arXiv subjects

Linhua Jiang

Publications and source records attributed to Linhua Jiang.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2024

Galaxies Lighting Up: Discovery of Seventy New Turn-on Changing-look Quasars

"Changing-look quasars" (CLQs), discovered less than a decade ago, show dramatic, rapid changes in optical/UV continuum and broad line emission. The majority of CLQs have been found dimming as "turn-off" CLQs because most selection methods start from samples of spectroscopically-confirmed quasars. We present here a sample of 82 spectroscopically confirmed "turn-on" CLQs, 70 of which are newly identified. The turn-on CLQs are selected from spectroscopically classified galaxies with subsequent significant and dramatic variability in both the optical and mid-infrared bands, indicating a mechanism of changing accretion rate of the supermassive black holes rather than variable obscuration. Based on their bright state Eddington ratios, turn-on CLQs are associated with lower accretion rates compared to turn-off CLQs or typical SDSS quasars with similar redshift and magnitude distributions, even though turn-on CLQs have lower black hole masses. Most turn-on CLQs reside in host galaxies that follow local relations between the central black hole mass and host galaxy properties, such as stellar mass and velocity dispersion. However, their host galaxies have higher mass than normal inactive galaxies, with star formation rates more similar to hosts of Type 2 AGN than to the overall galaxy population.

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arXiv2024

The XMM-SERVS X-ray eXtended Galaxy Cluster (XVXGC) catalog

To explain the well-known tension between cosmological parameter constraints obtained from the primary CMB and those drawn from galaxy cluster samples, we propose a possible explanation for the incompleteness of detected clusters are higher than estimated. We aim to search for galaxy groups and clusters with particularly extended surface brightness distributions by creating a new X-ray-selected catalog of extended galaxy clusters from the XMM-SERVS data, based on a dedicated source detection and characterization algorithm that is optimized for extended sources. Our state-of-the-art algorithm is composed of wavelet filtering, source detection, and characterization. We make a visual inspection of the optical image, and spatial distribution of galaxies within the same redshift layer to confirm the existence of clusters and estimate the cluster redshift with the spectroscopic and photometric redshifts of galaxies. The growth curve analysis is used to characterize the detections. We report a catalog of extended X-ray galaxy clusters detected from the XMM-SERVS data, named the XMM- SERVS X-ray eXtended Galaxy Cluster (XVXGC) catalog. It includes 141 cluster candidates. Specifically, there are 52 clusters previously identified as clusters with the intra-cluster medium (ICM) emission (class 3), 37 ones previously known as optical or infrared clusters but detected as X-ray clusters for the first time (class 2), and 52 identified as clusters for the first time (class 1). Compared with the class3 sample, the 'class1+2' sample is systematically fainter, and exhibits a flatter surface brightness profile. The median flux in [0.1-2.4]keV band for 'class1+2' and class3 sample is 2.336e-14 and 3.163e-14erg/s/cm2, respectively. The median slope of surface brightness profile are 0.502 and 0.577 for the 'class1+2' and class 3 samples, respectively.

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arXiv2024

Large Scale Overdensity of Lyman Break Galaxies Around the z=6.3 Ultraluminous Quasar J0100+2802

We study the environment of the z=6.33 ultraluminous quasar SDSS J010013.02+280225.8 (J0100) to understand its association with large-scale structure. Theoretical models propose high-redshift quasars as markers of galaxy overdensities residing in the most massive dark matter halos (DMHs) in the early universe. J0100 is an ultraluminous quasar with the most massive black hole known at z>6, suggesting a high likelihood of residing in a massive DMH. We present wide-field ($\sim$522 square arcminute) imaging in the r-, i-, and z-bands from the Large Binocular Camera on the Large Binocular Telescope, with Y- and J-band imaging from the Wide-field Infrared Camera on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, centered on J0100. Applying color selections, we identify 23 objects as i-droput Lyman Break Galaxy (LBG) candidates in the J0100 field. We use the deep photometric catalog in the 1.27 square degree COSMOS field to calculate the density of LBGs in a blank field, and to estimate the selection completeness and purity. The observed surface density of LBG candidates in the J0100 field corresponds to a galaxy overdensity of $δ$=4 (at 8.4$σ$). This large-scale overdensity suggests that the $\sim$ 22 square arcminute overdensity found by Kashino et al. using JWST data extends out to much larger scales. We calculate the angular auto-correlation function of the candidates and find a positive correlation on $\lesssim$ 10 arcminute scales as well as evidence of asymmetries in their spatial distribution, further suggesting a direct detection of large-scale structure around the ultra-luminous quasar J0100.

