Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

Eleonora Parlanti

Publications and source records attributed to Eleonora Parlanti.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

BlackTHUNDER strikes twice: rest-frame Balmer-line absorption and high Eddington accretion rate in a Little Red Dot at $z=7.04$

JWST has revealed a population of 'Little Red Dots' (LRDs): compact, red objects at redshifts z=2-9 with 'v'-shaped spectral energy distributions, broad permitted lines, and, often, hydrogen Balmer absorption. We use NIRSpec/IFS data from the BlackTHUNDER survey to study the H$α$ line in the LRD Abell2744-QSO1 at z=7.04, which is a confirmed AGN due to time-variable equivalent width (EW) in its broad emission lines. The H$α$ spectral profile is non-Gaussian, requiring at least two Gaussian components. We also detect a narrow-line Gaussian component, and strong H$α$ absorption (EW relative to the continuum $\sim 22_{-7}^{+12} \mathring{\mathrm{A}}$), confirming a connection between the strong Balmer break and line absorption. The absorber is at rest with respect to broad H$α$, suggesting that the gas cannot be interpreted as an inflow or outflow, forming instead a long-lived structure. Its velocity dispersion is $σ_{\rm abs}=110_{-10}^{+20}$ km s$^{-1}$, consistent with the value inferred from the analysis of the Balmer break. Based on H$α$, we infer a black hole mass of log($M_{\rm BH}/{\rm M_\odot}$)=7.2, smaller but close to the previous estimates based on H$β$. The Eddington ratio is 0.09. Combining the high signal-to-noise ratio of the narrow H$α$ line with the spectral resolution R=3,700 of the G395H grating, we infer a narrow-line intrinsic dispersion $σ_{\rm n}=22_{-6}^{+5}$ km s$^{-1}$, which places a stringent constraint on the black-hole-to-dynamical-mass ratio of this system to be $M_{\rm BH}/M_{\rm dyn}$=0.15-1.2, confirming the overmassive nature of the black hole and potentially leaving little room for a host galaxy.

astro-ph.GA↗

The search for Population III: Confirmation of a HeII emitter with no metal lines at z=10.6

We report the confirmation of a HeII$λ$1640 emitter located at 3 pkpc from the galaxy GN-z11, at z=10.6. The detection, based on JWST NIRSpec-IFU high-resolution spectroscopy, confirms a previous claim based on medium-resolution spectroscopy. The HeII$λ$1640 identification is further supported by the independent detection of H$γ$ obtained by Übler et al. (2026) at the same location. The HeII emission is spectrally resolved in two components separated by 120 km/s. The Equivalent Width of the HeII emission is extremely high ($>$20 A). No metal lines are detected. We argue that Population III stars are the most plausible explanation for the observed He II emission, with no satisfactory alternative from other classes of sources or mechanisms.

astro-ph.GA↗

JADES Dark Horse: demonstrating high-multiplex observations with JWST/NIRSpec dense-shutter spectroscopy in the JADES Origins Field

We present JWST/NIRSpec dense-shutter spectroscopy (DSS). This novel observing strategy with the NIRSpec/MSA deliberately permits a high number of controlled spectral overlaps to reach extreme multiplex while retaining the low background of slit spectroscopy. In a single configuration over the JADES Origins Field, we opened shutters on all faint (mF444W$<$30 mag) z$_\mathrm{phot}>$3 candidates, prioritising emission-line science and rejecting only bright continuum sources. Using 33.6 and 35.8 ks on-source in G235M and G395M, we observed a single mask with $\sim$850 sources, obtaining spectroscopic redshifts for $\sim$540 galaxies over 2.5$<$z$<$8.9. The per-configuration target density in DSS mode is 4-5x higher than standard no- and low-overlap MSA strategies ($<$200 sources), with no loss in redshift precision or accuracy. Line-flux sensitivities are 30 percent lower at fixed exposure time, matching the expected increase in background noise, but the gain in survey speed is 5x in our setup, more than justifying the penalty. The measured line sensitivity exceeds NIRCam/WFSS by at least $\sim$5x ($\sim$25x in exposure time) at $λ\sim4\,μ$m, demonstrating that DSS is a compelling method to gain deep, wide-band spectra for large samples. Crucially, NIRSpec/MSA could deliver even higher target allocation densities than those used here. We derive H$α$-based SFRs, gas-phase metallicities (including a large sample suitable for strong-line calibrations), and identify rare mini-quenched galaxies and broadline AGN. DSS is immediately applicable wherever deep imaging enables robust pre-selection and astrometry, providing an efficient method to obtain large samples of faint emission-line galaxies, a compelling middle ground between the completeness of slitless surveys and the sensitivity and bandwidth of NIRSpec/MSA.

