -- to understand how SNe shape the properties of their host galaxies at high redshifts. We cross-match 1242 BB galaxies with transient discovery reports and identify 11 SNe, ten of which are likely core-collapse SNe, and compare their hosts to the larger BB population. We find that SN-hosting BBs exhibit elevated star formation rates, burstier star formation histories within the last $\sim$50 Myr, and higher stellar masses. We estimate the occurrence rates of SNe in BB galaxies, finding that the SN rate may be slightly suppressed in BBs compared to field galaxies of similar mass, but we are unable to fully control for observational uncertainties. Finally, SN hosts show bluer UV slopes than non-host BB galaxies at 2.1$σ$ significance and lower ionizing photon production efficiency at 7.9$σ$ significance; the former result offers modest support for the hypothesis that SN-driven feedback plays a role in facilitating the escape of ionizing photons, while the latter may imply that SN-driven quenching decreases the rate of ionizing photon production in compact star-forming galaxies during the epoch of reionization.

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Star Formation under a Cosmic Microscope: Highly magnified z = 11 galaxy behind the Bullet Cluster

We present measurements of stellar population properties of a newly discovered spectroscopically confirmed $z=11.10^{+0.11}_{-0.26}$, gravitationally lensed galaxy, using JWST NIRSpec PRISM spectroscopy and NIRCam imaging. The arc is highly magnified by the Bullet Cluster (magnification factor $μ=14.0^{+6.2}_{-0.3}$. It contains three star-forming components of which one is barely resolved and two are unresolved, giving intrinsic sizes of $\lesssim 10pc$. The clumps also contain ~50% of the total stellar mass. The galaxy formed the majority of its stars ~150Myr ago (by z~14). The spectrum shows a pronounced damping wing, typical for galaxies deep in the reionisation era and indicating a neutral IGM at this line of sight. The intrinsic luminosity of the galaxy is $0.086^{+0.008}_{-0.030} L^*$ (with $L^*$ being the characteristic luminosity for this redshift), making it the lowest luminosity spectroscopically confirmed galaxy at $z>10$ discovered to date.

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LATIS Data Release: $\sim4200$ Spectra of $z \sim 2-3$ Galaxies, Redshifts, and Intergalactic Medium Tomography Maps

We present the data release of the Ly$α$ Tomography IMACS Survey (LATIS), one of the largest optical spectroscopic surveys of faint high-redshift galaxies. The survey provides 7408 optical spectra of candidate $z \sim 2-3$ galaxies and QSOs in the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey D1, D2 (COSMOS), and D4 fields. The $R \sim 1000$ spectra were obtained using the Inamori Magellan Areal Camera and Spectrograph (IMACS) at the Magellan Baade telescope, with typical integrations of 12 hr. From these spectra, we measured 5575 high-confidence spectroscopic redshifts, of which 4176 are at $z > 1.7$, thereby substantially increasing the number of public spectroscopic redshifts at $z \approx 2-3$ in COSMOS and the other survey fields. The data release includes Ly$α$ transmission fluctuations measured in $4.7 \times 10^5$ pixels, which were used to create 3D maps of the intergalactic medium (IGM) transmission spanning 1.65 deg$^2$ and $z = 2.2-2.8$ at a resolution of 4 $h^{-1}$ cMpc. These are the largest such maps to date and provide a novel tracer of large-scale structure in legacy fields. We also provide ancillary data, including mock surveys. The LATIS data will enable a variety of community studies of galaxy evolution, environments, and the IGM around cosmic noon.

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The ALPINE-CRISTAL-JWST Survey: Stellar and nebular dust attenuation of main-sequence galaxies at z~4-6

Characterizing dust attenuation is crucial for revealing the intrinsic physical properties of galaxies. We present an analysis of dust attenuation in 18 spectroscopically confirmed star-forming main-sequence galaxies at $z = 4.4-5.7$ observed with JWST/NIRSpec IFU and NIRCam, selected from the ALPINE and CRISTAL ALMA large programs. We fit the emission line fluxes from NIRSpec and the broad-band photometry from NIRCam with Prospector, using both spatially integrated emission and $\sim0.6$ kpc pixel-by-pixel measurements. We derive the stellar-to-nebular dust attenuation ratio ($f=E(B-V)_{\mathrm{star}}/E(B-V)_{\mathrm{neb}}$) from the SED fits and the Balmer decrement with H$α$ and H$β$. Although individual galaxies show large scatter, the best-fit value is $f = 0.51^{+0.04}_{-0.03}$, slightly higher than that measured for local starburst galaxies. We find weak correlations of $f$ with galaxy properties, increasing with higher specific star-formation rates, younger stellar ages, and more recent star-formation. For the range of $E(B-V)_{\mathrm{star}} = 0.009-0.15$ mag for in our sample, assuming $f = 1$ (often adopted in high-redshift studies) instead of $f = 0.51$ underestimate line luminosities and ionizing photon production efficiency $ξ_\text{ion}$ by $\sim3-36\%$ and $\sim4-46\%$, respectively. We also find that the total stellar masses estimated from spatially-integrated SED fits with a delayed-$τ$ star-formation histories are systematically smaller than the sum of pixel-by-pixel SED fits, with a median offset of $\sim 0.26$ dex, likely because the integrated fits are biased toward luminous young stellar populations.

