arXiv subjects

Themiya Nanayakkara

Publications and source records attributed to Themiya Nanayakkara.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

MINERVA: A NIRCam Medium Band and MIRI Imaging Survey to Unlock the Hidden Gems of the Distant Universe

We present an overview of the MINERVA survey, a 259.8 hour (prime) and 127 hour (parallel) Cycle 4 treasury program on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). MINERVA is obtaining 8 filter NIRCam medium band imaging (F140M, F162M, F182M, F210M, F250M, F300M, F360M, F460M) and 2 filter MIRI imaging (F1280W, F1500W) in four of the five CANDELS Extragalactic fields: UDS, COSMOS, AEGIS and GOODS-N. These fields were previously observed in Cycle 1 with 7 - 9 NIRCam filters by the PRIMER, CEERS and JADES programs. MINERVA reaches a 5$σ$ depth of 28.1 mag in F300M and covers $\sim$ 542 arcmin$^2$, increasing the area of existing JWST medium-band coverage in at least 8 bands by $\sim$ 7$\times$. The MIRI imaging reaches a 5$σ$ depth of 23.9 mag in F1280W and covers $\sim$ 275 arcmin$^2$ in at least 2 MIRI filters. When combined with existing imaging, these data will provide a photometric catalog with 20-26 JWST filters (depending on field) and 26-35 filters total, including HST. This paper presents a detailed breakdown of the filter coverage, exposure times, and field layout relative to previous observations, as well as an overview of the primary science goals of the project. These include uncovering the physics of enigmatic sources hiding in current broadband catalogs, improving systematics on stellar mass functions and number densities by factors of $\gtrsim$ 3, and resolved mapping of stellar mass and star formation at 1 $< z <$ 6. When complete, MINERVA will become an integral part of the treasury deep field imaging datasets, significantly improving population studies with well-understood completeness, robust photometric redshifts, stellar masses, and sizes, and facilitating spectroscopic follow up for decades to come.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Spatially Resolving the Fundamental Elements of Reionization in Galaxies

Cosmic reionization marks a critical epoch when the first galaxies ionized the intergalactic medium through the escape of Lyman continuum (LyC) radiation. Young, massive star clusters are believed to be the primary LyC sources, yet the physical mechanisms enabling LyC escape remain poorly understood. Most existing studies rely on spatially integrated observations, which lack the resolution to resolve internal galaxy structure and pinpoint where and how LyC photons escape. To address this, we propose a science case for the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) that enables spatially resolved spectroscopy of LyC-emitting star clusters and their environments in low-redshift galaxies. This requires a UV integral field unit (IFU) with coverage down to ~ 900 Angstrom and a spatial resolution of 10-100 pc-capabilities essential for directly detecting LyC escape and mapping the surrounding interstellar medium. With such instrumentation, we will map cluster-scale LyC escape fractions, characterize the physical conditions of the surrounding interstellar medium, and directly observe feedback-driven outflows that facilitate LyC leakage. These observations will enable novel calibrations of indirect LyC indicators at unprecedented spatial resolution and establish direct connections between local LyC processes and those in high-redshift, clumpy star-forming galaxies. In the long run, this program will build the physical framework needed to understand how galaxies reionized the early universe and shaped its subsequent evolution.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Identifying the contributors to cosmic reionization with the Habitable World Observatory: LyC escape calibration in faint galaxies

