Abstract
We report a search for z ∼ 6.96 Lyα emitters (LAEs) using a narrowband filter, centered at 9680 Å with the Inamori-Magellan Area Camera and Spectrograph instrument on the Magellan telescope at Las Campanas Observatory. We obtain a sample of six LAE candidates of luminosity ∼10 42 erg s-1 in a total area of 465 arcmin2 corresponding to a comoving volume of ∼72,000 Mpc3. From this result, we derive a Lyα luminosity function (LF) at z ∼6.96 and compare our sample with the only z ∼6.96 LAE spectroscopically confirmed to date. We find no evolution between the z = 5.7 and z ∼7 Lyα LFs if a majority of our candidates are confirmed. Spectroscopic confirmation for this sample will enable more robust conclusions.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 101 |
Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
Volume | 741 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 10 2011 |
Keywords
- early universe
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science