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Probing the influence of the protocluster environment on galaxy morphology at z = 2.23

As galaxies evolve in dense cluster and protocluster environments, they interact and quench their star formation, which gradually transforms the galaxy population from star-forming galaxies to quiescent galaxies. This transformation is identifiable by observing galaxy colors and can be seen in the morphological transformation of late-type galaxies into early-type galaxies, which creates the morphology-density relation seen when comparing populations in clusters to co-eval field galaxies. However, high-z (z > 2) galaxy morphology studies are hindered by the high angular resolution necessary to characterize morphology. We present a study of HST WFC3 F160W observations of protoclusters from the MAMMOTH survey (BOSS1244 and BOSS1542) at z ~ 2.23 with populations of previously identified HAEs. By measuring the Sersic index of 151 HAEs, we look for the early morphological transformation of star-forming galaxies in these well-studied, large, non-virialized protoclusters, which we believe are precursors of present-day clusters. We find the morphology of the populations of star-forming protocluster galaxies does not differ from the co-eval field. However, we identify a population of clumpy, potentially merging galaxies, which could lead to an increase in the population of early-type galaxies in these structures. Additionally, in BOSS1244, which has two previously identified massive quiescent galaxies including a BCG, we find an abundance of early-type galaxies near both the BCG and two co-eval high-z quasars. Although we find a strong similarity between the morphology of field and protocluster galaxies, the population of early-type star-forming galaxies surrounding the spectroscopically confirmed quiescent BCG in BOSS1244, something not seen in BOSS1542, may point to differences in the evolutionary state of these co-eval protoclusters and be a sign of an early forming cluster core in BOSS1244.

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A deep dive down the broad-line region: permitted OI, CaII and FeII emission in an AGN Little Red Dot at z=5.3

We present a spectroscopic analysis of a broad-line active galactic nucleus (AGN) selected as little red dot at $z = 5.3$ behind the Bullet cluster (Bz5.3), based on JWST/NIRCam and NIRSpec data. The detection of strong FeII, OI, and CaII triplet emission lines, along with the evidence of broad Balmer lines, provides strong evidence of a broad-line region (BLR) and an accreting supermassive black hole. Notably, we report the first detection of the $\lambda1304$ bump (i.e., blend of OI$λ$1304 and SiII) at high redshift, a feature commonly seen in local AGNs but not yet reported in the early Universe. The OI$λ$1304/$\lambda8446$ photon ratio provides an independent measurement of dust attenuation in galaxies. In Bz5.3, this ratio is highly suppressed (0.1--0.3), implying significant internal dust extinction, with estimated dust attenuation $A_V \sim 0.4$--$1.0$. We identify Ly$β$ fluorescence as the dominant excitation mechanism of the low-ionization lines, with additional contributions from collisional excitation. High OI$λ$8446 equivalent width and weak OI$λ$7774 support this interpretation. The detection of iron emission, whether from broad permitted or narrow forbidden lines, supports the presence of a stratified BLR, as also recently proposed in local LRDs. Photoionization modeling of OI$λ$8446 and CaII further suggests the coexistence of multiple gas phases with distinct densities and ionization states, highlighting the complexity of the BLR. Bz5.3 thus offers a rare window into early AGN activity and BLR physics at early times.

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The ALPINE-CRISTAL-JWST Survey: NIRSpec IFU Data Processing and Spatially-resolved Views of Chemical Enrichment in Normal Galaxies at z=4-6

We present a statistical study of spatially resolved chemical enrichment in 18 main-sequence galaxies at $z=4$--6, observed with \jwst/NIRSpec IFU as part of the ALPINE-CRISTAL-\jwst\ survey. Performing an optimized reduction and calibration procedure, including local background subtraction, light-leakage masking, stripe removal, and astrometry refinement, we achieve robust emission-line mapping on kiloparsec scales. Although line-ratio distributions vary across galaxies in our sample, we generally find mild central enhancements in [O\,\textsc{iii}]/H$β$, [O\,\textsc{ii}]/[O\,\textsc{iii}], [S\,\textsc{ii}]$_{6732}$/[S\,\textsc{ii}]$_{6718}$, H$α$/H$β$, and $L_{\rm Hα}/L_{\rm UV}$, consistent with elevated electron density, dust obscuration, and bursty star formation accompanied by reduced metallicity and ionization parameter. These features point to inside-out growth fueled by recent inflows of pristine gas. Nevertheless, the median metallicity gradient is nearly flat over a few kpc scale, $Δ\log({\rm O/H}) = 0.02 \pm 0.01$ dex kpc$^{-1}$, implying efficient chemical mixing through inflows, outflows, and mergers. From pixel-by-pixel stellar and emission-line characterizations, we further investigate the resolved Fundamental Metallicity Relation (rFMR). Metallicity is described by a fundamental plane with stellar mass and SFR surface densities, but with a stronger dependence on $Σ_{\rm SFR}$ than seen in local galaxies. Our results indicate that the regulatory processes linking star formation, gas flows, and metal enrichment were already vigorous $\sim$1 Gyr after the Big Bang, producing the nearly flat metallicity gradient and a stronger coupling between star formation and metallicity than observed in evolved systems in the local universe.