astro-ph.GA↗

Constraints on the host galaxy and AGN properties of three z > 6 JWST AGN from NOEMA observations

We targeted with deep NOEMA observations the [CII]158$μ$m emission of three JWST-discovered AGN at z>6. Two of them have the typical features of Little Red Dots (LRDs), while the third one is a blue, extended, Type I AGN. We do not significantly detect [CII] emission or dust continuum in any of the targets, even after stacking. The resulting [CII] luminosity upper limits, $\log (L_{[CII]}/L_{\odot})<7.77-8.1$, lie $\sim2σ$ below the values expected from the [CII]-SFR relation, and we explore different scenarios to explain the lack of [CII]. We obtained upper limits on the gas masses of $\log (M_{gas}/M_{\odot})<9.26-9.59$ corresponding to $\log( M_{dust}/M_{\odot})<5.68-6.55$ assuming a metallicity dependent dust to gas ratio. Using the continuum non-detections (rms $\sim 16-25 ~μJy$) together with JWST/MIRI constraints, we performed a revised SED-fitting decomposition, resulting in stellar masses up to $\sim 2$ dex lower than previously reported, and implying $0.03\lesssim M_{BH}/M_{*}\lesssim0.7$. For the two LRDs, the SED is well reproduced by stellar emission in the rest-frame UV, while the rising rest-frame optical slope, flattening toward the near-infrared, is consistent with emission from a Type I AGN partially obscured along the polar direction with $E(B-V)_{\rm polar}\simeq 1$, in agreement with attenuation derived from the broad lines Balmer decrement. This decomposition demonstrates that a relatively standard AGN configuration can reproduce the SEDs of the two LRDs, without invoking more exotic scenarios. Finally, we investigate the positions of the three sources in the $IRX-β_{UV}$ plane, finding that they lie in a parameter space where galaxies are typically characterized by patchy dust distributions. Our analysis highlights the importance of millimeter constraints to characterize the different physical properties of high-z AGN.

astro-ph.GA↗

GA-NIFS: interstellar medium properties and tidal interactions in the evolved massive merging system B14-65666 at z=7.152

We present JWST/NIRSpec IFU observations of the z=7.152 galaxy system B14-65666, as part of the GA-NIFS survey. Line and continuum emission in this massive system (log10(M*/Msol)=9.8+/-0.2) is resolved into two strong cores surrounded by diffuse emission, as seen in recent JWST/NIRCam imaging. Our dataset contains detections of [OII]3726,3729, [NeIII]3869,3968, Balmer lines, [OIII]4959,5007, HeI5875, and weak [OIII]4363. Each spectrum is fit with a model that consistently incorporates interstellar medium conditions (i.e., electron temperature, Te, electron density, ne, and colour excess, E(B-V)). The resulting line fluxes are used to constrain the gas-phase metallicity (Zg~0.2-0.3 solar) and HBeta-based SFR for each region. Common line ratio diagrams (O32-R23, R3-R2, Ne3O2-R23) reveal that each line-emitting region lies at the intersection of low- and high-redshift galaxies, suggesting low ionisation and higher metallicity compared to the predominantly lower-mass galaxies studied with the JWST/NIRSpec IFU so far at z>5.5. Spaxel-by-spaxel fits reveal evidence for both narrow (FWHM<400 km s-1) and broad (FWHM>500 km s-1) line emission, the latter of which likely represents tidal interaction or outflows. Comparison to ALMA [CII]158um and [OIII]88um data shows a similar velocity structure, and we explore optical-far-infrared diagnostics. The two core galaxies both lie on the mass-metallicity relation at z>4, but show contrasting properties (e.g., M*, Zg), suggesting distinct evolutionary pathways. Combining the NIRSpec IFU and ALMA datasets, our analysis opens new windows into the merging system B14-65666.

