arXiv subjects

M. J. Jarvis

Publications and source records attributed to M. J. Jarvis.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

The faint radio source population at 15.7 GHz -- IV. The dominance of core emission in faint radio galaxies

We present 15-GHz Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array observations of a complete sample of radio galaxies selected at 15.7 GHz from the Tenth Cambridge (10C) survey. 67 out of the 95 sources (71 per cent) are unresolved in the new observations and lower-frequency radio observations, placing an upper limit on their angular size of ~2 arcsec. Thus compact radio galaxies, or radio galaxies with very faint jets, are the dominant population in the 10C survey. This provides support for the suggestion in our previous work that low-luminosity ($L<10^{25} \, \textrm{W Hz}^{-1}$) radio galaxies are core-dominated, although higher-resolution observations are required to confirm this directly. The 10C sample of compact, high-frequency selected radio galaxies is a mixture of high-excitation and low-excitation radio galaxies and displays a range of radio spectral shapes, demonstrating that they are a mixed population of objects.

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arXiv2019

The Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array Sky Survey (VLASS). Science case and survey design

The Very Large Array Sky Survey (VLASS) is a synoptic, all-sky radio sky survey with a unique combination of high angular resolution ($\approx$2.5"), sensitivity (a 1$σ$ goal of 70 $μ$Jy/beam in the coadded data), full linear Stokes polarimetry, time domain coverage, and wide bandwidth (2-4 GHz). The first observations began in September 2017, and observing for the survey will finish in 2024. VLASS will use approximately 5500 hours of time on the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) to cover the whole sky visible to the VLA (Declination $>-40^{\circ}$), a total of 33,885 deg$^2$. The data will be taken in three epochs to allow the discovery of variable and transient radio sources. The survey is designed to engage radio astronomy experts, multi-wavelength astronomers, and citizen scientists alike. By utilizing an "on the fly" interferometry mode, the observing overheads are much reduced compared to a conventional pointed survey. In this paper, we present the science case and observational strategy for the survey, and also results from early survey observations.

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arXiv2019

The Performance of Photometric Reverberation Mapping at High Redshift and the Reliability of Damped Random Walk Models

Accurate methods for reverberation mapping using photometry are highly sought after since they are inherently less resource intensive than spectroscopic techniques. However, the effectiveness of photometric reverberation mapping for estimating black hole masses is sparsely investigated at redshifts higher than $z\approx0.04$. Furthermore, photometric methods frequently assume a Damped Random Walk (DRW) model, which may not be universally applicable. We perform photometric reverberation mapping using the Javelin photometric DRW model for the QSO SDSSJ144645.44+625304.0 at z=0.351 and estimate the H$β$ lag of $65^{+6}_{-1}$ days and black-hole mass of $10^{8.22^{+0.13}_{-0.15}}M_{\odot}$. An analysis of the reliability of photometric reverberation mapping, conducted using many thousands of simulated CARMA process light-curves, shows that we can recover the input lag to within 6 per cent on average given our target's observed signal-to-noise of > 20 and an average cadence of 14 days (even when DRW is not applicable). Furthermore, we use our suite of simulated light curves to deconvolve aliases and artefacts from our QSO's posterior probability distribution, increasing the signal-to-noise on the lag by a factor of $\sim2.2$. We exceed the signal-to-noise of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping Project (SDSS-RM) campaign with a quarter of the observing time per object, resulting in a $\sim200$ per cent increase in SNR efficiency over SDSS-RM.

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arXiv2019

Radio Source Extraction with ProFound

In the current era of radio astronomy, continuum surveys observe a multitude of objects with complex morphologies and sizes, and are not limited to observing point sources. Typical radio source extraction software generates catalogues by using Gaussian components to form a model of the emission. This may not be well suited to complicated jet structures and extended emission, particularly in the era of interferometers with a high density of short baselines, that are sensitive to extended emission. In this paper, we investigate how the optically-motivated source detection package ProFound (Robotham et al. 2018) may be used to model radio emission of both complicated and point-like radio sources. We use a combination of observations and simulations to investigate how ProFound compares to other source extractor packages used for radio surveys. We find that ProFound can accurately recover both the flux densities of simulated Gaussian sources as well as extended radio galaxies. ProFound can create models that trace the complicated nature of these extended galaxies, which we show is not necessarily the case with other source extraction software. Our work suggests that our knowledge of the emission from extended radio objects may be both over or under-estimated using traditional software. We suggest that ProFound offers a useful alternative to the fitting of Gaussian components for generating catalogues from current and future radio surveys. Furthermore, ProFound's multi-wavelength capabilities will be useful in investigating radio sources in combination with multiwavelength data.

