arXiv subjects

O. Ilbert

Publications and source records attributed to O. Ilbert.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Euclid Bypass end-to-end simulations for spectroscopic galaxy clustering performance assessment

We present a simulation framework for Euclid galaxy clustering measurements that reproduces the essential behaviour of the spectroscopic reduction chain, bypassing the computation required by full pixel-level simulations. The framework comprises two complementary tools, FastSpec, which simulates 1-dimensional slitless spectra with a simplified instrument and noise model, and Pypelid, which computes detection probabilities on input catalogues, accounting for the survey dithering sequence and spatially varying noise. We develop calibrated prescriptions for the survey selection function, redshift errors, and redshift interloper populations. Applied to the Euclid Wide Survey, the baseline selection yields a redshift purity of 74% and a sample completeness of 45%, which improves with the use of Euclid photometric colours. The redshift error distribution is found to have a Gaussian core of width $σ_z = 9.4 \times 10^{-4}$, with no significant trend over $0.9 < z < 1.8$. Emission lines [OIII]5008 and [SIII]9530 misidentified as H$α$ contribute a few to ten per cent depending on redshift, while catastrophic redshift measurement failures dominate at low signal-to-noise ratio. Simulating the Data Release 1 footprint, we find that complex survey selection effects can be corrected with a forward-modelled random catalogue, recovering the monopole and quadrupole of the galaxy 2-point correlation function. The simplified noise model does not include residual contamination from overlapping spectra, or other artefacts seen in early Euclid data; this will be revisited with DR1 data. The framework provides an efficient route for characterising the Euclid spectroscopic selection function at the precision required for galaxy clustering science, and is the basis for systematic error assessments in Euclid galaxy clustering analyses.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

Prevalence of radio Active Galactic Nuclei in galaxy groups since z=3.5 in the COSMOS-Web field

Radio active galactic nuclei (AGN) are key tracers of kinetic feedback from supermassive black holes. Although the dependence of their triggering on host stellar mass is well known, the impact of the large-scale environment across cosmic time is poorly understood. We investigate the role of the environment in triggering radio AGN activity, while also studying the dependence on stellar mass ($10\leq\log M_{\ast}\,{\rm [M_{\odot}]}\leq11.4$), radio luminosity ($22\leq\log L_{1.4}\,{\rm [W\,Hz^{-1}]}\leq26$), and redshift ($0.1\leq z \leq 3.5$). We combine the VLA-COSMOS 3 GHz Large Project with the COSMOS-Web galaxy and group catalogs, selecting radio-excess AGN and building radio luminosity functions (RLF) and radio AGN fractions separately for sources in galaxy groups (124 radio AGN) and in the field (405 radio AGN), out of the total of 20203 galaxies and 1678 galaxy groups. We fit the RLF to derive the cosmic evolution of radio AGN in different environments, and we provide a new parametric description of the radio AGN fractions as a function of environment, $M_{\ast}$, $L_{1.4}$, and z. Besides confirming the known positive correlation of radio AGN fraction with host $M_{\ast}$ in both groups and in the field, more importantly we find that the activation of a radio AGN in groups is enhanced relative to the field by a factor of 3--30 in space density and of 2 in radio AGN fraction at fixed stellar mass; the enhancement is also a function of $M_{\ast}$, $L_{1.4}$, and z. Furthermore, in all z bins, the radio AGN fractions peak within $r \leq 0.2R_{200}$. Overall, dense environments enhance radio AGN triggering out to at least z=3.5. We suggest the existence of a possible transition in the dominant triggering mechanism of radio AGN activity around z~1.5, potentially related to the intragroup medium in the core of groups at lower z and to merger and structure growth at earlier cosmic times.