astro-ph.GA↗

Characterizing Lyman alpha emission from high-redshift galaxies

The Lyman $α$ (Ly$α$) line from high-redshift galaxies is a powerful probe of the Epoch of Reionization (EoR). Neutral hydrogen in the intergalactic medium (IGM) can significantly attenuate the emergent Ly$α$ line, even in the damping wing of the cross-section. However, interpreting this damping wing imprint relies on our prior knowledge of the spectrum that escapes from the galaxy and its environs into the IGM. This emergent spectrum is highly sensitive to the composition and geometry of the interstellar and circumgalactic media, and so exhibits a large galaxy to galaxy scatter. Characterizing this scatter is further complicated by non-trivial selection effects introduced by observational surveys. Here we build a flexible, empirical model for the emergent Ly$α$ spectra. Our model characterizes the emergent Ly$α$ luminosity, the velocity offset of the Ly$α$ line with respect to the systemic redshift, and the H$α$ luminosity, with multivariate probability distributions conditioned on the UV magnitude. We constrain these distributions using $z\sim5-6$ galaxy observations with VLT MUSE and JWST NIRCam, forward-modeling observational selection functions together with galaxy parameters. Our model results in Ly$α$ equivalent width distributions that are a better match to (independent) Subaru observations than previous empirical models. The extended distributions of Ly$α$ equivalent widths and velocity offsets we obtain could facilitate Ly$α$ transmission during the early stages of the EoR. We also illustrate how our model can be used to identify GN-z11-like outliers, potentially originating from merging systems. We publish fitting functions and make our model publicly available.

astro-ph.GA↗

Overview of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES)

We present an overview of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES), an ambitious program of infrared imaging and spectroscopy in the GOODS-S and GOODS-N deep fields, designed to study galaxy evolution from high redshift to cosmic noon. JADES uses about 770 hours of Cycle 1 guaranteed time largely from the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) instrument teams. In GOODS-S, in and around the Hubble Ultra Deep Field and Chandra Deep Field South, JADES produces a deep imaging region of ~42 arcmin^2 with over 100 hrs of exposure time spread over 9 NIRCam filters, including two medium-band filters. This is extended at medium depth in GOODS-S and GOODS-N with NIRCam imaging of ~167 arcmin^2, averaging 25 hrs of exposure over 8-10 filters. In both fields, we conduct extensive NIRSpec multi-object spectroscopy, including 2 deep pointings of 55 hrs exposure time, 14 medium pointings of ~12 hrs, and 15 shallower pointings of ~4 hrs, targeting over 5000 HST and JWST-detected faint sources with 5 low, medium, and high-resolution dispersers covering 0.6-5.3 um. Finally, JADES extends redward via coordinated parallels with the JWST Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), featuring ~10 arcmin^2 with 43 hours of exposure at 7.7 um and thrice that area with 1.4-6.8 hours of exposure at 12.8 um and 15 um. For nearly 30 years, the GOODS-S and GOODS-N fields have been developed as the premier deep fields on the sky; JADES is now providing a compelling start on the JWST legacy in these fields.

astro-ph.GA↗

GA-NIFS: Understanding the ionization nature of EGSY8p7/CEERS-1019. Evidence for a star formation-driven outflow at z = 8.6

Understanding the physical conditions and feedback mechanisms in early massive galaxies is essential to uncover how they formed and evolved during the first billion years of the Universe. In this context, the galaxy EGSY8p7/CEERS-1019 at z=8.6 provides an excellent benchmark, given its stellar mass of $10^{9.3}M_\odot$ and elevated N/O abundance despite its sub-solar metallicity. In this study, we present new JWST/NIRSpec observations offering the first spatially resolved spectroscopy of this galaxy, with higher sensitivity and spectral resolution than previous studies. We identify broad (FWHM=650km/s) H$β$ and [OIII] emission components whose emission is located between the two rest-frame UV clumps of the galaxy and extended over a distance of $\sim1kpc$. The morphology and kinematics of these components indicate that the broad emission arises from outflowing gas rather than from an AGN broad-line region. The kinetic energy injection rate from stellar feedback is an order of magnitude higher than that of the outflow, while the radiation pressure rate is comparable to the outflow momentum rate. These results suggest that stellar feedback alone can drive the outflow, with radiation pressure potentially providing the required momentum transfer. We derive a low mass-loading factor ($η=0.16$) and ionizing photon escape fraction ($f_{esc}=0.021\pm0.014$). Together with the high electron density measured ($n_e=2200cm^{-3}$), these results support the interpretation that most of the gas remains confined within the galaxy. Comparisons of diagnostic emission-line ratios with photoionization and shock models support a star-formation-driven ionization scenario, ruling out any excitation by AGN radiation. Finally, the absence of detectable Wolf-Rayet features suggests that alternative mechanisms must be considered to explain the high N/O ratio in this galaxy.