Investigating how small-scale physical processes shape large-scale astrophysical phenomena is one of the key science themes of the Astro2020 decadal Survey. An example of this interplay is Cosmic Reionization, where ionizing photons from galaxies escaped into the intergalactic medium (IGM), driving its transition from neutral to ionized at $z>6$. Star-forming galaxies are thought to be the dominant sources of reionization. However, an open question remains as to whether bright or faint star-forming galaxies are the primary reionization contributors. This depends on the escape fraction $f_{~esc}^{LyC}$ -- the fraction of ionizing photons that successfully escape the galaxy's interstellar and circumgalactic medium to reach the IGM. Performing direct measurements of $f_{~esc}^{LyC}$ during the reionization epoch is not feasible, due to the near-zero transmission of the IGM at $z\gtrsim4$. However, by calibrating $f_{~esc}^{LyC}$ against indirect indicators (i.e. galaxy properties that correlate with $f_{~esc}^{LyC}$) at lower $z$, we can estimate its value in galaxies during reionization. Currently, $f_{~esc}^{LyC}$ calibrations are mostly limited to $\sim 90$ sources brighter $M_{UV} \sim -18$ at $z\sim0.3$. Yet, recent models suggest that fainter galaxies ($-19<M_{UV}<-13$) may be the major contributors to reionization. Our science goal is to extend $f_{~esc}^{LyC}$ calibrations to such faint magnitudes. With the Habitable Worlds Observatory, we aim to achieve a $\sim$ 20-fold increase in statistical power. Additionally, we plan to reach magnitudes as faint as 1/100 $L^*$ at $z\sim0.1$. Suitable targets will be selected from the upcoming Ultraviolet Explorer (UVEX) survey. Through this science case, we will be able to place robust constraints on the role of faint galaxies in the reionization of the Universe and identify its primary contributors.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

The GLASS-JWST Early Release Science Programme: The NIRISS Spectroscopic Catalogue

We present a spectroscopic redshift catalogue of sources in the Abell 2744 cluster field, derived from JWST/NIRISS observations taken as part of the GLASS-JWST Early Release Science programme. We describe the data reduction, contamination modelling and source detection, as well as the data quality assessment, redshift determination and validation. The catalogue consists of 354 secure and 134 tentative redshifts, of which 245 are new spectroscopic redshifts, spanning a range $0.1 \leq z \leq 8.2$. These include 17 galaxies at the cluster redshift, one galaxy at $z \approx 8$, and a triply-imaged galaxy at $z = 2.653 \pm 0.002$. Comparing against galaxies with existing spectroscopic redshifts $z_{\rm{spec}}$, we find a small offset of $Δz = (z_{\rm{spec}} - z_{\rm{NIRISS}} )/(1 + z_{\rm{spec}} ) = (1.3 \pm 1.6) \times 10^{-3}$. We also present a forced extraction tool (pygrife) and a visualisation tool (pygcg) to the community, to aid with the reduction and classification of grism data. This catalogue will enable future studies of the spatially-resolved properties of galaxies throughout cosmic noon, including dust attenuation and star formation. As a first application of the catalogue, we discuss the spectroscopic confirmation of multiple image systems, and the identification of multiple overdensities at $1 < z < 2.7$.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

JWST UNCOVERs the Optical Size - Stellar Mass Relation at $4<z<8$: Rapid Growth in the Sizes of Low Mass Galaxies in the First Billion Years of the Universe

We study the rest-frame optical and ultraviolet morphology of galaxies in the first billion years of the Universe. Using JWST data from the UNCOVER and MegaScience surveys targeting the lensing cluster Abell 2744 we present multi-band morphological measurements for a sample of 995 galaxies selected using 20-band NIRCam photometry and 35 using NIRSpec Prism spectroscopy over the redshift range of $4<z<8$. The wavelength-dependent morphology is measured using pysersic by simultaneously modeling the images in 6 NIRCam wide filters covering the rest-frame UV to optical. The joint modeling technique increases the precision of measured radii by 50\%. Galaxies in our sample show a wide range of Sersic indices, with no systematic difference between optical and UV morphology. We model the size-mass relation in a Bayesian manner using a continuity model to directly fit the redshift evolution while accounting for observational uncertainties. We find the average size of galaxies at $\log M_*/M_\odot=8.5$ grows rapidly, from 400 pc at $z=8$ to 830 pc at $z=4$. This is faster evolution than expected from power law scalings of the Hubble parameter or scale factor that describe well previous results at $z<2$. This suggests that different and/or much stronger processes affect low mass systems during the epoch of reionization. The measured logarithmic slope (0.25) and scatter (0.23 dex) are non-evolving. We discuss the remarkable consistency of the slope and scatter over cosmic time in the context of the galaxy-halo connection.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Population Models for Star Formation Timescales in Early Galaxies: The First Step Towards Solving Outshining in Star Formation History Inference