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arXiv2024

Constraints on the spacetime variation of the fine-structure constant using DESI emission-line galaxies

We present strong constraints on the spacetime variation of the fine-structure constant $α$ using the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). In this pilot work, we utilize $\sim110,000$ galaxies with strong and narrow O III $λλ$4959,5007 emission lines to measure the relative variation $Δα/α$ in space and time. The O III doublet is arguably the best choice for this purpose owing to its wide wavelength separation between the two lines and its strong emission in many galaxies. Our galaxy sample spans a redshift range of $0<z<0.95$, covering half of all cosmic time. We divide the sample into subsamples in 10 redshift bins ($Δz=0.1$), and calculate $Δα/α$ for the individual subsamples. The uncertainties of the measured $Δα/α$ are roughly between $2\times10^{-6}$ and $2\times10^{-5}$. We find an apparent $α$ variation with redshift at a level of $Δα/α=(2\sim3)\times10^{-5}$. This is highly likely to be caused by systematics associated with wavelength calibration, since such small systematics can be caused by a wavelength distortion of $0.002-0.003$ Å, which is beyond the accuracy that the current DESI data can achieve. We refine the wavelength calibration using sky lines for a small fraction of the galaxies, but it does not change our main results. We further probe the spatial variation of $α$ in small redshift ranges, and do not find obvious, large-scale structures in the spatial distribution of $Δα/α$. As DESI is ongoing, we will include more galaxies, and by improving the wavelength calibration, we expect to obtain a better constraint that is comparable to the strongest current constraint.

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arXiv2024

Quantifying the escape of Ly$α$ at $z\approx 5-6$: a census of Ly$α$ escape fraction with H$α$ emitting galaxies spectroscopically confirmed by JWST and VLT/MUSE

JWST provides an unprecedented opportunity for unbiased surveys of H$α$-emitting galaxies at $z>4$ with the NIRCam wide-field slitless spectroscopy (WFSS). In this work, we present a census of Ly$α$ escape fraction ($f_{esc, Lyα}$) of 165 star-forming galaxies at $z=4.9-6.3$ using their H$α$ emission directly measured from FRESCO NIRCam/WFSS data. We search for Ly$α$ emission of each H$α$-emitting galaxy in VLT/MUSE data. The overall $f_{esc, Lyα}$ measured by stacking is $f_{esc, Lyα}$ is $0.090\pm0.006$. We find that $f_{esc, Lyα}$ displays a strong dependence on the observed UV slope ($β_{\rm obs}$) and E(B-V), such that the bluest galaxies ($β_{\rm obs}\sim-2.5$) have the largest escape fractions ($f_{\rm esc, Lyα}\approx0.6$), indicative of the crucial role of dust and gas in modulating the escape of Ly$α$ photons. $f_{esc, Lyα}$ is less well related to other parameters, including the UV luminosity and stellar mass, and the variation in $f_{esc, Lyα}$ with them can be explained by their underlying coupling with E(B-V) or $β_{\rm obs}$. Our results suggest a tentative decline in $f_{esc, Lyα}$ at $z\gtrsim 5$, implying increasing intergalactic medium attenuation towards higher redshift. Furthermore, the dependence of $f_{esc, Lyα}$ on $β_{\rm obs}$ is proportional to that of the ionizing photon escape fraction ($f_{\rm esc, LyC}$), indicating the escape of Ly$α$ and ionizing photon may be regulated by similar physical processes. With $f_{esc, Lyα}$ as a proxy to $f_{\rm esc, LyC}$, we infer that UV-faint ($M_{\rm UV}>-16$) galaxies contribute $>70\%$ of the total ionizing emissivity at $z=5-6$. If these relations hold during the epoch of reionization, UV-faint galaxies can contribute the majority of UV photon budget to reionize the Universe.