astro-ph.GA↗

GA-NIFS: A smouldering disk galaxy undergoing ordered rotation at z=4.26

Rotating galaxies with relaxed gaseous disks have been discovered across cosmic time, from the local Universe to high redshift (z>4). But few such sources have been confirmed at z>4, making them a precious sample to examine what conditions result in such ordered kinematics in an early, more chaotic Universe. One of the best examples of this sample is the galaxy DLA0817g1 (z=4.2603), which shows remarkably clear rotation in ALMA [CII] data. We present recent JWST/NIRSpec IFU data (R~2700) of DLA0817g1, which we combine with archival ALMA [CII] observations to place constraints on its ISM conditions and morpho-kinematics. From a combination of line ratios, we find a high gas-phase metallicity (~0.7 solar), high fraction of obscured star formation, low ionisation (compared to other high-redshift galaxies observed with JWST), and no significant evidence for AGN (based on the WHAN diagnostic). Dynamical modelling with 3DBarolo reveal nearly identical rotation in Halpha and [CII], but with a higher velocity dispersion in the former. Using our metallicity estimate and previous CO and [CII] detections, we derive a new estimate of the molecular gas mass, relieving a previous strain in the mass budget. Altogether, we suggest that this is a 'smouldering' galaxy, where past star formation resulted in significant chemical enrichment (i.e., Zgas and Mdust), but the current activity is low (i.e., lower ionisation parameter and electron temperature). These new observations have opened a window into questions regarding the interplay of gas, metallicity, star formation, and kinematics in a prototypical early disk galaxy.

astro-ph.GA↗

JADES and BlackTHUNDER: rest-frame Balmer-line absorption and the local environment in a Little Red Dot at z = 5

We present a broad-line AGN at z=5.077, observed with both NIRSpec/MSA and NIRSpec/IFU by the JADES and BlackTHUNDER surveys. The target exhibits all the hallmark features of a 'Little Red Dot' (LRD) AGN. The combination of spatially resolved and high-resolution spectroscopy offers deeper insight into its nature. The H$α$ line has multiple components, including two broad Gaussians, yielding a black-hole mass of $\log(M_{\rm BH}/M_\odot)=7.65$, while the narrow [O III]$λ$5007 gives a galaxy dynamical mass of $\log(M_{\rm dyn}/M_\odot)=9.1$ suggesting a dynamically overmassive black hole relative to the host galaxy. The target is immersed in a 7-kpc wide pool of ionized gas and has three neighbours: a satellite galaxy, a possible satellite/gas cloud and a tentatively detected spatially detached outflow. H$α$ shows strong absorption, deeper than the continuum, thus ruling out a stellar origin, and with velocity and velocity dispersion of v=-13 km s$^{-1}$ and $σ$=120 km s$^{-1}$. There is tentative evidence (2.6 $σ$) of temporal variability in the EW of the H$α$ absorber over two rest-frame months. If confirmed, this would suggest a highly dynamic environment. Notably, while the H$α$ absorber is clearly visible and even dominant in the high-resolution G395H observations, it is not detected in the medium-resolution G395M data of the same epoch. This implies that the current incidence rate of absorbers in LRDs - and especially of rest-frame absorbers - may be severely underestimated, because most LRDs rely on lower-resolution spectroscopy. In this context, the high incidence rate of rest-frame absorbers in LRDs may indicate a configuration that is either intrinsically stationary, such as a rotating disc, or that exhibits time-averaged stability, such as an oscillatory 'breathing mode' accretion of cyclic expansion and contraction of the gas around the SMBH.