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arXiv2026

COSMOS-Web: From early star-formation enhancement to late suppression in galaxy groups

Galaxy groups trace dense environments where interactions, gas removal, and reduced accretion may drive quenching. Common diagnostics trace star formation over short timescales ($\lesssim100$ Myr); time-resolved star formation histories (SFHs) separate recent changes from longer-term evolution at fixed mass and redshift. Using COSMOS-Web data, we test how group environment correlates with star-formation activity and its evolution with cosmic time and group-centric distance, contrasting high-richness groups with excluded field galaxies. We combine COSMOS2025/COSMOS-Web stellar masses and non-parametric SFHs with group detections and memberships from AMICO (Adaptive Matched Identifier of Clustered Objects), comparing stacked SFHs of matched group and field galaxies and measuring how the SFH offset evolves with group-centric distance for the richest groups. Massive galaxies ($\log(M_\star/M_\odot)>10.5$) show the largest offsets but are already quenched in both environments. For lower masses ($8.1<\log(M_\star/M_\odot)<10.5$), suppression is clearest at $z<1.5$ (deficit up to 0.8 dex), while at $z>1.5$ SFHs show weak suppression or occasional enhancement. The radial signal evolves similarly: quenching is broad at low $z$, the inner-outer contrast sharpens at $z\gtrsim1$, and any ordering at $z\gtrsim2$ is tentative given growing uncertainties in the AMICO centroids. These results suggest an evolving picture: groups are more mixed at early epochs, with both suppressed and occasionally elevated SFHs, partly reflecting high-$z$ uncertainties, while suppression dominates from $z\lesssim1.5$, most clearly for low-to-intermediate-mass galaxies. Inner-region galaxies likely spend more time in the group potential, undergo more passages through dense intra-group gas, and accrete less pristine cold gas, making quenching progressively clearer with cosmic time.

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arXiv2026

Dissecting ultra-diffuse galaxies in the field

Context. Ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) in the field are faint, diffuse systems that remain poorly represented in the literature due to the need for spectroscopic confirmation and the difficulty of obtaining high S/N emission line measurements. Aims. We present a spectroscopic study of 17 blue UDG candidates in the field using optical emission lines to confirm their diffuse nature and properties. Methods. We derived spectroscopic redshifts($z_{\rm spec}$) for our field UDG candidates. We then computed their effective radii ($r_{\rm eff}$) and central surface brightnesses ($μ_{0,g}$). We measured the H$α$ and H$β$ emission line fluxes in the 17 spectra and derived star-formation rates (SFR) from the line-luminosity relation. We performed forced photometry on our sample to obtain photometric fluxes and applied an aperture correction on the H$α$ integrated fluxes, propagating the correction to the derived SFRs. We then computed stellar masses ($M_*$) using colour relations and estimated dust attenuation and corrected the SFRs accordingly. Two sources were further examined as potential giant low surface-brightness galaxies(GLSBGs). Results. We identify nine confirmed UDGs, eight other low surface-brightness galaxies (LSBGs), including one GLSBG. The $z_{\rm spec}$ of our field UDGs span a range of $0.015-0.037$, their $r_{\rm eff}$ spans $1.69-4.99$ kpc and $μ_{0,g}$ between $24.05-24.98~{\rm mag~arcsec}^{-2}$. Galaxies exhibit low to moderate dust content, with an average V-band attenuation of 0.29 mag. The spectroscopically confirmed UDGs presented in this work, after the aperture correction performed, lie along the star-forming main sequence. Conclusions. Our results indicate that blue field UDGs are characterised by heterogeneous dust attenuation and occupy the same region of the star formation-stellar mass plane as dwarf LSBGs.

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arXiv2026

Photometric redshifts for active galactic nuclei with LePHARE for the Vera C. Rubin Observatory

Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) play a crucial role in galaxy evolution, but they are a minority of extragalactic sources with diverse Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs), which depend on their means of selection. Upcoming large-scale surveys such as LSST will identify many AGN, but analysis tools are not optimized for them. The limited number of photometric bands in these surveys impacts the calculation of photometric redshifts for AGN, which are essential for scientific advancement. We use LePHARE to demonstrate the impact that a limited number of bands and erroneous assumptions have on the determination of the photometric redshifts of AGN. We conduct tests on six AGN samples selected using X-ray, radio, infrared, variability, color, and spectroscopic criteria in the COSMOS field, using photometry from HSC-CLAUDS, which is closest in depth and wavelength coverage to LSST. We present the LSST pipeline for LePHARE within the Redshift Assessment Infrastructure Layers (RAIL), facilitating comparison between SED fitting and machine learning algorithms. AGN that appear as point-like sources in optical data will be assigned highly unreliable photometric redshifts if they are processed using galaxy templates. Additionally, shallow all-sky surveys (like eROSITA, WISE, and ZTF) miss many AGN. As a result, these "hidden" AGN are often misidentified as galaxies in public survey data, leading to incorrect photometric redshift. We provide the configurations that are suggested for each type of AGN alongside measures of expected performance as a function of redshift, magnitude, and selection. To facilitate studies with a panchromatic view of AGN, we also release photometric redshifts and posterior distributions for all AGN sources identified in the COSMOS field using the six criteria, based on 28-band photometry.