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arXiv2024

A Close Look at Ly$α$ Emitters with JWST/NIRCam at $z\approx3.1$

We study 10 spectroscopically confirmed Ly$α$ emitters (LAEs) at $z\approx3.1$ in the UDS field, covered by JWST/NIRCam in the PRIMER program. All LAEs are detected in all NIRCam bands from F090W to F444W, corresponding to restframe 2200Å--1.2$\mathrm{μm}$. Based on morphological analysis of the F200W images, three out of the 10 targets are resolved into pair-like systems with separations of $<0.9''$, and another three show asymmetric structures. We then construct the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of these LAEs. All sources, including the pairs, show similar SED shapes, with a prominent flux excess in the F200W band, corresponding to extremely strong [O III]+H$β$ emission lines (${\rm EW_{rest}}=740$--$6500\,$Å). The median effective radii, stellar mass, and UV slope of our sample are 0.36$\,$kpc, $3.8\times10^7\,M_\odot$, and --2.48, respectively. The average burst age, estimated by stellar mass over star formation rate, is $<40\,$Myr. These measurements reveal an intriguing starbursting dwarf galaxy population lying off the extrapolations of the $z \sim 3$ scaling relations to the low-mass end: $\sim 0.7$ dex above the star-forming main sequence, $\sim 0.35$ dex below the mass--size relation, and bluer in the UV slope than typical high-z galaxies at similar UV luminosities. We speculate that these numbers may require a larger main sequence scatter or tail in the dwarf galaxy regime towards the starburst outliers.

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arXiv2024

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping Project: Key Results

We present the final data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping (SDSS-RM) project, a precursor to the SDSS-V Black Hole Mapper Reverberation Mapping program. This data set includes 11-year photometric and 7-year spectroscopic light curves for 849 broad-line quasars over a redshift range of 0.1 =0.62+-0.07 for the line dispersion measured from the RMS spectrum. The intrinsic scatter of individual virial factors is 0.31+-0.07 dex, indicating a factor of two systematic uncertainty in RM black hole masses. Our lag measurements reveal significant R-L relations for Hbeta and MgII at high redshift, consistent with the latest measurements based on heterogeneous samples. While we are unable to robustly constrain the slope of the R-L relation for CIV given the limited dynamical range in luminosity, we found substantially larger scatter in CIV lags at fixed L1350. Using the SDSS-RM lag sample, we derive improved single-epoch (SE) mass recipes for Hbeta, MgII and CIV, which are consistent with their respective RM masses as well as between the SE recipes from two different lines, over the luminosity range probed by our sample. The new Hbeta and MgII recipes are approximately unbiased estimators at given RM masses, but there are systematic biases in the CIV recipe. The intrinsic scatter of SE masses around RM masses is ~0.45 dex for Hbeta and MgII, increasing to ~0.58 dex for CIV.

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arXiv2024

A SPectroscopic survey of biased halos In the Reionization Era (ASPIRE): Impact of Galaxies on the CGM Metal Enrichment at z > 6 Using the JWST and VLT

We characterize the multiphase circumgalactic medium and galaxy properties at z = 6.0-6.5 in four quasar fields from the James Webb Space Telescope A SPectroscopic survey of biased halos In the Reionization Era (ASPIRE) program. We use the Very Large Telescope/X-shooter spectra of quasar J0305-3150 to identify one new metal absorber at z = 6.2713 with multiple transitions (OI, MgI, FeII and CII). They are combined with the published absorbing systems in Davies et al. (2023a) at the same redshift range to form of a sample of nine metal absorbers at z = 6.03 to 6.49. We identify eight galaxies within 1000 km s$^{-1}$ and 350 kpc around the absorbing gas from the ASPIRE spectroscopic data, with their redshifts secured by [OIII]($λλ$4959, 5007) doublets and H$β$ emission lines. Our spectral energy distribution fitting indicates that the absorbing galaxies have stellar mass ranging from 10$^{7.2}$ to 10$^{8.8}M_{\odot}$ and metallicity between 0.02 and 0.4 solar. Notably, the z = 6.2713 system in the J0305-3150 field resides in a galaxy overdensity region, which contains two (tentatively) merging galaxies within 350 kpc and seven galaxies within 1 Mpc. We measure the relative abundances of $α$ elements to iron ([$α$/Fe]) and find that the CGM gas in the most overdense region exhibits a lower [$α$/Fe] ratio. Our modeling of the galaxy's chemical abundance favors a top-heavy stellar initial mass function, and hints that we may be witnessing the contribution of the first generation Population III stars to the CGM at the end of reionization epoch.