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arXiv2018

LoTSS DR1: Double-double radio galaxies in the HETDEX field

Double-double radio galaxies (DDRGs) represent a short but unique phase in the life-cycle of some of the most powerful radio-loud active galactic nuclei (RLAGN). These galaxies display large-scale remnant radio plasma in the intergalactic medium left behind by a past episode of active galactic nuclei (AGN) activity, and meanwhile, the radio jets have restarted in a new episode. The knowledge of what causes the jets to switch off and restart is crucial to our understanding of galaxy evolution, while it is important to know if DDRGs form a host galaxy dichotomy relative to RLAGN. We utilised the LOFAR Two-Metre Sky Survey DR1, using a visual identification method to compile a sample of morphologically selected candidate DDRGs, showing two pairs of radio lobes. To confirm the restarted nature in each of the candidate sources, we obtained follow-up observations with the VLA at higher resolution to observe the inner lobes or restarted jets, the confirmation of which created a robust sample of 33 DDRGs. We created a comparison sample of 777 RLAGN from the DR1 catalogue, and compared the optical and infrared magnitudes and colours of their host galaxies. We find that there is no statistically significant difference in the brightness of the host galaxies between double-doubles and single-cycle RLAGN. The DDRG and RLAGN samples also have similar distributions in WISE mid-infrared colours, indicating similar ages of stellar populations and dust levels in the hosts of DDRGs. We conclude that DDRGs and 'normal' RLAGN are hosted by galaxies of the same type, and that DDRG activity is simply a normal part of the life cycle of RLAGN. Restarted jets, particularly for the class of low-excitation radio galaxies, rather than being a product of a particular event in the life of a host galaxy, must instead be caused by smaller scale changes, such as in the accretion system surrounding the black hole.

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arXiv2018

The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey - II. First data release

The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) is an ongoing sensitive, high-resolution 120-168MHz survey of the entire northern sky for which observations are now 20% complete. We present our first full-quality public data release. For this data release 424 square degrees, or 2% of the eventual coverage, in the region of the HETDEX Spring Field (right ascension 10h45m00s to 15h30m00s and declination 45$^\circ$00$'$00$''$ to 57$^\circ$00$'$00$''$) were mapped using a fully automated direction-dependent calibration and imaging pipeline that we developed. A total of 325,694 sources are detected with a signal of at least five times the noise, and the source density is a factor of $\sim 10$ higher than the most sensitive existing very wide-area radio-continuum surveys. The median sensitivity is S$_{\rm 144 MHz} = 71\,μ$Jy beam$^{-1}$ and the point-source completeness is 90% at an integrated flux density of 0.45mJy. The resolution of the images is 6$''$ and the positional accuracy is within 0.2$''$. This data release consists of a catalogue containing location, flux, and shape estimates together with 58 mosaic images that cover the catalogued area. In this paper we provide an overview of the data release with a focus on the processing of the LOFAR data and the characteristics of the resulting images. In two accompanying papers we provide the radio source associations and deblending and, where possible, the optical identifications of the radio sources together with the photometric redshifts and properties of the host galaxies. These data release papers are published together with a further $\sim$20 articles that highlight the scientific potential of LoTSS.