astro-ph.GA↗

BlackTHUNDER -- A non-stellar Balmer break in a black hole-dominated little red dot at $z=7.04$

Recent observations from JWST have revealed an abundant population of active galactic nuclei (AGN) and so-called ``Little Red Dots'' (LRDs) at $2\lesssim z \lesssim 11$, many of which are characterized by V-shaped UV-to-optical continua with turnovers around the Balmer limit. The physical nature of these LRDs is unclear, and it remains debated whether the peculiar spectral shape originates from AGN, compact galaxies, or both. We present the analysis of new NIRSpec-IFU data from the BlackTHUNDER JWST Large Programme and archival NIRSpec-MSA data of a lensed LRD at $z=7.04$. The spectra confirm the presence of a smooth Balmer break and a broad H$β$ tracing the Broad Line Region (BLR) of an AGN. The small velocity dispersion of the H$β$ narrow component indicates a small dynamical mass of the host galaxy of $M_{\rm dyn}<4 \times 10^8~M_{\odot}$, which implies that the stellar population cannot contribute more than 10% to the optical continuum. We show that the Balmer break can be well described by an AGN continuum absorbed by very dense ($n_{\rm H}\sim 10^{10}~{\rm cm^{-3}}$) and nearly dust-free gas along our line-of-sight (possibly gas in the BLR or its surrounding). The same gas is expected to produce H$β$ absorption, at a level consistent with a tentative detection ($3σ$) in the high-resolution spectrum. Such a non-stellar origin of the Balmer break may apply to other LRDs, and would alleviate the issue of extremely high stellar mass surface densities inferred in the case of a stellar interpretation of the Balmer break. We note that this is a rare case of a black hole that is overmassive relative to both the host galaxy stellar and dynamical masses. We finally report indications of variability and the first attempt of AGN reverberation mapping at such an early epoch.

astro-ph.GA↗

Net-zero gas inflow: Measurement of the gas consumption history of a massive quiescent galaxy

JWST is discovering increasing numbers of quiescent galaxies 1--2 billion years after the Big Bang, whose redshift, high mass, and old stellar ages indicate that their formation and quenching were surprisingly rapid. This fast-paced evolution seems to require that feedback from AGN (active galactic nuclei) be faster and/or more efficient than previously expected \citep{Xie24}. We present deep ALMA observations of cold molecular gas (the fuel for star formation) in a massive, fast-rotating, post-starburst galaxy at $z=3.064$. This galaxy hosts an AGN, driving neutral-gas outflows with a mass-outflow rate of $60\pm20$ M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$, and has a star-formation rate of $<5.6$ M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$. Our data reveal this system to be the most distant gas-poor galaxy confirmed with direct CO observations (molecular-gas mass $< 10^{9.1}$ M$_{\odot}$; <0.8 % of its stellar mass). Combining ALMA and JWST observations, we estimate the gas-consumption history of this galaxy, showing that it evolved with net zero gas inflow, i.e., gas consumption by star formation matches the amount of gas this galaxy is missing relative to star-forming galaxies. This could arise both from preventive feedback stopping further gas inflow, which would otherwise refuel star formation or, alternatively, from fine-tuned ejective feedback matching precisely gas inflows. Our methods, applied to a larger sample, promise to disentangle ejective vs preventive feedback.

astro-ph.GA↗

The JADES Origins Field: A New JWST Deep Field in the JADES Second NIRCam Data Release

We summarize the properties and initial data release of the JADES Origins Field (JOF), the longest single pointing yet imaged with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This field falls within the GOODS-S region about 8' south-west of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF), where it was formed initially in Cycle 1 as a parallel field of HUDF spectroscopic observations within the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES). This imaging was greatly extended in Cycle 2 program 3215, which observed the JOF for 5 days in six medium-band filters, seeking robust candidates for z>15 galaxies. This program also includes ultra-deep parallel NIRSpec spectroscopy (up to 91 hours on-source, summing over the dispersion modes) on the HUDF. Cycle 3 observations from program 4540 added 20 hours of NIRCam slitless spectroscopy and F070W imaging to the JOF. With these three campaigns, the JOF was observed for 380 open-shutter hours with NIRCam using 15 imaging filters and 2 grism bandpasses. Further, parts of the JOF have deep 43 hr MIRI observations in F770W. Taken together, the JOF is one of the most compelling deep fields available with JWST and a powerful window into the early Universe. This paper presents the second data release from JADES, featuring the imaging and catalogs from the year 1 JOF observations.