JWST have revealed temporarily-quenched and ultraviolet-luminous galaxies in the early universe, suggesting enhanced star formation stochasticity. Verifying this hypothesis is critical, yet challenging; outshining, wherein light from young stars dominates the spectral energy distribution, represents perhaps the greatest challenge in inferring the formation histories of unresolved galaxies. In this paper, we take a simple model of burstiness and show that state-of-the-art inference methods with flexible star formation histories (SFHs) and neutral priors, while recovering average star formation rates (SFRs; $\sim0.1$ dex median offset), fail to recover the complexities of fluctuations on tens of Myr timescales, and typically underestimate masses in bursty systems ($\sim0.15$ dex). Surprisingly, detailed SFH recovery is still sensitive to priors even when data quality is optimal, e.g., including high signal-to-noise ($\rm20~pixel^{-1}$) spectroscopy with wide coverage (rest-frame $0.12-1.06~μ$m). Crucially, however, refitting the same data with a prior correctly encoding the bursty expectation eliminates these biases: median offsets in mass and SFRs decrease to $\sim 0.04$ dex and $\sim 0.05$ dex, respectively. Under the assumption that current population burstiness predicts past SFH, the solution to outshining in modeling statistical samples is empirically measuring recent galaxy SFHs with population modeling. A prototype is H$α$/UV: while helpful, it is insufficient to constrain the expected complex burstiness. To this end, we introduce a more complete, quantitative population-level approach and demonstrate that it promises to recover the typical amplitude, timescale, and slope of the recent SFH to high accuracy. This approach thus has the strong potential to solve outshining using observations from JWST.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

UNCOVERing the High-redshift AGN Population among Extreme UV Line Emitters

JWST has revealed diverse new populations of high-redshift ($z\sim4-11$) AGN and extreme star-forming galaxies that challenge current models. In this paper, we use rest-frame UV emission-line diagnostics to identify AGN candidates and other exceptional ionizing sources, complementing previous studies predominantly focused on broad-line AGN. From a parent sample of 205 $\mathrm{z_{spec}}>3$ UNCOVER galaxies with NIRSpec/PRISM follow-up, we identify 12 C IV, He II, and C III] emitters. Three of these galaxies also exhibit clear N III] and/or N IV] lines. Leveraging the combined rest-optical and UV coverage of PRISM, we limit the emission-line model space using the sample's [O III]/H$β$ distribution, significantly decreasing the overlap between AGN and star-formation models in the UV diagnostics. We then find that the five He II emitters are the strongest AGN candidates, with further support from two [Ne V] detections and one X-ray detection from Chandra. Our Balmer line fits also reveal one new broad-line AGN at z=6.87. We cannot robustly quantify the AGN fraction in this sample, but we note that close to 20% of $\mathrm{M_{*}>2\times10^{9}\,M_{\odot}}$ parent sample galaxies are AGN candidates. The lower-mass line emitters, which are consistent with both AGN and star-forming photoionization models, have more compact sizes and higher specific star formation rates than the parent sample. Higher-resolution and deeper data on these UV line emitters should provide much stronger constraints on the obscured AGN fraction at $z > 3$.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Cosmography with the Double Source Plane Strong Gravitational Lens AGEL150745+052256

