296 research outputs found
Lyman alpha emitting and related star-forming galaxies at high redshift
I provide an overview about star-forming galaxies at high redshift and their
physical properties. Starting from the populations of Ly- emitters and
Lyman break galaxies, I summarize their common features and distinction. Then I
summarize recent insight onto their physical properties gained from SED models
including nebular emission, and various implications from these studies on the
properties of star-formation at high redshift. Finally, I present new results
and an overview on the dust content and UV attenuation of galaxies
obtained from IRAM and ALMA observations.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures. To appear in "LESSONS FROM THE LOCAL GROUP - A
Conference in Honour of David Block and Bruce Elmegreen", eds. Freeman, K.C.,
Elmegreen, B.G., Block, D.L. & Woolway, M. (SPRINGER: NEW YORK
The importance of nebular emission for SED modeling of distant star-forming galaxies
We highlight and discuss the importance of accounting for nebular emission in
the SEDs of high redshift galaxies, as lines and continuum emission can
contribute significantly or subtly to broad-band photometry. Physical
parameters such as the galaxy age, mass, star-formation rate, dust attenuation
and others inferred from SED fits can be affected to different extent by the
treatment of nebular emission.
We analyse a large sample of Lyman break galaxies from z~3-6, and show some
main results illustrating e.g. the importance of nebular emission for
determinations of the mass-SFR relation, attenuation and age. We suggest that a
fairly large scatter in such relations could be intrinsic. We find that the
majority of objects (~60-70%) is better fit with SEDs accounting for nebular
emission; the remaining galaxies are found to show relatively weak or no
emission lines. Our modeling, and supporting empirical evidence, suggests the
existence of two categories of galaxies, "starbursts" and "post-starbursts"
(lower SFR and older galaxies) among the LBG population, and relatively short
star-formation timescales.Comment: To appear in IAU Symp. 284, The Spectral Energy Distribution of
Galaxies, Preston (UK), September 2011, eds. R. J. Tuffs and C. C. Popesc
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