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arXiv2018

The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey IV. First Data Release: Photometric redshifts and rest-frame magnitudes

The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) is a sensitive, high-resolution 120-168 MHz survey of the Northern sky. The LoTSS First Data Release (DR1) presents 424 square degrees of radio continuum observations over the HETDEX Spring Field (10h45m00s $<$ right ascension $<$ 15h30m00s and 45$^\circ$00$'$00$'$ $<$ declination $<$ 57$^\circ$00$'$00$''$) with a median sensitivity of 71$μ$Jy/beam and a resolution of 6$''$. In this paper we present photometric redshifts (photo-$z$) for 94.4% of optical sources over this region that are detected in the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) 3$π$ steradian survey. Combining the Pan-STARRS optical data with mid-infrared photometry from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, we estimate photo-$z$s using a novel hybrid photometric redshift methodology optimised to produce the best possible performance for the diverse sample of radio continuum selected sources. For the radio-continuum detected population, we find an overall scatter in the photo-$z$ of 3.9% and an outlier fraction ($\left | z_{\rm{phot}} - z_{\rm{spec}} \right | / (1+z_{\rm{spec}}) > 0.15$) of 7.9%. We also find that, at a given redshift, there is no strong trend in photo-$z$ quality as a function of radio luminosity. However there are strong trends as a function of redshift for a given radio luminosity, a result of selection effects in the spectroscopic sample and/or intrinsic evolution within the radio source population. Additionally, for the sample of sources in the LoTSS First Data Release with optical counterparts, we present rest-frame optical and mid-infrared magnitudes based on template fits to the consensus photometric (or spectroscopic when available) redshift.

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arXiv2018

The origin of radio emission in broad absorption line quasars: Results from the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey

We present a study of the low-frequency radio properties of broad absorption line quasars (BALQSOs) from the LOFAR Two-metre Sky-Survey Data Release 1 (LDR1). The value-added LDR1 catalogue contains Pan-STARRS counterparts, which we match with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR7 and DR12 quasar catalogues. We find that BALQSOs are twice as likely to be detected at 144$\,$MHz than their non-BAL counterparts, and BALQSOs with low-ionisation species present in their spectra are three times more likely to be detected than those with only high-ionisation species. The BALQSO fraction at 144$\,$MHz is constant with increasing radio luminosity, which is inconsistent with previous results at 1.4$\,$GHz, indicating that observations at the different frequencies may be tracing different sources of radio emission. We cross-match radio sources between the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty Centimeters (FIRST) survey and LDR1, which provides a bridge via the LDR1 Pan-STARRS counterparts to identify BALQSOs in SDSS. Consequently we expand the sample of BALQSOs detected in FIRST by a factor of three. The LDR1-detected BALQSOs in our sample are almost exclusively radio-quiet (\logr $\,<2$), with radio sizes at 144$\,$MHz typically less than $200\,$kpc; these radio sizes tend to be larger than those at 1.4$\,$GHz, suggesting more extended radio emission at low frequencies. We find that although the radio detection fraction increases with increasing balnicity index (BI), there is no correlation between BI and either low-frequency radio power or radio-loudness. This suggests that both radio emission and BI may be linked to the same underlying process, but are spatially distinct phenomena.

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arXiv2018

Radio-loud AGN in the first LoTSS data release: The lifetimes and environmental impact of jet-driven sources

We constructed a sample of 23,344 radio-loud active galactic nuclei (RLAGN) from the catalogue derived from the LOFAR Two-Metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) survey of the HETDEX Spring field. Although separating AGN from star-forming galaxies remains challenging, the combination of spectroscopic and photometric techniques we used gives us one of the largest available samples of candidate RLAGN. We used the sample, combined with recently developed analytical models, to investigate the lifetime distribution of RLAGN. We show that large or giant powerful RLAGN are probably the old tail of the general RLAGN population, but that the low-luminosity RLAGN candidates in our sample, many of which have sizes $<100$ kpc, either require a very different lifetime distribution or have different jet physics from the more powerful objects. We then used analytical models to develop a method of estimating jet kinetic powers for our candidate objects and constructed a jet kinetic luminosity function based on these estimates. These values can be compared to observational quantities, such as the integrated radiative luminosity of groups and clusters, and to the predictions from models of RLAGN feedback in galaxy formation and evolution. In particular, we show that RLAGN in the local Universe are able to supply all the energy required per comoving unit volume to counterbalance X-ray radiative losses from groups and clusters and thus prevent the hot gas from cooling. Our computation of the kinetic luminosity density of local RLAGN is in good agreement with other recent observational estimates and with models of galaxy formation.