Strong gravitational lenses with two background sources at widely separated redshifts are a powerful and independent probe of cosmological parameters. We can use these systems, known as Double-Source-Plane Lenses (DSPLs), to measure the ratio ($β$) of angular-diameter distances of the sources, which is sensitive to the matter density ($Ω_m$) and the equation-of-state parameter for dark-energy ($w$). However, DSPLs are rare and require high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy for detection, lens modeling, and measuring $β$. Here we report only the second DSPL ever used to measure cosmological parameters. We model the DSPL AGEL150745+052256 from the ASTRO 3D Galaxy Evolution with Lenses (AGEL) survey using HST/WFC3 imaging and Keck/KCWI spectroscopy. The spectroscopic redshifts for the deflector and two sources in AGEL1507 are $z_{\rm defl}=0.594$, $z_{\rm S1}=2.163$, and $z_{\rm S2}=2.591$. We measure a stellar velocity dispersion of $σ_{\rm obs}=109 \pm 27$ km s$^{-1}$ for the nearer source. Using $σ_{\rm obs}$ for the main deflector (from literature) and S1, we test the robustness of our DSPL model. We measure $β=0.953^{+0.008}_{-0.010}$ for AGEL1507 and infer $Ω_{\rm m}=0.33^{+0.38}_{-0.23}$ for $Λ$CDM cosmology. Combining AGEL1507 with the published model of the Jackpot lens improves the precision on $Ω_{\rm m}$ ($Λ$CDM) and w (wCDM) by $\sim 10 \%$. The inclusion of DSPLs significantly improves the constraints when combined with Plancks cosmic microwave background observations, enhancing precision on w by $30 \%$. This paper demonstrates the constraining power of DSPLs and their complementarity to other standard cosmological probes. Tighter future constraints from larger DSPL samples discovered from ongoing and forthcoming large-area sky surveys would provide insights into the nature of dark energy.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

The AGEL Survey Data Release 2: A Gravitational Lens Sample for Galaxy Evolution and Cosmology

The ASTRO 3D Galaxy Evolution with Lenses (AGEL) Survey is an ongoing effort to spectroscopically confirm a diverse sample of gravitational lenses with high spatial resolution imaging, to facilitate a broad range of science outcomes. The AGEL systems span single galaxy-scale deflectors to groups and clusters, and include rare targets such as galaxy-scale lenses with multiple sources, lensed quiescent galaxies, and Einstein rings. We build on the 77 systems presented in Tran et al. 2022 (AGEL data release 1) to present a total 138 lenses, and high resolution F140W and F200LP Hubble Space Telescope images for 71 lenses from a completed HST SNAP program. Lens candidates were originally identified by convolutional neural networks in the DES and DECaLS imaging fields, and of the targets with follow-up spectroscopy we find a high (96%) success rate. Compared with other spectroscopic lens samples, AGEL lenses tend to have both higher redshift deflectors and sources. We briefly discuss the common causes of false-positive candidates, and strategies for mitigating false-positives in next generation lens searches. Lastly, we present 6 galaxy-scale double-source plane lenses useful for cosmological analyses. With next-generation telescopes and surveys such as Euclid, Vera Rubin's Legacy Survey of Space and Time, Keck Observatory's KAPA program, and 4MOST's 4SLSLS surveys on the horizon, the AGEL survey represents a pathfinder for refining automated candidate search methods and identifying and triaging candidates for followup based on scientific potential.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

PANORAMIC: Discovery of an Ultra-Massive Grand-Design Spiral Galaxy at $z\sim5.2$

