Hubble space telescope imaging of Lyα emission at z ≈ 4.4

Steven L. Finkelstein; Seth H. Cohen; Rogier Windhorst; Russell E. Ryan; Nimish P. Hathi; Keely D. Finkelstein; Jay Anderson; Norman A. Grogin; Anton M. Koekemoer; Sangeeta Malhotra; Max Mutchler; James E. Rhoads; Patrick J. McCarthy; Robert W. O'Connell; Bruce Balick; Howard E. Bond; Daniela Calzetti; Michael J. Disney; Michael A. Dopita; Jay A. Frogel; Donald N B Hall; Jon A. Holtzman; Randy A. Kimble; Gerard Luppino; Francesco Paresce; Abhijit Saha; Joseph I. Silk; John T. Trauger; Alistair R. Walker; Bradley C. Whitmore; Erick T. Young

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/735/1/5

Hubble space telescope imaging of Lyα emission at z ≈ 4.4

Steven L. Finkelstein, Seth H. Cohen, Rogier Windhorst, Russell E. Ryan, Nimish P. Hathi, Keely D. Finkelstein, Jay Anderson, Norman A. Grogin, Anton M. Koekemoer, Sangeeta Malhotra, Max Mutchler, James E. Rhoads, Patrick J. McCarthy, Robert W. O'Connell, Bruce Balick, Howard E. Bond, Daniela Calzetti, Michael J. Disney, Michael A. Dopita, Jay A. FrogelDonald N B Hall, Jon A. Holtzman, Randy A. Kimble, Gerard Luppino, Francesco Paresce, Abhijit Saha, Joseph I. Silk, John T. Trauger, Alistair R. Walker, Bradley C. Whitmore, Erick T. Young

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32 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present the highest redshift detections of resolved Lyα emission, using Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/Advanced Camera for Surveys F658N narrowband-imaging data taken in parallel with the Wide Field Camera 3 Early Release Science program in the GOODS Chandra Deep Field-South. We detect Lyα emission from three spectroscopically confirmed z = 4.4 Lyα emitting galaxies (LAEs), more than doubling the sample of LAEs with resolved Lyα emission. Comparing the light distribution between the rest-frame ultraviolet continuum and narrowband images, we investigate the escape of Lyα photons at high redshift. While our data do not support a positional offset between the Lyα and rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) continuum emission, the half-light radius in one out of the three galaxies is significantly (>1σ) larger in Lyα than in the rest-frame UV continuum. Stacking the three LAEs in both the narrowband and UV continuum images, we find that the Lyα light appears larger than the rest-frame UV at 4.2σ significance. This Lyα flux detected with HST is a factor of 4-10 less than observed in similar filters from the ground. These results together imply that the Lyα emission is not strictly confined to its indigenous star-forming regions. Rather, for at least one object the Lyα emission is more extended, with the missing HST flux possibly existing in a diffuse outer halo. This suggests that the radiative transfer of Lyα photons in high-redshift LAEs is complicated, with the interstellar-medium geometry and/or outflows playing a significant role in galaxies at these redshifts.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	5
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	735
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/735/1/5
State	Published - Jul 1 2011

Keywords

galaxies: ISM
galaxies: evolution
galaxies: high-redshift

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1088/0004-637X/735/1/5

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Finkelstein, S. L., Cohen, S. H., Windhorst, R., Ryan, R. E., Hathi, N. P., Finkelstein, K. D., Anderson, J., Grogin, N. A., Koekemoer, A. M., Malhotra, S., Mutchler, M., Rhoads, J. E., McCarthy, P. J., O'Connell, R. W., Balick, B., Bond, H. E., Calzetti, D., Disney, M. J., Dopita, M. A., ... Young, E. T. (2011). Hubble space telescope imaging of Lyα emission at z ≈ 4.4. Astrophysical Journal, 735(1), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/735/1/5

Finkelstein, SL, Cohen, SH, Windhorst, R, Ryan, RE, Hathi, NP, Finkelstein, KD, Anderson, J, Grogin, NA, Koekemoer, AM, Malhotra, S, Mutchler, M, Rhoads, JE, McCarthy, PJ, O'Connell, RW, Balick, B, Bond, HE, Calzetti, D, Disney, MJ, Dopita, MA, Frogel, JA, Hall, DNB, Holtzman, JA, Kimble, RA, Luppino, G, Paresce, F, Saha, A, Silk, JI, Trauger, JT, Walker, AR, Whitmore, BC & Young, ET 2011, 'Hubble space telescope imaging of Lyα emission at z ≈ 4.4', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 735, no. 1, 5. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/735/1/5

@article{c293cc1e89fb47f5936a5e90c0874cf6,

title = "Hubble space telescope imaging of Lyα emission at z ≈ 4.4",

abstract = "We present the highest redshift detections of resolved Lyα emission, using Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/Advanced Camera for Surveys F658N narrowband-imaging data taken in parallel with the Wide Field Camera 3 Early Release Science program in the GOODS Chandra Deep Field-South. We detect Lyα emission from three spectroscopically confirmed z = 4.4 Lyα emitting galaxies (LAEs), more than doubling the sample of LAEs with resolved Lyα emission. Comparing the light distribution between the rest-frame ultraviolet continuum and narrowband images, we investigate the escape of Lyα photons at high redshift. While our data do not support a positional offset between the Lyα and rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) continuum emission, the half-light radius in one out of the three galaxies is significantly (>1σ) larger in Lyα than in the rest-frame UV continuum. Stacking the three LAEs in both the narrowband and UV continuum images, we find that the Lyα light appears larger than the rest-frame UV at 4.2σ significance. This Lyα flux detected with HST is a factor of 4-10 less than observed in similar filters from the ground. These results together imply that the Lyα emission is not strictly confined to its indigenous star-forming regions. Rather, for at least one object the Lyα emission is more extended, with the missing HST flux possibly existing in a diffuse outer halo. This suggests that the radiative transfer of Lyα photons in high-redshift LAEs is complicated, with the interstellar-medium geometry and/or outflows playing a significant role in galaxies at these redshifts.",