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arXiv2024

The Magellan M2FS spectroscopic survey of high-redshift galaxies: the brightest Lyman-break galaxies at $z \sim 6$

We present a study of a sample of 45 spectroscopically confirmed, UV luminous galaxies at $z\sim 6$. They were selected as bright Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs) using deep multi-band optical images in more than 2 deg$^2$ of the sky, and subsequently identified via their strong Ly$α$ emission. The majority of these LBGs span an absolute UV magnitude range from $-22.0$ to $-20.5$ mag with Ly$α$ equivalent width (EW) between $\sim$10 and $\sim$200 Å, representing the most luminous galaxies at $z\sim 6$ in terms of both UV continuum emission and Ly$α$ line emission. We model the SEDs of 10 LBGs that have deep infrared observations from HST, JWST, and/or Spitzer, and find that they have a wide range of stellar masses and ages. They also have high star-formation rates ranging from a few tens to a few hundreds of Solar mass per year. Five of the LBGs have JWST or HST images and four of them show compact morphology in these images, including one that is roughly consistent with a point source, suggesting that UV luminous galaxies at this redshift are generally compact. The fraction of our photometrically selected LBGs with strong Ly$α$ emission ($\mathrm{EW}>25$ Å) is about $0.2$, which is consistent with previous results and supports a moderate evolution of the IGM opacity at the end of cosmic reionization. Using deep X-ray images, we do not find evidence of strong AGN activity in these galaxies, but our constraint is loose and we are not able to rule out the possibility of any weak AGN activity.

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arXiv2023

The Hubble Deep Hydrogen Alpha (HDH$α$) Project: I. Catalog of Emission-line Galaxies

We present the first results of the Hubble Deep Hydrogen Alpha (HDH$α$) project, which analyzes the space-borne deep H$α$ narrowband imaging data in the GOODS-S region. The HDH$α$ data comprises 72 orbits' images taken with the HST ACS/WFC F658N filter. The exposure time varies across a total area of $\sim$76.1 $\rm{arcmin}^2$, adding up to a total exposure time of 195.7 ks, among which 68.8 ks are spent in the deepest region. These images are aligned, reprojected, and combined to have the same pixel grid as the Hubble Legacy Fields (HLF). The scientific goals of the HDH$α$ include establishing a sample of emission-line galaxies (ELGs) including [O III] emitters at $z\sim$ 0.3, [O II] emitters at $z\sim$ 0.8, and Lyman-$α$ emitters (LAEs) at $z \sim 4.4$, studying the line morphology of ELGs with high resolution imaging data, and statistically analyzing the line luminosity functions and line equivalent-width distributions of ELGs selected with HST. Furthermore, the HDH$α$ project enhances the legacy value of the GOODS-S field by contributing the first HST-based narrowband image to the existing data sets, which includes the HST broadband data and other ancillary data from X-ray to radio taken by other facilities. In this paper, we describe the data reduction process of the HDH$α$, select ELGs based on HST's F658N and broadband data, validate the redshifts of the selected candidates by cross matching with the public spectroscopic catalogs in the GOODS-S, and present a final catalog of the confirmed [O III] emitters at $z\sim$ 0.3, [O II] emitters at $z\sim$ 0.8, and LAEs at $z \sim 4.4$.

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arXiv2023

DESI survey validation data in the COSMOS/HSC field: Cool gas trace main sequence star-forming galaxies at the cosmic noon