We report the discovery of an ultra-massive grand-design red spiral galaxy, named Zhúlóng (Torch Dragon), at $z_{\rm phot} = 5.2^{+0.3}_{-0.2}$ in the JWST PANORAMIC survey, identified as the most distant bulge+disk galaxy candidate with spiral arms known to date. Zhúlóng displays an extraordinary combination of properties: 1) a classical bulge centered in a large, face-on exponential stellar disk (half-light radius of $R_{\rm e} = 3.7 \pm 0.1 \, \mathrm{kpc}$), with spiral arms extending across 19 kpc; 2) a clear transition from the red, quiescent core ($F150W-F444W=3.1$ mag) with high stellar mass surface density ($\log(ΣM_{\star}/M_{\odot} \, \mathrm{kpc}^{-2}) = 9.91_{-0.09}^{+0.11}$) to the star-forming outer regions, as revealed by spatially resolved SED analysis, which indicates significant inside-out galaxy growth; 3) an extremely high stellar mass at its redshift, with $\log (M_{\star}/M_{\odot})=11.03_{-0.08}^{+0.10}$ comparable to the Milky Way, and an implied baryon-to-star conversion efficiency ($ε\sim 0.3$) that is 1.5 times higher than even the most efficient galaxies at later epochs; 4) despite an active disk, a relatively modest overall star formation rate ($\mathrm{SFR} =66_{-46}^{+89} ~M_{\odot} \, \mathrm{yr}^{-1}$), which is $>$0.5 dex below the star formation main sequence at $z \sim 5.2$ and $>$10 times lower than ultra-massive dusty galaxies at $z=5-6$. Altogether, Zhúlóng shows that mature galaxies emerged much earlier than expected in the first billion years after the Big Bang through rapid galaxy formation and morphological evolution. Our finding offers key constraints for models of massive galaxy formation and the origin of spiral structures in the early universe.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

UNCOVERing the contribution of black holes to reionization in the JWST era

With its sensitivity in the rest-frame optical, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has uncovered active galactic nuclei (AGN), comprising both intrinsically faint and heavily reddened sources, well into the first billion years of the Universe, at $z \sim 4-11$. In this work, we revisit the AGN contribution to reionization given the high number densities associated with these objects. We use the DELPHI semi-analytic model, base-lined against the latest high-redshift datasets from the JWST and the Atacama Large millimetre Array (ALMA) to model early star forming galaxies and AGN. We calculate the escape fractions of ionizing radiation from both star formation and AGN and include the impact of reionization feeback in suppressing the baryonic content of low-mass galaxies in ionized regions. This model is validated against the key observables for star forming galaxy, AGN and reionization. In our {\it fiducial} model, reionization reaches its mid-point at $z \sim 6.9$ and ends by $z \sim 5.9$. Low stellar mass ($M_*\leq 10^9M_\odot$) star forming galaxies are found to be the key drivers of the reionization process, providing about $77\%$ of the total photon budget. Despite their high numbers, high accretion rates and higher escape fractions compared to star forming galaxies at $z \sim 5$, AGN only provide about $23\%$ of the total reionization budget which is dominated by black holes in high stellar mass systems (with $M_* \geq 10^9M_\odot$). This is because AGN number densities become relevant only at $z \leq 7$ - as a result, AGN contribute as much as galaxies as late as $z \sim 6.2$, when reionization is already in its end stages. Finally, we find that even contrasting models of the AGN ionizing photon escape fraction (increasing or decreasing with stellar mass) do not qualitatively change our results.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

The UNCOVER Survey: First Release of Ultradeep JWST/NIRSpec PRISM spectra for ~700 galaxies from z~0.3-13 in Abell 2744