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arXiv2018

LOFAR observations of the XMM-LSS field

We present observations of the XMM Large-Scale Structure (XMM-LSS) field observed with the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) at 120-168 MHz. Centred at a J2000 declination of $-4.5^{\circ}$, this is a challenging field to observe with LOFAR because of its low elevation with respect to the array. The low elevation of this field reduces the effective collecting area of the telescope, thereby reducing sensitivity. This low elevation also causes the primary beam to be elongated in the north-south direction, which can introduce side lobes in the synthesised beam in this direction. However the XMM-LSS field is a key field to study because of the wealth of ancillary information, encompassing most of the electromagnetic spectrum. The field was observed for a total of 12 hours from three four-hour LOFAR tracks using the Dutch array. The final image presented encompasses $\sim 27$ deg$^2$, which is the region of the observations with a $>$50\% primary beam response. Once combined, the observations reach a central rms of 280 $μ$Jy beam$^{-1}$ at 144 MHz and have an angular resolution of $7.5 \times \ 8.5$". We present our catalogue of detected sources and investigate how our observations compare to previous radio observations. This includes investigating the flux scale calibration of these observations compared to previous measurements, the implied spectral indices of the sources, the observed source counts and corrections to obtain the true source counts, and finally the clustering of the observed radio sources.

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arXiv2018

The relation between galaxy density and radio jet power for 1.4 GHz VLA selected AGN in Stripe 82

Using a Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) L-band (1-2 GHz) survey covering $\sim100$\,deg$^2$ of the Stripe 82 field, we have obtained a catalogue of 2716 radio AGN. For these AGN, we investigate the impact of galaxy density on 1.4 GHz radio luminosity ($L_{1.4}$). We determine their close environment densities using the surface density parameter, $Σ_N,$ for $N=2$ and $N=5,$ which we bin by redshift to obtain a pseudo-3D galaxy density measure. Matching the radio AGN to sources without radio detections in terms of redshift, $K-$band magnitude and ($g-K$)-colour index, we obtain samples of control galaxies and determine whether radio AGN environments differ from this general population. Our results indicate that the environmental density of radio AGN and their radio luminosity are not correlated up to $z$ $\sim0.8$, over the luminosity range $10^{23} < (L_{1.4} / $W~Hz$^{-1}) < 10^{26}$. We also find that, when using a control sample matched in terms of redshift, $K-$band magnitude and colour, environments of radio AGN are similar to those of the control sample but with an excess of overdense regions in which radio AGN are more prevalent. Our results suggest that the $<1$ Mpc-scale galaxy environment plays some role in determining whether a galaxy produces a radio AGN. The jet power, however, does not correlate with environment. From this, we infer that secular processes e.g. accretion flows of cold gas to the central black-hole are more critical in fuelling radio AGN activity than radio jet power.

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arXiv2018

KROSS-SAMI: A Direct IFS Comparison of the Tully-Fisher Relation Across 8 Gyr Since $z \approx 1$

We construct Tully-Fisher relations (TFRs), from large samples of galaxies with spatially-resolved H$α$ emission maps from the K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph (KMOS) Redshift One Spectroscopic Survey (KROSS) at $z\approx1$. We compare these to data from the Sydney-Australian-Astronomical-Observatory Multi-object Integral-Field Spectrograph (SAMI) Galaxy Survey at $z\approx0$. We stringently match the data quality of the latter to the former, and apply identical analysis methods and sub-sample selection criteria to both to conduct a direct comparison of the absolute $K$-band magnitude and stellar mass TFRs at $z\approx1$ and $z\approx0$. We find that matching the quality of the SAMI data to that of KROSS results in TFRs that differ significantly in slope, zero-point and (sometimes) scatter in comparison to the corresponding original SAMI relations. These differences are in every case as large or larger than the differences between the KROSS $z\approx1$ and matched SAMI $z\approx0$ relations. Accounting for these differences, we compare the TFRs at $z\approx1$ and $z\approx0$. For disk-like, star-forming galaxies we find no significant difference in the TFR zero-points between the two epochs. This suggests the growth of stellar mass and dark matter in these types of galaxies is intimately linked over this $\approx8$ Gyr period.