astro-ph.GA↗

GA-NIFS: an extended [OIII] halo around the sub-Eddington quasar J1342+0928 at z=7.54

The James Webb Space Telescope (\textit{JWST}) opened a new observational window on the primordial Universe. Here we present new JWST NIRSpec integral field spectroscopy (IFS) observations of the $z=7.54$ quasar ULAS J1342+0928 obtained as part of the Galaxy Assembly with NIRSpec IFS (GA-NIFS) GTO programme. The new data-set obtained with both the prism ($R\sim100$) and the high-resolution grating ($R\sim2700$) allow for a complete description of the quasar emission from the rest-frame UV to optical bands. The low-resolution data reveal the presence of [\ion{O}{iii}] emission on $\sim$7 kpc scales, well above the typical galaxy size at this redshift, likely associated with a past outflow event. Additionally, the high-resolution observations show a more energetic ionised outflow on nuclear scales ($\lesssim 0.6$ kpc). The total ionised mass outflow rate ranges between 50 and 300 $\rm M_{\odot} \, yr^{-1}$ where the significant spread is mostly due to the lack of tight constraints on the electron density. This range overlaps in part with the star formation rate range (85--545 $\rm M_{\odot} \, yr^{-1}$), implying that the nuclear outflow could ultimately lead to an early star formation quenching. By employing an accretion disc modelling, for the first time on \textit{JWST} data, we manage to robustly estimate the black hole mass and the bolometric luminosity, $\rm \log(M_{BH}/(M_{\odot}))=9.2\pm 0.2$ and $\rm \log(L_{bol}/(erg \, s^{-1}))=46.8\pm 0.1$, respectively. We derive an Eddington ratio of $\rm λ_{Edd}\sim 0.4$, challenging the paradigm of widespread super-Eddington accretion in quasars at the epoch of reionisation.

astro-ph.GA↗

A direct black hole mass measurement in a Little Red Dot at the Epoch of Reionization

Recent discoveries of faint active galactic nuclei (AGN) at the redshift frontier have revealed a plethora of broad \Halpha emitters with optically red continua, named Little Red Dots (LRDs), which comprise 15-30\% of the high redshift broad line AGN population. Due to their peculiar spectral properties and X-ray weakness, modeling LRDs with standard AGN templates has proven challenging. In particular, the validity of single-epoch virial mass estimates in determining the black hole (BH) masses of LRDs has been called into question, with some models claiming that masses might be overestimated by up to 2 orders of magnitude, and other models claiming that LRDs may be entirely stellar in nature. We report the direct, dynamical BH mass measurement in a strongly lensed LRD at $z = 7.04$. The combination of lensing with deep spectroscopic data reveals a rotation curve that is inconsistent with a nuclear star cluster, yet can be well explained by Keplerian rotation around a point mass of 50 million Solar masses, consistent with virial BH mass estimates from the Balmer lines. The Keplerian rotation leaves little room for any stellar component in a host galaxy, as we conservatively infer $M_{\rm BH}/M_{*}>2$. Such a ''naked'' black hole, together with its near-pristine environment, indicates that this LRD is a massive black hole seed caught in its earliest accretion phase.

astro-ph.GA↗

Accelerated quenching and chemical enhancement of massive galaxies in a $z\sim4$ gas-rich halo

Stars in galaxies form when baryons radiatively cool down and fall into gravitational wells whose mass is dominated by dark matter. Eventually, star formation quenches as gas is depleted and/or perturbed by feedback processes, no longer being able to collapse and condense. We report the first spatially resolved spectroscopic observations, using the JWST/NIRSpec IFU, of a massive, completely quiescent galaxy (Jekyll) and its neighborhood at $z=3.714$, when the Universe age was 10% of today's. Jekyll resides in a massive dark matter halo (with mass M$_\mathrm{DM}>10^{12}$ M$_\odot$) and forms a galaxy pair with Hyde, which shows very intense dust-enshrouded star formation (star formation rate $\sim300$ M$_\odot$yr$^{-1}$). We find large amounts of kinematically perturbed ionized and neutral gas in the circumgalactic medium around the pair. Despite this large gas reservoir, Jekyll, which formed $10^{11}$ M$_\odot$ in stars and chemically enriched early (first billion years of the Universe) and quickly (200-300 Myr), has remained quiescent for over 500 Myr. The properties of the gas found around the two galaxies are consistent with intense, AGN-induced photoionization, or intense shocks. However, with the current data no obscured or unobscured AGN is detected in the central galaxy (Jekyll) nor in the very active and dust rich star-forming galaxy (Hyde).