We present the first result in exploring the gaseous halo and galaxy correlation using the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) survey validation data in the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) and Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) field. We obtain the multiphase gaseous halo properties in the circumgalactic medium (CGM) by using 115 quasar spectra (S/N > 3). We detect MgII absorption at redshift 0.6 < z < 2.5, CIV absorption at 1.6 < z < 3.6, and HI absorption associated with the MgII and CIV. By cross-matching the COSMOS2020 catalog, we identify the MgII and CIV host galaxies in ten quasar fields at 0.9 < z < 3.1. We find that within the impact parameter of 250 kpc, a tight correlation is seen between strong MgII equivalent width and the host galaxy star formation rate. The covering fraction fc of strong MgII selected galaxies, which is the ratio of absorbing galaxy in a certain galaxy population, shows significant evolution in the main-sequence galaxies and marginal evolution in all the galaxy populations within 250 kpc at 0.9 < z < 2.2. The fc increase in the main-sequence galaxies likely suggests the co-evolution of strong MgII absorbing gas and the main-sequence galaxies at the cosmic noon. Furthermore, several MgII and CIV absorbing gas is detected out of the galaxy virial radius, tentatively indicating the feedback produced by the star formation and/or the environmental effects.

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arXiv2023

Lyman Continuum Emission from Spectroscopically Confirmed Ly$α$ Emitters at $z\sim3.1$

We present a study of Lyman continuum (LyC) emission in a sample of $\sim$150 Ly$α$ emitters (LAEs) at $z\approx3.1$ in the Subaru-XMM Deep Survey field. These LAEs were previously selected using the narrowband technique and spectroscopically confirmed with Ly$α$ equivalent widths (EWs) $\ge45$ Å. We obtain deep UV images using a custom intermediate-band filter $U_{\rm J}$ that covers a wavelength range of $3330 \sim 3650$ Å, corresponding to 810$\sim$890 Å in the rest frame. We detect 5 individual LyC galaxy candidates in the $U_{\rm J}$ band, and their escape fractions ($f_{\rm esc}$) of LyC photons are roughly between 40% and 80%. This supports a previous finding that a small fraction of galaxies may have very high $f_{\rm esc}$. We find that the $f_{\rm esc}$ values of the 5 LyC galaxies are not apparently correlated with other galaxy properties such as Ly$α$ luminosity and EW, UV luminosity and slope, and star-formation rate (SFR). This is partly due to the fact that these galaxies only represent a small fraction ($\sim3$%) of our LAE sample. For the remaining LAEs that are not detected in $U_{\rm J}$, we stack their $U_{\rm J}$-band images and constrain their average $f_{\rm esc}$. The upper limit of the average $f_{\rm esc}$ value is about 16%, consistent with the results in the literature. Compared with the non-LyC LAEs, the LyC LAEs tend to have higher Ly$α$ luminosities, Ly$α$ EWs, and SFRs, but their UV continuum slopes are similar to those of other galaxies.

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arXiv2023

A spectroscopic survey of Ly$α$ emitters and Ly$α$ luminosity function at Redshifts 3.7 and 4.8

We present a spectroscopic survey of Ly$α$ emitters (LAEs) at $z\sim3.7$ and $z\sim4.8$. The LAEs are selected using the narrowband technique based on the combination of deep narrowband and broadband imaging data in two deep fields, and then spectroscopically confirmed with the MMT multi-fiber spectrograph Hectospec. The sample consists of 71 LAEs at $z\sim3.7$ and 69 LAEs at $z\sim4.8$ over $\sim 1.5$ deg$^2$, making it one of the largest spectroscopically confirmed sample of LAEs at the two redshifts. Their Ly$α$ luminosities are measured using the secure redshifts and deep photometric data, and span a range of $\sim 10^{42.5}$ - $10^{43.6} \,\rm erg\, s^{-1}$, so these LAEs represent the most luminous galaxies at the redshifts in terms of Ly$α$ luminosity. We estimate and correct sample incompletenesses and derive reliable Ly$α$ luminosity function (LF)s at $z\sim3.7$ and 4.8 based on the two spectroscopic samples. We find that our Ly$α$ LFs are roughly consistent (within a factor of $2-3$) with previous measurements at similar redshifts that were derived from either photometric samples or spectroscopic samples. By comparing with previous studies in different redshifts, we find that the Ly$α$ LFs decrease mildly from $z\sim3.1$ to $z\sim5.7$, supporting the previous claim of the slow LF evolution between $z\sim2$ and $z\sim6$. At $z>5.7$, the LF declines rapidly towards higher redshift, partly due to the effect of cosmic reionization.