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arXiv2018

The Lockman Hole Project: new constraints on the sub-mJy source counts from a wide-area 1.4 GHz mosaic

This paper is part of a series discussing the results obtained in the framework of a wide international collaboration - the Lockman Hole Project - aimed at improving the extensive multiband coverage available in the Lockman Hole region, through novel deep, wide-area, multifrequency (60, 150, 350 MHz, and 1.4 GHz) radio surveys. This multifrequency, multi-band information will be exploited to get a comprehensive view of star formation and active galactic nucleus activities in the high-redshift Universe from a radio perspective. In this paper, we present novel 1.4 GHz mosaic observations obtained with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope. With an area coverage of 6.6 deg2, this is the largest survey reaching an rms noise of 11 uJy/beam. In this paper, we present the source catalogue (~6000 sources with flux densities S>55 uJy (5sigma), and we discuss the 1.4 GHz source counts derived from it. Our source counts provide very robust statistics in the flux range 0.1<S<1 mJy, and are in excellent agreement with other robust determinations obtained at lower and higher flux densities. A clear excess is found with respect to the counts predicted by the semi-empirical radio sky simulations developed in the framework of the Square Kilometre Array Simulated Skies project. A preliminary analysis of the identified (and classified) sources suggests this excess is to be ascribed to star-forming galaxies, which seem to show a steeper evolution than predicted.

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arXiv2018

The Far-Infrared Radio Correlation at low radio frequency with LOFAR/H-ATLAS

The radio and far-infrared luminosities of star-forming galaxies are tightly correlated over several orders of magnitude; this is known as the far-infrared radio correlation (FIRC). Previous studies have shown that a host of factors conspire to maintain a tight and linear FIRC, despite many models predicting deviation. This discrepancy between expectations and observations is concerning since a linear FIRC underpins the use of radio luminosity as a star-formation rate indicator. Using LOFAR 150MHz, FIRST 1.4 GHz, and Herschel infrared luminosities derived from the new LOFAR/H-ATLAS catalogue, we investigate possible variation in the monochromatic (250$\mathrm{μm}$) FIRC at low and high radio frequencies. We use statistical techniques to probe the FIRC for an optically-selected sample of 4,082 emission-line classified star-forming galaxies as a function of redshift, effective dust temperature, stellar mass, specific star formation rate, and mid-infrared colour (an empirical proxy for specific star formation rate). Although the average FIRC at high radio frequency is consistent with expectations based on a standard power-law radio spectrum, the average correlation at 150MHz is not. We see evidence for redshift evolution of the FIRC at 150MHz, and find that the FIRC varies with stellar mass, dust temperature and specific star formation rate, whether the latter is probed using MAGPHYS fitting, or using mid-infrared colour as a proxy. We can explain the variation, to within 1$σ$, seen in the FIRC over mid-infrared colour by a combination of dust temperature, redshift, and stellar mass using a Bayesian partial correlation technique.

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arXiv2018

A subarcsecond near-infrared view of massive galaxies at z > 1 with Gemini Multiconjugate Adaptive Optics

We present images taken using the Gemini South Adaptive Optics Imager (GSAOI) with the Gemini Multiconjugate Adaptive Optics System (GeMS) in three 2 arcmin$^2$ fields in the Spitzer Extragalactic Representative Volume Survey. These GeMS/GSAOI observations are among the first $\approx 0.1^{''}$ resolution data in the near-infrared spanning extragalactic fields exceeding $1.5^{\prime}$ in size. We use these data to estimate galaxy sizes, obtaining results similar to those from studies with the Hubble Space Telescope, though we find a higher fraction of compact star forming galaxies at $z>2$. To disentangle the star-forming galaxies from active galactic nuclei (AGN), we use multiwavelength data from surveys in the optical and infrared, including far-infrared data from Herschel, as well as new radio continuum data from the Australia Telescope Compact Array and Very Large Array. We identify ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) at $z \sim 1-3$, which consist of a combination of pure starburst galaxies and Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN)/starburst composites. The ULIRGs show signs of recent merger activity, such as highly disturbed morphologies and include a rare candidate triple AGN. We find that AGN tend to reside in hosts with smaller scale sizes than purely star-forming galaxies of similar infrared luminosity. Our observations demonstrate the potential for MCAO to complement the deeper galaxy surveys to be made with the James Webb Space Telescope.