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arXiv2026

High-ionization coronal lines trace quasar-like activity in recently quenched galaxies at high redshift

We report the detection of the high-ionization line [NeV]$λ$3427 in the JWST/NIRSpec archival spectra of 6 massive quenched galaxies at $z \sim 1.5-4.5$, identified from a parent sample of 87 systems. With an ionization potential of approximately 97 eV, [NeV] can only be produced by strong nuclear activity in these massive systems, providing a clean and unambiguous tracer of highly accreting supermassive black holes uncontaminated by residual star formation. For 4 of the 6 [NeV]-detected systems, we detect broad H$α$ emission ($\mathrm{FWHM} \gtrsim 4000$ km s$^{-1}$), yielding black hole masses of $M_{\rm BH} = 10^{8.5-9.5}\,M_\odot$, consistent with local scaling relations with stellar mass and velocity dispersion. The [NeV] luminosities imply quasar-like bolometric outputs ($L_{\rm bol} = 10^{45-46}$ erg s$^{-1}$) and Eddington ratios of $λ_{\rm Edd} \approx 10$-$50$%, with black hole accretion rates of a few $M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$ that match or exceed the residual star formation rates in the most extreme cases. The strongest [NeV] emitters are preferentially found in the youngest post-starburst systems ($D_n4000 \lesssim 1.3$), while old quenched galaxies are systematically devoid of such activity, a trend independently reproduced by theoretical models. These results reveal that intense, radiatively efficient SMBH growth can persist several hundred Myr after the main quenching epoch, with duty cycles of approximately 100-200 Myr. They also underscore the importance of very high accretion episodes and rates in the theoretical models that seek to reproduce the earliest quenched galaxies in the universe.

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arXiv2026

Euclid: Photometric redshift calibration with the clustering redshifts technique

Aims: The precision of cosmological constraints from imaging surveys hinges on accurately estimating the redshift distribution $ n(z) $ of tomographic bins, especially their mean redshifts. We assess the effectiveness of the clustering redshifts technique in constraining Euclid tomographic redshift bins to meet the target uncertainty of $ σ( \langle z \rangle ) < 0.002 (1 + z) $. In this work, these mean redshifts are inferred from the small-scale angular clustering of Euclid galaxies, which are distributed into bins with spectroscopic samples localised in narrow redshift slices. Methods: We generate spectroscopic mocks from the Flagship2 simulation for the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), and Euclid's Near-Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP) spectroscopic survey. We evaluate and optimise the clustering redshifts pipeline, introducing a new method for measuring photometric galaxy bias (clustering), which is the primary limitation of this technique. Results: We have successfully constrained the means and standard deviations of the redshift distributions for all of the tomographic bins (with a maximum photometric redshift of 1.6), achieving precision beyond the required thresholds. We have identified the main sources of bias, particularly the impact of the 1-halo galaxy distribution, which imposed a minimal separation scale of 1.5 Mpc for evaluating cross-correlations. These results demonstrate the potential of clustering redshifts to meet the precision requirements for Euclid, and we highlight several avenues for future improvements.