We present the design and observations of low resolution JWST/NIRSpec PRISM spectroscopy from the Ultradeep NIRSpec and NIRCam ObserVations before the Epoch of Reionization (UNCOVER) Cycle 1 JWST Treasury program. Targets are selected using JWST/NIRCam photometry from UNCOVER and other programs, and cover a wide range of categories and redshifts to ensure the legacy value of the survey. These categories include the first galaxies at $z\gtrsim10$, faint galaxies during the Epoch of Reionization ($z\sim6-8$), high redshift AGN ($z\gtrsim6$), Population III star candidates, distant quiescent and dusty galaxies ($1\lesssim{}z\lesssim 6$), and filler galaxies sampling redshift--color--magnitude space from z~0.1-13. Seven NIRSpec MSA masks across the extended Abell 2744 cluster were observed, along with NIRCam parallel imaging in 8 filters (F090W, F115W, F150W, F200W, F277W, F356W, F410M, F444W, F480M) over a total area of ~26 arcmin$^2$, overlapping existing HST coverage from programs including the Hubble Frontier Fields and BUFFALO. We successfully observed 553 objects down to $m_{\mathrm{F444W}}\sim30\mathrm{AB}$, and by leveraging mask overlaps, we reach total on-target exposure times ranging from 2.4-16.7h. We demonstrate the success rate and distribution of confirmed redshifts, and also highlight the rich information revealed by these ultradeep spectra for a subset of our targets. An updated lens model of Abell 2744 is also presented, including 14 additional spectroscopic redshifts and finding a total cluster mass of $M_{\mathrm{SL}}=(2.1\pm0.3)\times10^{15}\,\mathrm{M}_{\odot}$. We publicly release reduced 1D and 2D spectra for all objects observed in Summer 2023 along with a spectroscopic redshift catalog and the updated lens model of the cluster (https://jwst-uncover.github.io/DR4.html).

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

The formation histories of massive and quiescent galaxies in the 3 < z < 4.5 Universe

We present the formation histories of 19 massive ($>3X10^{10}M_\odot$) quiescent (sSFR$<0.15Gyr^{-1}$) galaxy candidates at z~3.0-4.5 observed using JWST/NIRSpec. This completes the spectroscopic confirmation of the 24 K-selected quiescent galaxy sample from the ZFOURGE and 3DHST surveys (Schreiber et al. 2018a). Utilizing Prism $1-5μm$ spectroscopy, we confirm that all 12 sources that eluded confirmation by ground-based spectroscopy lie at z>3, resulting in a spectroscopically confirmed number density of $\sim1.4X10^{-5}Mpc^{-3}$ between $z\sim3-4$. Rest-frame U-V vs V-J color selections show high effectiveness in identifying quiescent galaxies, with a purity of~90%. Our analysis shows that parametric star-formation histories (SFHs) from FAST++ and binned SFHs from Prospector on average yield consistent results, revealing diverse formation and quenching times. The oldest galaxy formed $~6X10^{10}M_\odot$ by $z\sim10$ and has been quiescent for over 1 Gyr at z~3.2. We detect two galaxies with ongoing star formation and six with active galactic nuclei (AGN). We demonstrate that the choice of stellar population models, stellar libraries, and nebular or AGN contributions does not significantly affect the derived average SFHs of the galaxies. We demonstrate that extending spectral fitting beyond the rest-frame optical regime reduces the inferred average star formation rates in the earliest time bins of the SFH reconstruction. The assumed SFH prior influences the star formation rate at early times, where spectral diagnostic power is limited. Simulated z~3 quiescent galaxies from IllustrisTNG, SHARK, and Magneticum broadly match the average SFHs of the observed sample but struggle to capture the full diversity, particularly at early stages. Our results emphasize the need for mechanisms that rapidly build stellar mass and quench star formation within the first billion years of the Universe.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

The diverse star formation histories of early massive, quenched galaxies in modern galaxy formation simulations