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Environmental Regulation of Dust and Star Formation Unveiled by Subaru Dual Narrow-band Imaging: Degree-scale Balmer Decrement Mapping across a z = 0.9 Supercluster

We present results from a dual narrow-band imaging survey targeting the CL1604 supercluster at z = 0.9 using the Subaru Telescope. By combining the NB921 filter on HSC and the NB1244 filter on SWIMS, we can detect redshifted H$α$ and H$β$ emission lines from the supercluster. This unique technique allows us to measure both star formation rates and dust extinction for a sample of 94 emission-line galaxies across the supercluster. We find that dust extinction, estimated from the Balmer decrement (H$α$/H$β$ ratio), increases with stellar mass in star-forming galaxies, whereas relatively quiescent systems exhibit comparatively low extinction. Among galaxies with intermediate masses ($10^{8.5} < M_* < 10^{10.5}\,M_\odot$), the dust-corrected H$α$-based star formation rates align with the main sequence at this epoch. More massive galaxies, however, deviate from this relation, exhibit redder colors, and reside predominantly in higher-density environments. Although stellar mass, SFR, and galaxy color are clearly influenced by environment, we detect no strong, systematic environmental dependence of dust extinction for the whole sample.

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LATIS: Galaxy-Environment Relations at Cosmic Noon and the Role of Sample Selection

We investigate the environmental dependence of galaxy properties at $z\sim2.5$ using the Ly$α$ Tomography IMACS Survey (LATIS), which provides high-resolution three-dimensional maps of intergalactic medium (IGM) overdensity via Ly$α$ forest tomography. Our analysis focuses on a UV-selected spectroscopic sample of 2185 galaxies from LATIS and a complementary set of 1157 galaxies from heterogeneous spectroscopic surveys in the COSMOS field. We compare these datasets to forward-modeled mock catalogs constructed from the IllustrisTNG300-1 simulation, incorporating realistic selection functions to match both LATIS and the literature sample. While the mass-complete simulation predicts strong environmental trends--more massive and quiescent galaxies preferentially occupy overdense regions--we find that such trends are significantly weaker or absent in the observed samples. The LATIS galaxies show no measurable correlation between specific star formation rate (sSFR) and IGM overdensity, a result reproduced by LATIS-like mock catalogs, confirming that UV selection systematically excludes passive and dusty galaxies in dense environments. The literature compilation, despite improved high-mass coverage, remains incomplete and affected by similar biases. We also analyze a mass-complete photometric sample from the COSMOS-Web catalog at $z\sim2.5$ and find no detectable sSFR-environment relation, a null result that our simulations indicate can be explained by photometric redshift uncertainties. In particular, we find no evidence for a reversal of the sSFR-density relation at cosmic noon. These results demonstrate that observed correlations can be heavily shaped by selection effects, and caution against inferring physical trends from incomplete spectroscopic samples. Deeper, more representative spectroscopic surveys are needed to robustly characterize environmental effects at this epoch.

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LATIS: A Sample of IGM-selected Protoclusters and Protogroups at $z \sim 2.5$

The Ly$α$ Tomography IMACS Survey (LATIS) has produced large 3D maps of the intergalactic medium (IGM), providing a new window on the cosmic web at $z\sim2.5$. A key advantage of Ly$α$ tomography is that it enables the discovery of overdense regions without the need to detect their galaxy members in spectroscopic surveys, circumventing possible selection biases. We use these maps to identify 37 IGM-selected overdensities as regions of strong and spatially coherent Ly$α$ absorption. Simulations indicate that 85% of these are protoclusters, defined as the progenitors of $z=0$ halos with mass $M_{\rm desc} > 10^{14} M_{\odot}$, and that nearly all of the rest are protogroups ($10^{13.5} < M_{\rm desc} / M_{\odot} < 10^{14}$). We estimate the masses and space densities of the IGM-selected overdensities and show they are in accordance with mock surveys. We investigate the LATIS counterparts of some previously reported protoclusters, including the proto-supercluster Hyperion. We identify a new component of Hyperion beyond its previously known extent. We show that the Ly$α$ transmission of the galaxy density peaks within Hyperion is consistent with a simple physical model (the fluctuating Gunn-Peterson approximation), suggesting that active galactic nucleus feedback or other processes have not affected the large-scale gas ionization within this structure as whole. The LATIS catalog represents an order-of-magnitude increase in the number of IGM-selected protogroups and protoclusters and will enable new investigations of the connections between galaxies and their large-scale environments at cosmic noon.

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