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arXiv2026

Star formation quenching precedes morphological transformation in COSMOS-WEB's richest galaxy groups

We analyzed the 25 richest galaxy groups in COSMOS-Web at z = 0.18-3.65, identified via the AMICO algorithm. These groups contain 20-30 galaxies with high (>75%) membership probability. Our study reveals both passive-density and active-density relations: late-type galaxies (LTGs) prefer higher central overdensities than early-type galaxies (ETGs) across all groups, and many massive LTGs exhibit colors typical of quiescent galaxies. We identify red sequences (RS) in 5 groups, prominently established at z < 1, with early emergence in the RS locus up to z ~ 2.2. This suggests group environments represent a transitional phase where star formation quenching precedes morphological transformation, contrasting with the classical morphology-density relation in rich clusters. In the central regions (~33 arcsec / 100 kpc from centers), we identified 86 galaxies: 23 (~27%) ETGs and 63 (~73%) LTGs. High-mass galaxies (M_star > 10^10.5 M_sun) undergo rapid quenching over ~1 Gyr, becoming predominantly spheroidal ETGs. This indicates morphological transformation accelerates in massive systems during peak cosmic star formation. Intermediate-mass galaxies (10^9 < M_star/M_sun < 10^10.5) show mild quenching, while low-mass galaxies (M_star < 10^9 M_sun) remain largely star-forming; here, environmental processes suppress star formation without destroying disks, suggesting group quenching operates on longer timescales than mass quenching. Overall, mass-dependent quenching dominates the high-mass end, while environment shapes lower-mass systems. The HLAGN fraction for both groups and field increases with redshift, peaking at z ~ 2, with groups consistently showing higher fractions. We suggest AGN feedback partially drives rapid quenching in high-mass galaxies, while mergers may trigger AGN activity.

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arXiv2026

Euclid: Improving redshift distribution reconstruction using a deep-to-wide transfer function

The Euclid mission seeks to understand the Universe expansion history and the nature of dark energy, which requires a very accurate estimate of redshift distribution. Achieving this accuracy relies on reference samples with spectroscopic redshifts, together with a procedure to match them to survey sources for which only photometric redshifts are available. One important source of systematic uncertainty is the mismatch in photometric properties between galaxies in the Euclid survey and the reference objects. We develop a method to degrade the photometry of objects with deep photometry to match the properties of any shallower survey in the multi-band photometric space, preserving all the correlations between the fluxes and their uncertainties. We compare our transfer method with more demanding image-based methods, such as Balrog from the Dark Energy Survey Collaboration. According to metrics, our method outperforms Balrog. We implement it in the redshift distribution reconstruction, based on the self-organising map approach of arXiv:1509.03318, and test it using a realistic sample from the Euclid Flagship Simulation. We find that the key ingredient is to ensure that the reference objects are distributed in the colour space the same way as the wide-survey objects, which can be efficiently achieved with our transfer method. In our best implementation, the mean redshift biases are consistently reduced across the tomographic bins, bringing a significant fraction of them within the Euclid accuracy requirements in all tomographic bins. Equally importantly, the tests allow us to pinpoint which step in the calibration pipeline has the strongest impact on achieving the required accuracy. Our approach also reproduces the overall redshift distributions, which are crucial for applications such as angular clustering.

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arXiv2025

Euclid: Photometric redshift calibration with self-organising maps

The Euclid survey aims to trace the evolution of cosmic structures up to redshift $z$ $\sim$ 3 and beyond. Its success depends critically on obtaining highly accurate mean redshifts for ensembles of galaxies $n(z)$ in all tomographic bins, essential for deriving robust cosmological constraints. However, photometric redshifts (photo-$z$s) suffer from systematic biases arising from various sources of uncertainty. To address these challenges, we utilised self-organising maps (SOMs) with mock samples resembling the Euclid Wide Survey (EWS), to validate Euclid's uncertainty requirement of $|Δ\langle z \rangle| = \langle z_{\text{est}} \rangle - \langle z \rangle \leq 0.002 (1+z)$ per tomographic bin, assuming DR3-level data. We observe that defining the redshift tomography using the mean spectroscopic redshift (spec-$z$) per SOM cell, results in none of the ten tomographic redshift bins satisfying the requirement. In contrast, the redshift tomography on the photo-$z$s of the EWS-like sample yields superior results, with eight out of ten bins [$0 < z\leq 2.5$] meeting the Euclid requirement. To enhance the realism of our study, we morph our calibration sample to mimic the C3R2 survey in incremental steps. In this context, a maximum of six out of ten bins meet the requirement, strongly advocating the adoption of a redshift tomography defined by the photo-$z$s of individual galaxies rather than the commonly used mean spec-$z$ of SOM cells. To examine the impact on the expected biases for $Ω_{\text{m}}$, $σ_{8}$, and $Δw_{0}$ measured by Euclid, we perform a Fisher forecast for cosmic shear only, based on our redshift uncertainties. Here, we find that even under an evaluation of the uncertainty where the impact of the redshift bias is substantial, most absolute biases remain below 0.1$σ$ in the idealised scenario and below 0.3$σ$ in the more realistic case.