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arXiv2023

Astrometric Calibration of the Beijing$-$Arizona Sky Survey

We present the astrometric calibration of the Beijing-Arizona Sky Survey (BASS). The BASS astrometry was tied to the International Celestial Reference Frame via the \emph{Gaia} Data Release 2 reference catalog. For effects that were stable throughout the BASS observations, including differential chromatic refraction and the low charge transfer efficiency of the CCD, we corrected for these effects at the raw image coordinates. Fourth-order polynomial intermediate longitudinal and latitudinal corrections were used to remove optical distortions. The comparison with the \emph{Gaia} catalog shows that the systematic errors, depending on color or magnitude, are less than 2 milliarcseconds (mas). The position systematic error is estimated to be about $-0.01\pm0.7$ mas in the region between 30 and 60 degrees of declination and up to $-0.07 \pm 0.9$ mas in the region north of declination 60 degrees.

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arXiv2023

A SPectroscopic survey of biased halos In the Reionization Era (ASPIRE): A First Look at the Rest-frame Optical Spectra of $z > 6.5$ Quasars Using JWST

Studies of rest-frame optical emission in quasars at $z>6$ have historically been limited by the wavelengths accessible by ground-based telescopes. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) now offers the opportunity to probe this emission deep into the reionization epoch. We report the observations of eight quasars at $z>6.5$ using the JWST/NIRCam Wide Field Slitless Spectroscopy, as a part of the ''A SPectroscopic survey of biased halos In the Reionization Era (ASPIRE)" program. Our JWST spectra cover the quasars' emission between rest frame $\sim$ 4100 and 5100 Å. The profiles of these quasars' broad H$β$ emission lines span a FWHM from 3000 to 6000 $\rm{km~s^{-1}}$. The H$β$-based virial black hole (BH) masses, ranging from 0.6 to 2.1 billion solar masses, are generally consistent with their MgII-based BH masses. The new measurements based on the more reliable H$β$ tracer thus confirm the existence of billion solar-mass BHs in the reionization epoch. In the observed [OIII] $λλ$4960,5008 doublets of these luminous quasars, broad components are more common than narrow core components ($\le~1200~\rm{km~s^{-1}}$), and only one quasar shows stronger narrow components than broad. Two quasars exhibit significantly broad and blueshifted [OIII] emission, thought to trace galactic-scale outflows, with median velocities of $-610~\rm{km~s^{-1}}$ and $-1430~\rm{km~s^{-1}}$ relative to the [CII] $158\,μ$m line. All eight quasars show strong optical FeII emission, and follow the Eigenvector 1 relations defined by low-redshift quasars. The entire ASPIRE program will eventually cover 25 quasars and provide a statistical sample for the studies of the BHs and quasar spectral properties.

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arXiv2023

A SPectroscopic survey of biased halos In the Reionization Era (ASPIRE): JWST Reveals a Filamentary Structure around a z=6.61 Quasar

We present the first results from the JWST ASPIRE program (A SPectroscopic survey of biased halos In the Reionization Era). This program represents an imaging and spectroscopic survey of 25 reionization-era quasars and their environments by utilizing the unprecedented capabilities of NIRCam Wide Field Slitless Spectroscopy (WFSS) mode. ASPIRE will deliver the largest ($\sim280~{\rm arcmin}^2$) galaxy redshift survey at 3-4 $μ$m among JWST Cycle-1 programs and provide extensive legacy values for studying the formation of the earliest supermassive black holes (SMBHs), the assembly of galaxies, early metal enrichment, and cosmic reionization. In this first ASPIRE paper, we report the discovery of a filamentary structure traced by the luminous quasar J0305-3150 and ten [OIII] emitters at $z=6.6$. This structure has a 3D galaxy overdensity of $δ_{\rm gal}=12.6$ over 637 cMpc$^3$, one of the most overdense structures known in the early universe, and could eventually evolve into a massive galaxy cluster. Together with existing VLT/MUSE and ALMA observations of this field, our JWST observations reveal that J0305-3150 traces a complex environment where both UV-bright and dusty galaxies are present, and indicate that the early evolution of galaxies around the quasar is not simultaneous. In addition, we discovered 31 [OIII] emitters in this field at other redshifts, $5.3<z<6.7$, with half of them situated at $z\sim5.4$ and $z\sim6.2$. This indicates that star-forming galaxies, such as [OIII] emitters, are generally clustered at high redshifts. These discoveries demonstrate the unparalleled redshift survey capabilities of NIRCam WFSS and the potential of the full ASPIRE survey dataset.