We present a comprehensive study of the star formation histories of massive-quenched galaxies at $z=3$ in 3 semi-analytic models (SHARK, GAEA, GALFORM) and 3 cosmological hydrodynamical simulations (EAGLE, IllustrisTNG, Simba). We study the predicted number density and stellar mass function of massive-quenched galaxies, their formation and quenching timescales and star-formation properties of their progenitors. Predictions are disparate in all these diagnostics, for instance: (i) some simulations reproduce the observed number density of very massive-quenched galaxies ($>10^{11}\rm M_{\odot}$) but underpredict the high density of intermediate-mass ones, while others fit well the lower masses but underpredict the higher ones; (ii) In most simulations, except for GAEA and EAGLE, most massive-quenched galaxies had starburst periods, with the most intense ones happening at $4 300\rm M_{\odot}\,yr^{-1}$; (iii) quenching timescales are in the range $\approx 20-150$~Myr depending on the simulation; among other differences. These disparate predictions can be tied to the adopted Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) feedback model. For instance, the explicit black-hole (BH) mass dependence to trigger the "radio mode" in IllustrisTNG and Simba makes it difficult to produce quenched galaxies with intermediate stellar masses, also leading to higher baryon collapse efficiencies ($\approx 15-30$%); while the strong bolometric luminosity dependence of the AGN outflow rate in GAEA leads to BHs of modest mass quenching galaxies. Current observations are unable to distinguish between these different predictions due to the small sample sizes. However, these predictions are testable with current facilities and upcoming observations, allowing a "true physics experiment" to be carried out.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Age-dating early quiescent galaxies: high star-formation efficiency, but consistent with direct, higher-redshift observations

We present a detailed analysis of JWST/NIRSpec and NIRCam observations of ZF-UDS-7329, a massive, quiescent galaxy at redshift $z=3.2$, which has been put forward to challenge cosmology and galaxy formation physics. We study on the impact of different star formation history (SFH) priors, stellar libraries, metallicity, and initial mass function assumptions. Our results show that ZF-UDS-7329, with a formed stellar mass of $M_{\star} \approx 10^{11.4}~\mathrm{M}_{\odot}$ (surviving mass $M_{\star\mathrm{,surv}} \approx 10^{11.2}~\mathrm{M}_{\odot}$) and a specific star-formation rate of $\mathrm{sSFR} \approx 0.03$ Gyr$^{-1}$, formed efficiently in the first billion years of the Universe. In agreement with previous work, we find that the spectrum is consistent with mass-weighted stellar ages of $1.3-1.8$ Gyr, depending on the SFH prior used. A physically motivated rising SFH prior makes the formation history of ZF-UDS-7329 compatible with stellar mass and star-formation rate estimates of $z>6$ galaxies. Using NIRCam imaging, we identify a colour gradient indicative of an old, quiescent bulge and a younger disc component, as expected from a complex formation history. The inferred SFH is consistent a high stellar fraction of $f_{\star}=M_{\star}/(f_b \cdot M_{\rm h}) \approx 100\%$ at $z=7-12$, implying an extremely high integrated star-formation efficiency. However, when considering cosmic variance and possible mergers as expected in over-dense environments -- as traced by ZF-UDS-7329 -- the stellar fractions could be reduced to $f_{\star} \approx 50\%$, which is more consistent with galaxy formation models and the stellar-to-halo mass relation at lower redshifts. We conclude that ZF-UDS-7329 forms extremely efficient in the early universe, but does not necessitate unseen galaxies at higher redshifts since the inferred SFR of ancestors are consistent with those seen in $z>6$ galaxies.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

REBELS-IFU: Evidence for metal-rich massive galaxies at z~6-8

Metallicity is a crucial tracer of galaxy evolution, providing insights into gas accretion, star formation, and feedback. At high redshift, these processes reveal how early galaxies assembled and enriched their interstellar medium. In this work, we present rest-frame optical spectroscopy of 12 massive ($\log(M_*/\mathrm{M_{\odot}})>9$) galaxies at $z\sim 6$-$8$ from the REBELS ALMA large program, observed with JWST NIRSpec/IFU in the prism mode. These observations span emission lines from [OII]$λ$3727,9 to [SII]$λ$6716,31, providing key information on nebular dust attenuation, ionisation states, and chemical abundances. We find lower O32 ratios (average $\sim3.7$) and [OIII]$λ$5007 equivalent widths (average ${EW_{[OIII]}}\sim390$Å) than are generally found in existing large spectroscopic surveys at $z>6$, indicating less extreme ionising conditions. Strong-line diagnostics suggest that these systems are some of the most metal-rich galaxies observed at $z>6$ (average $Z_{\mathrm{gas}}\sim 0.4 Z_{\odot}$), including sources with near-solar oxygen abundances, in line with their high stellar masses (average $\log{M_*/\mathrm{M_{\odot}}}\sim9.5$). Supplementing with literature sources at lower masses, we investigate the mass-metallicity and fundamental metallicity relations (MZR and FMR, respectively) over a 4 dex stellar mass range at $6 3$ studies.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