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arXiv2025

Stochastic star formation activity of galaxies within the first billion years probed by JWST

In this work, we aim at characterizing the burstiness level of high-redshift galaxy SFHs and its evolution. We implement a stochastic SFH in CIGALE using PSD, to estimate the burstiness level of star formation in galaxies at 6 6 galaxies, while smoother assumptions introduce biases when applied to galaxies with bursty star-formation activity. The assumed stochasticity level of the SFH also affects the constraints on galaxies' physical properties, including the main sequence. Successively assuming different levels of burstiness, we determined the best-suited SFH for each 6 10. Our results add further evidence that a combination with other mechanisms is likely responsible for the high-z UVLF. The stochastic SFH module is public as part of CIGALE version 2025.1.

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arXiv2025

Photometric Redshift Estimation for Rubin Observatory Data Preview 1 with Redshift Assessment Infrastructure Layers (RAIL)

We present the first systematic analysis of photometric redshifts (photo-z) estimated from the Rubin Observatory Data Preview 1 (DP1) data taken with the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) Commissioning Camera. Employing the Redshift Assessment Infrastructure Layers (RAIL) framework, we apply eight photo-z algorithms to the DP1 photometry, using deep ugrizy coverage in the Extended Chandra Deep Field South (ECDFS) field and griz data in the Rubin_SV_38_7 field. In the ECDFS field, we construct a reference catalog from spectroscopic redshift (spec-z), grism redshift (grism-z), and multiband photo-z for training and validating photo-z. Performance metrics of the photo-z are evaluated using spec-zs from ECDFS and Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument Data Release 1 samples. Across the algorithms, we achieve per-galaxy photo-z scatter of $σ_{\rm NMAD} \sim 0.03$ and outlier fractions around 10% in the 6-band data, with performance degrading at faint magnitudes and z>1.2. The overall bias and scatter of our machine-learning based photo-zs satisfy the LSST Y1 requirement. We also use our photo-z to infer the ensemble redshift distribution n(z). We study the photo-z improvement by including near-infrared photometry from the Euclid mission, and find that Euclid photometry improves photo-z at z>1.2. Our results validate the RAIL pipeline for Rubin photo-z production and demonstrate promising initial performance.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2025

MIDIS. Near-infrared rest-frame morphology of massive galaxies at $3<z<5$ in the Hubble eXtreme Deep Field

Thanks to decades of observations using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the structure of galaxies at redshift $z>2$ has been widely studied in the rest-frame ultraviolet regime, which traces recent star formation from young stellar populations. But, we still have little information about the spatial distribution of the older, more evolved stellar populations, constrained by the rest-frame infrared portion of the galaxies' spectral energy distribution. We present the morphological characterization of a sample of 49 massive galaxies ($\log(M_{\star}/M_{\odot})>9$) at redshift $3 3$ massive galaxies show a smooth distribution of their rest-infrared light, strongly supporting the increasing number of regular disk galaxies already in place at early epochs. On the contrary, the ultraviolet structure obtained from HST/WFC3 and JWST/NIRCam observations at $\sim1.5~μ$m is generally more irregular, catching the most recent episodes of star formation. Importantly, we find a segregation of morphologies across cosmic time, where galaxies at redshift $z>3.75$ show later-type morphologies compared to $z\sim3$ galaxies. These findings suggest a transition phase in galaxy assembly and central mass build-up, which is already taking place at $z\sim3-4$. The combined analysis of NIRCam and MIRI imaging datasets allows us to prove that the rest-frame near-infrared morphology of massive galaxies at cosmic noon is typical of compact disk galaxies with a smooth mass distribution.