keywords = "galaxies: ISM, galaxies: evolution, galaxies: high-redshift",

author = "Finkelstein, {Steven L.} and Cohen, {Seth H.} and Rogier Windhorst and Ryan, {Russell E.} and Hathi, {Nimish P.} and Finkelstein, {Keely D.} and Jay Anderson and Grogin, {Norman A.} and Koekemoer, {Anton M.} and Sangeeta Malhotra and Max Mutchler and Rhoads, {James E.} and McCarthy, {Patrick J.} and O'Connell, {Robert W.} and Bruce Balick and Bond, {Howard E.} and Daniela Calzetti and Disney, {Michael J.} and Dopita, {Michael A.} and Frogel, {Jay A.} and Hall, {Donald N B} and Holtzman, {Jon A.} and Kimble, {Randy A.} and Gerard Luppino and Francesco Paresce and Abhijit Saha and Silk, {Joseph I.} and Trauger, {John T.} and Walker, {Alistair R.} and Whitmore, {Bradley C.} and Young, {Erick T.}",

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doi = "10.1088/0004-637X/735/1/5",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "735",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Hubble space telescope imaging of Lyα emission at z ≈ 4.4

AU - Finkelstein, Steven L.

AU - Cohen, Seth H.

AU - Windhorst, Rogier

AU - Ryan, Russell E.

AU - Hathi, Nimish P.

AU - Finkelstein, Keely D.

AU - Anderson, Jay

AU - Grogin, Norman A.

AU - Koekemoer, Anton M.

AU - Malhotra, Sangeeta

AU - Mutchler, Max

AU - Rhoads, James E.

AU - McCarthy, Patrick J.

AU - O'Connell, Robert W.

AU - Balick, Bruce

AU - Bond, Howard E.

AU - Calzetti, Daniela

AU - Disney, Michael J.

AU - Dopita, Michael A.

AU - Frogel, Jay A.

AU - Hall, Donald N B

AU - Holtzman, Jon A.

AU - Kimble, Randy A.

AU - Luppino, Gerard

AU - Paresce, Francesco

AU - Saha, Abhijit

AU - Silk, Joseph I.

AU - Trauger, John T.

AU - Walker, Alistair R.

AU - Whitmore, Bradley C.

AU - Young, Erick T.

PY - 2011/7/1

Y1 - 2011/7/1

N2 - We present the highest redshift detections of resolved Lyα emission, using Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/Advanced Camera for Surveys F658N narrowband-imaging data taken in parallel with the Wide Field Camera 3 Early Release Science program in the GOODS Chandra Deep Field-South. We detect Lyα emission from three spectroscopically confirmed z = 4.4 Lyα emitting galaxies (LAEs), more than doubling the sample of LAEs with resolved Lyα emission. Comparing the light distribution between the rest-frame ultraviolet continuum and narrowband images, we investigate the escape of Lyα photons at high redshift. While our data do not support a positional offset between the Lyα and rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) continuum emission, the half-light radius in one out of the three galaxies is significantly (>1σ) larger in Lyα than in the rest-frame UV continuum. Stacking the three LAEs in both the narrowband and UV continuum images, we find that the Lyα light appears larger than the rest-frame UV at 4.2σ significance. This Lyα flux detected with HST is a factor of 4-10 less than observed in similar filters from the ground. These results together imply that the Lyα emission is not strictly confined to its indigenous star-forming regions. Rather, for at least one object the Lyα emission is more extended, with the missing HST flux possibly existing in a diffuse outer halo. This suggests that the radiative transfer of Lyα photons in high-redshift LAEs is complicated, with the interstellar-medium geometry and/or outflows playing a significant role in galaxies at these redshifts.

AB - We present the highest redshift detections of resolved Lyα emission, using Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/Advanced Camera for Surveys F658N narrowband-imaging data taken in parallel with the Wide Field Camera 3 Early Release Science program in the GOODS Chandra Deep Field-South. We detect Lyα emission from three spectroscopically confirmed z = 4.4 Lyα emitting galaxies (LAEs), more than doubling the sample of LAEs with resolved Lyα emission. Comparing the light distribution between the rest-frame ultraviolet continuum and narrowband images, we investigate the escape of Lyα photons at high redshift. While our data do not support a positional offset between the Lyα and rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) continuum emission, the half-light radius in one out of the three galaxies is significantly (>1σ) larger in Lyα than in the rest-frame UV continuum. Stacking the three LAEs in both the narrowband and UV continuum images, we find that the Lyα light appears larger than the rest-frame UV at 4.2σ significance. This Lyα flux detected with HST is a factor of 4-10 less than observed in similar filters from the ground. These results together imply that the Lyα emission is not strictly confined to its indigenous star-forming regions. Rather, for at least one object the Lyα emission is more extended, with the missing HST flux possibly existing in a diffuse outer halo. This suggests that the radiative transfer of Lyα photons in high-redshift LAEs is complicated, with the interstellar-medium geometry and/or outflows playing a significant role in galaxies at these redshifts.

KW - galaxies: ISM

KW - galaxies: evolution

KW - galaxies: high-redshift

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U2 - 10.1088/0004-637X/735/1/5

DO - 10.1088/0004-637X/735/1/5

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JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

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ER -

Hubble space telescope imaging of Lyα emission at z ≈ 4.4

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