astro-ph.GA↗

JADES reveals a large population of low mass black holes at high redshift

JWST has revealed a large population of active galactic nuclei (AGN) in the distant universe, which are challenging our understanding of early massive black hole seeding and growth. We expand the exploration of this population to lower luminosities by stacking $\sim 600$ NIRSpec grating spectra from the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) at $3<z<7$, in bins of redshift, [OIII]5007 luminosity and equivalent width, UV luminosity and stellar mass. In various stacks, we detect a broad component of H$α$ without a counterpart in [OIII], implying that it is not due to outflows but is tracing the Broad Line Region (BLR) of a large population of low-luminosity AGN not detected in individual spectra. We also consider the possible contribution from Supernovae (SNe) and Very Massive Stars and conclude that while this is very unlikely, we cannot exclude some potential contribution by SNe to some of the stacks. The detection, in some stacks, of high [OIII]4363/H$γ$, typical of AGN, further confirms that such stacks reveal a large population of AGN. We infer that the stacks probe black holes with masses of a few times $10^6~M_\odot$ accreting at rates $L/L_{Edd}\sim 0.02-0.1$, i.e. a low mass and dormant parameter space poorly explored by previous studies on individual targets. We identify populations of black holes that fall within the scatter of the local $M_{BH}-M_{*}$ scaling relation, indicating that there is a population of high-z BHs that are not overmassive relative to their host galaxies and which have been mostly missed in previous JWST observations. Yet, on average, the stacks are still overmassive relative the local relation, with some of them 1-2 dex above it. We infer that the BH mass function (BHMF) at $3<z<5$ rises steeply at low masses. The BHMF is consistent with models in which BHs evolve through short bursts of super-Eddington accretion.

astro-ph.GA↗

GA-NIFS: Witnessing the complex assembly of a star-forming system at $z=5.7$

We present observations of the $z\sim5.7$ Lyman-break galaxy HZ10 with the JWST/NIRSpec IFU in high and low spectral resolution (G395H, spectral resolving power $R\sim2700$ and PRISM, $R\sim100$, respectively), as part of the GA-NIFS program. By spatially resolving the source (spatial resolution $\sim0.15''$ or $\sim0.9$kpc), we find three spatially and spectrally distinct regions of line emission along with one region of strong continuum emission, all within a projected distance of $<10$kpc. The R2700 data features strong detections in H$β$, [OIII]$λ\lambda4959{,}5007$, [NII]$λ\lambda6548{,}6584$, H$α$, and [SII]$λ\lambda6716{,}6731$. The R100 data additionally contains a strong detection of the Ly$α$ break, rest-frame UV and optical continuum, and [OII]$λ\lambda3726{,}3729$. None of the detected lines present strong evidence for AGN excitation from line diagnostic diagrams, and no high-ionisation lines are detected. Using the detected lines, we constrain the electron density $\left( \rm \log_{10}\left( n_e / cm^{-3}\right)\sim 3\right)$ and metallicity ($\sim0.5-0.7$ solar) in each component. Spaxel-by-spaxel fits reveal a strong east-west velocity gradient and significant line asymmetries (possibly indicating tidal features or outflows). The western component features a very red UV slope ($β_{\rm UV}\sim-0.9$) and significant H$α$ emission, suggesting an evolved population and active star formation. A comparison to high resolution ($\sim0.3''$ or $\sim1.8$kpc) [CII]$158μ$m imaging obtained with the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) reveals areas of dust obscuration. Altogether, these data suggest that HZ10 represents an ongoing merger, with a complex distribution of stars, gas, and dust $<1$Gyr after the Big Bang.

astro-ph.GA↗