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arXiv2025

Tracing High-z Galaxies in X-rays with JWST and Chandra

We leverage JWST data from the COSMOS-Web Survey in order to provide updated measurements on the auto-power spectrum of the now resolved Cosmic Infrared Background (CIB) and its coherence with the unresolved soft Cosmic X-ray Background (CXB) observed by Chandra at z > 6. Maps of the CIB in the F277W and F444W NIRCam filters are constructed with sources fainter than AB mag = 25 and cross-correlated with the CXB in the [0.5-2] keV band. We find that on scales between 1 and 1000'' the CIB-CXB cross-power in both NIRCam filters is statistically significant with signal-to-noise ratios (S/N) of 4.80 and 6.20 respectively from redshifts 0 < z < 13. In our high-z (6 < z < 13) interval we find coherence in both filters with a S/N of 7.32 and 5.39 respectively. These results suggest that there are X-ray emitting galaxies resolved by JWST, including star-forming galaxies (SFGs) and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We fit the large-scale biasing of the IR sources producing the CIB as a function of z with results consistent with prior measurements and place constraints on the CXB flux and biasing at low- and high-z. The CXB flux measurements presented in this study suggest that approximately 94% of the [0.5-2] keV CXB is resolved, and this value is consistent within 2$σ$ with the complete resolution of the [0.5-2] keV CXB.

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arXiv2025

COSMOS-Web: A history of galaxy migrations over the stellar mass-star formation rate plane

The stellar mass-star formation rate ($\mathrm{M_*}$-$\mathrm{SFR}$) plane is a fundamental diagnostic for distinguishing galaxy populations. However, the evolutionary pathways of galaxies within this plane across cosmic time remain poorly understood. This study aims to observationally characterize galaxy migration in the $\mathrm{M_*}$-$\mathrm{SFR}$ plane using reconstructed star formation histories (SFHs) of galaxies at $z < 4$. Our goal is to provide insights into the physical processes governing star formation and quenching. We analyze a sample of 299,131 galaxies at $z < 4$ from the COSMOS-Web NIRCam survey ($m_{\mathrm{F444W}} < 27$, 0.54 deg$^2$). Using non-parametric SFH modeling with CIGALE, we derive physical properties and reconstruct SFHs. To trace galaxy evolution, we define migration vectors, quantifying their direction ($Φ_{\mathrm{dt}}$ [deg]) and velocity norm ($r_{\mathrm{dt}}$ [dex/Gyr]) on the $\mathrm{M_*}$-$\mathrm{SFR}$ plane. The reliability of these vectors is assessed using the Horizon-AGN simulation. We find that main-sequence galaxies exhibit low-amplitude migration with scattered directions, suggesting oscillations within the main sequence. Their progenitors predominantly lie on the main sequence 1 Gyr earlier. Starburst galaxies show rapid mass assembly ($50\%$ within 350 Myr) and originate from the main sequence, while passive galaxies display uniformly declining SFHs. Massive passive galaxies emerge as early as $3.5 < z < 4$, increasing in number density over time. Only $<20\%$ of passive galaxies were starbursts 1 Gyr prior, indicating diverse quenching pathways. By reconstructing SFHs to $z < 4$, we present a coherent picture of galaxy migration in the $\mathrm{M_*}$-$\mathrm{SFR}$ plane, linking evolutionary phases to their star formation signatures.

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arXiv2025

Euclid Quick Data Release (Q1). Photometric redshifts and physical properties of galaxies through the PHZ processing function

The ESA Euclid mission will measure the photometric redshifts of billions of galaxies in order to provide an accurate 3D view of the Universe at optical and near-infrared wavelengths. Photometric redshifts are determined by the PHZ processing function on the basis of the multi-wavelength photometry of Euclid and ground-based observations. In this paper, we describe the PHZ processing used for the Euclid Quick Data Release, the output products, and their validation. The PHZ pipeline is responsible for the following main tasks: source classification into star, galaxy, and QSO classes based on photometric colours; determination of photometric redshifts and of physical properties of galaxies. The classification is able to provide a star sample with a high level of purity, a highly complete galaxy sample, and reliable probabilities of belonging to those classes. The identification of QSOs is more problematic: photometric information seems to be insufficient to accurately separate QSOs from galaxies. The performance of the pipeline in the determination of photometric redshifts has been tested using the COSMOS2020 catalogue and a large sample of spectroscopic redshifts. The results are in line with expectations: the precision of the estimates are compatible with Euclid requirements, while, as expected, a bias correction is needed to achieve the accuracy level required for the cosmological probes. Finally, the pipeline provides reliable estimates of the physical properties of galaxies, in good agreement with findings from the COSMOS2020 catalogue, except for an unrealistically large fraction of very young galaxies with very high specific star-formation rates. The application of appropriate priors is, however, sufficient to obtain reliable physical properties for those problematic objects. We present several areas for improvement for future Euclid data releases.