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arXiv2023

Hidden Little Monsters: Spectroscopic Identification of Low-Mass, Broad-Line AGN at $z>5$ with CEERS

We report on the discovery of two low-luminosity, broad-line AGN at $z>5$ identified using JWST NIRSpec spectroscopy from the CEERS Survey. We detect broad H$α$ emission from both sources, with FWHM of $2038\pm286$ and $1807\pm207$ km s$^{-1}$, resulting in black hole (BH) masses that are 1-2 dex below that of existing samples of luminous quasars at $z>5$. The first source, CEERS 1670 at $z=5.242$, is 2-3 dex fainter than known quasars at similar redshifts and was previously identified as a candidate low-luminosity AGN based on its rest-frame optical SED. We measure a BH mass of $M_{\rm BH}=1.3\pm0.4\times 10^{7}~M_{\odot}$, confirming that this AGN is powered by the least-massive BH known in the universe at the end of cosmic reionization. The second source, CEERS 3210 at $z=5.624$, is inferred to be a heavily obscured, broad-line AGN caught in a transition phase between a dust-obscured starburst and an unobscured quasar. We estimate its BH mass to be $M_{\rm BH}\simeq 0.9-4.7 \times 10^{7}~M_{\odot}$, depending on the level of dust obscuration assumed. We derive host stellar masses, $M_\star$, allowing us to place constraints on the BH-galaxy mass relationship in the lowest mass range yet probed in the early universe. The $M_{\rm BH}/M_\star$ ratio for CEERS 1670, in particular, is consistent with or higher than the empirical relationship seen in massive galaxies at $z=0$. We examine the emission-line ratios of both sources and find that their location on the BPT and OHNO diagrams is consistent with model predictions for low-metallicity AGN with $Z/Z_\odot \simeq 0.2-0.4$. The spectroscopic identification of low-luminosity, broad-line AGN at $z>5$ with $M_{\rm BH}\simeq 10^{7}~M_{\odot}$ demonstrates the capability of JWST to push BH masses closer to the range predicted for the BH seed population and provides a unique opportunity to study the early stages of BH-galaxy assembly.

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arXiv2023

An Hα Impression of Lyα Galaxies at $z\simeq6$ with Deep JWST/NIRCam Imaging

We present a study of seven spectroscopically confirmed (Ly$α$ emitting) galaxies at redshift $z\simeq6$ using the $JWST$/NIRCam imaging data. These galaxies, with a wide range of Ly$α$ luminosities, were recently observed in a series of NIRCam broad- and medium-bands. We constrain the rest-frame UV/optical continua and measure the H$α$ line emission of the galaxies using the combination of the $JWST$/NIRCam and archival $HST$/WFC3 infrared photometry. We further estimate their escape fractions of Ly$α$ photons ($f_{\rm esc}^{\rm Lyα}$) and the production efficiency of ionizing photons ($ξ_{\rm ion}$). Among the sample, 6/7 galaxies have Ly$α$ escape fractions of ${\lesssim}10\%$, which might be the status for most of star-forming galaxies at $z\simeq6$. One UV-faint Ly$α$ galaxy with an extremely blue UV slope owns a large value of $f_{\rm esc}^{\rm Lyα}$ reaching ${\simeq}50\%$. These galaxies spread a broad range of $ξ_{\rm ion}$ over log$_{10}$ $ξ_{\rm ion, 0}$ (Hz erg$^{-1}$) $\sim25.0-26.5$. We find that UV-fainter galaxies with bluer UV continuum slopes likely have higher escape fractions of Ly$α$ photons. We also find that galaxies with higher Ly$α$ line emission tend to produce ionizing photons more efficiently. The most Ly$α$-luminous galaxy in the sample has a very high $ξ_{\rm ion, 0}$ of log$_{10}$ $ξ_{\rm ion, 0}$ (Hz erg$^{-1}$) $>26$. Our results support that Ly$α$ galaxies may have served as an important contributor to the cosmic reionization. Blue and bright Ly$α$ galaxies are excellent targets for $JWST$ follow-up spectroscopic observations.

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