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arXiv2018

The Stripe 82 1-2 GHz Very Large Array Snapshot Survey: Multiwavelength Counterparts

We have combined spectrosopic and photometric data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) with $1.4$ GHz radio observations, conducted as part of the Stripe 82 $1-2$ GHz Snapshot Survey using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), which covers $\sim100$ sq degrees, to a flux limit of 88 $μ$Jy rms. Cross-matching the $11\,768$ radio source components with optical data via visual inspection results in a final sample of $4\,795$ cross-matched objects, of which $1\,996$ have spectroscopic redshifts and $2\,799$ objects have photometric redshifts. Three previously undiscovered Giant Radio Galaxies (GRGs) were found during the cross-matching process, which would have been missed using automated techniques. For the objects with spectroscopy we separate radio-loud Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) and star-forming galaxies (SFGs) using three diagnostics and then further divide our radio-loud AGN into the HERG and LERG populations. A control matched sample of HERGs and LERGs, matched on stellar mass, redshift and radio luminosity, reveals that the host galaxies of LERGs are redder and more concentrated than HERGs. By combining with near-infrared data, we demonstrate that LERGs also follow a tight $K-z$ relationship. These results imply the LERG population are hosted by population of massive, passively evolving early-type galaxies. We go on to show that HERGs, LERGs, QSOs and star-forming galaxies in our sample all reside in different regions of a WISE colour-colour diagram. This cross-matched sample bridges the gap between previous `wide but shallow' and `deep but narrow' samples and will be useful for a number of future investigations.

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arXiv2018

Deep Extragalactic VIsible Legacy Survey (DEVILS): Motivation, Design and Target Catalogue

The Deep Extragalactic VIsible Legacy Survey (DEVILS) is a large spectroscopic campaign at the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) aimed at bridging the near and distant Universe by producing the highest completeness survey of galaxies and groups at intermediate redshifts ($0.3<z<1.0$). Our sample consists of $\sim$60,000 galaxies to Y$<$21.2mag, over $\sim$6deg$^{2}$ in three well-studied deep extragalactic fields (Cosmic Origins Survey field, COSMOS, Extended Chandra Deep Field South, ECDFS and the X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission Large-Scale Structure region, XMM-LSS - all Large Synoptic Survey Telescope deep-drill fields). This paper presents the broad experimental design of DEVILS. Our target sample has been selected from deep Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) Y-band imaging (VISTA Deep Extragalactic Observations, VIDEO and UltraVISTA), with photometry measured by ProFound. Photometric star/galaxy separation is done on the basis of NIR colours, and has been validated by visual inspection. To maximise our observing efficiency for faint targets we employ a redshift feedback strategy, which continually updates our target lists, feeding back the results from the previous night's observations. We also present an overview of the initial spectroscopic observations undertaken in late 2017 and early 2018.

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arXiv2018

The VANDELS ESO public spectroscopic survey

VANDELS is a uniquely-deep spectroscopic survey of high-redshift galaxies with the VIMOS spectrograph on ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT). The survey has obtained ultra-deep optical (0.48 < lambda < 1.0 micron) spectroscopy of ~2100 galaxies within the redshift interval 1.0 < z < 7.0, over a total area of ~0.2 sq. degrees centred on the CANDELS UDS and CDFS fields. Based on accurate photometric redshift pre-selection, 85% of the galaxies targeted by VANDELS were selected to be at z>=3. Exploiting the red sensitivity of the refurbished VIMOS spectrograph, the fundamental aim of the survey is to provide the high signal-to-noise ratio spectra necessary to measure key physical properties such as stellar population ages, masses, metallicities and outflow velocities from detailed absorption-line studies. Using integration times calculated to produce an approximately constant signal-to-noise ratio (20 < t_int < 80 hours), the VANDELS survey targeted: a) bright star-forming galaxies at 2.4 < z < 5.5, b) massive quiescent galaxies at 1.0 < z < 2.5, c) fainter star-forming galaxies at 3.0 < z < 7.0 and d) X-ray/Spitzer-selected active galactic nuclei and Herschel-detected galaxies. By targeting two extragalactic survey fields with superb multi-wavelength imaging data, VANDELS will produce a unique legacy data set for exploring the physics underpinning high-redshift galaxy evolution. In this paper we provide an overview of the VANDELS survey designed to support the science exploitation of the first ESO public data release, focusing on the scientific motivation, survey design and target selection.

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