UNCOVER: The rest ultraviolet to near infrared multiwavelength structures and dust distributions of sub-millimeter-detected galaxies in Abell 2744

With the wavelength coverage, sensitivity, and high spatial resolution of JWST, it is now possible to peer through the dust attenuation to probe the rest-frame near infrared (NIR) and stellar structures of extremely dusty galaxies at cosmic noon (z~1-3). In this paper we leverage the combined ALMA and JWST/HST coverage in Abell 2744 to study the multiwavelength (0.5-4.4$μ$m) structures of 11 sub-millimeter (sub-mm) detected galaxies at z~0.9-3.5 that are fainter than bright "classical" sub-mm galaxies (SMGs); 7 of which are detected in deep X-ray data. While these objects reveal a diversity of structures and sizes, all are smaller and more concentrated towards longer wavelengths. Of the X-ray-detected objects, only two show evidence for appreciable AGN flux contributions (at ${\gtrsim}$2$μ$m). Excluding the two AGN-dominated objects, the smaller long wavelength sizes indicate that their rest-frame NIR light profiles, inferred to trace their stellar mass profiles, are more compact than their optical profiles. The sub-mm detections and visible dust lanes suggest centrally-concentrated dust is a key driver of the observed color gradients. Further, we find that more concentrated galaxies tend to have lower size ratios (rest-frame NIR to optical); this suggests that the galaxies with the most compact light distributions also have the most concentrated dust. The 1.2mm flux densities and size ratios of these 9 objects suggest that both total dust quantity and geometry impact these galaxies' multiwavelength structures. Upcoming higher resolution 1.2mm ALMA imaging will facilitate joint spatially-resolved analysis and will directly test the dust distributions within this representative sub-mm population.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Exploring the spatially resolved initial mass function in SAMI star-forming galaxies

The initial mass function (IMF) is a construct that describes the distribution of stellar masses for a newly formed population of stars. It is a fundamental element underlying all of star and galaxy formation, and has been the subject of extensive investigation for more than 60 years. In the past few decades there has been a growing, and now substantial, body of evidence supporting the need for a variable IMF. In this light, it is crucial to investigate the IMF's characteristics across different spatial scales and to understand the factors driving its variability. We make use of spatially resolved spectroscopy to examine the high-mass IMF slope of star-forming galaxies within the SAMI survey. By applying the Kennicutt method and stellar population synthesis models, we estimated both the spaxel-resolved ($α_{res}$) and galaxy-integrated ($α_{int}$) high-mass IMF slopes of these galaxies. Our findings indicate that the resolved and integrated IMF slopes exhibit a near 1:1 relationship for $α_{int}> -2.7$. We observe a wide range of $α_{res}$ distributions within galaxies. To explore the sources of this variability, we analyse the relationships between the resolved and integrated IMF slopes and both the star formation rate (SFR) and SFR surface density ($Σ_{SFR}$). Our results reveal a strong correlation where flatter/steeper slopes are associated with higher/lower SFR and $Σ_{SFR}$. This trend is qualitatively similar for resolved and global scales. Additionally, we identify a mass dependency in the relationship with SFR, though none was found in the relation between the resolved slope and $Σ_{SFR}$. These findings suggest an scenario where the formation of high-mass stars is favoured in regions with more concentrated star formation. This may be a consequence of the reduced fragmentation of molecular clouds, which nonetheless accrete more material.

astro-ph.GA↗