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arXiv2025

Testing for Intrinsic Type Ia Supernova Luminosity Evolution at z>2 with JWST

The James Webb Space Telescope} (JWST) is opening new frontiers of transient discovery and follow-up at high-redshift. Here we present the discovery of a spectroscopically confirmed Type Ia supernova (SN Ia; SN $2023$aeax) at $z=2.15$ with JWST, including a NIRCam multi-band light curve. SN $2023$aeax lands at the edge of traditional low-$z$ cosmology cuts because of its blue color (peak rest-frame $B-V\sim-0.3$) but with a normal decline rate ($Δm_{15}(B)\sim1.25$), and applying a fiducial standardization with the BayeSN model we find the SN $2023$aeax luminosity distance is in $\sim0.1σ$ agreement with $Λ$CDM. SN $2023$aeax is only the second spectroscopically confirmed SN Ia in the dark matter-dominated Universe at $z>2$ (the other is SN $2023$adsy), giving it rare leverage to constrain any potential evolution in SN Ia standardized luminosities. Similar to SN $2023$adsy ($B-V\sim0.8)$, SN $2023$aeax has a fairly extreme (but opposite) color, which may be due to the small sample size or a secondary factor, such as host galaxy properties. Nevertheless, the SN $2023$aeax spectrum is well-represented by normal low-$z$ SN Ia spectra and we find no definitive evolution in SN Ia standardization with redshift. Still, the first two spectroscopically confirmed $z>2$ SNe Ia have peculiar colors and combine for a $\sim1σ$ distance slope relative to $Λ$CDM, though in agreement with recent SN Ia cosmological measurements.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

COSMOS-Web: The emergence of the Hubble Sequence

Leveraging the wide area coverage of the COSMOS-Web survey, we quantify the abundance of different morphological types from $z\sim 7$ with unprecedented statistics and establish robust constraints on the epoch of emergence of the Hubble sequence. We measure the global (spheroids, disk-dominated, bulge-dominated, peculiar) and resolved (stellar bars) morphologies for about 400,000 galaxies down to F150W=27 using deep learning, representing a two-orders-of-magnitude increase over previous studies. We then provide reference Stellar Mass Functions (SMFs) of different morphologies between $z\sim 0.2$ and $z\sim 7$ and best-fit parameters to inform models of galaxy formation. All catalogs and data are made publicly available. (a)At redshift z > 4.5, the massive galaxy population ($\log M_*/M_\odot>10$) is dominated by disturbed morphologies (~70%) -- even in the optical rest frame -- and very compact objects (~30%) with effective radii smaller than ~500pc. This confirms that a significant fraction of the star formation at cosmic dawn occurs in very dense regions, although the stellar mass for these systems could be overestimated.(b)Galaxies with Hubble-type morphologies -- including bulge and disk-dominated galaxies -- arose rapidly around $z\sim 4$ and dominate the morphological diversity of massive galaxies as early as $z\sim 3$. (c)Using stellar bars as a proxy, we speculate that stellar disks in massive galaxies might have been common (>50%) among the star-forming population since cosmic noon ($z\sim2$-2.5) and formed as early as $z\sim 7$ (d)Massive quenched galaxies are predominantly bulge-dominated from z~4 onward, suggesting that morphological transformations briefly precede or are simultaneous to quenching mechanisms at the high-mass end. (e) Low-mass ($\log M_*/M_\odot<10$) quenched galaxies are typically disk-dominated, pointing to different quenching routes in the two ends of the stellar mass spectrum from cosmic dawn.

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