Lack of influence of the environment in the earliest stages of massive galaxy formation

We investigate how the environment affects the assembly history of massive galaxies. For that purpose, we make use of SHARDS and HST spectro-photometric data, whose depth, spectral resolution, and wavelength coverage allow to perform a detailed analysis of the stellar emission as well as obtaining unprecedentedly accurate photometric redshifts. This expedites a sufficiently accurate estimate of the local environment and a robust derivation of the star formation histories of a complete sample of 332 massive galaxies ($\mathrm{>10^{10}M_{\odot}}$) at redshift $1\leq z \leq 1.5$ in the GOODS-N field. We find that massive galaxies in this redshift range avoid the lowest density environments. Moreover, we observed that the oldest galaxies in our sample with with mass-weighted formation redshift $\mathrm{\overline{z}_{M-w} \geq 2.5}$, avoid the highest density regions, preferring intermediate environments. Younger galaxies, including those with active star formation, tend to live in denser environments ($\Sigma = \mathrm{5.0_{1.1}^{24.8}\times 10^{10}M_{\odot}Mpc^{-2}}$). This behavior could be expected if those massive galaxies starting their formation first would merge with neighbors and sweep their environment earlier. On the other hand, galaxies formed more recently ($\overline{z}_{M-w} < 2.5$) are accreted into large scale structures at later times and we are observing them before sweeping their environment or, alternatively, they are less likely to affect their environment. However, given that both number and mass surface densities of neighbor galaxies is relatively low for the oldest galaxies, our results reveal a very weak correlation between environment and the first formation stages of the earliest massive galaxies.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA

SHARDS: constraints on the dust attenuation law of star-forming galaxies at z∼2

We make use of the Survey of High-z Absorption Red and Dead Sources, an ultradeep (<26.5AB) galaxy survey that provides optical photospectra at resolution R similar to 50, via medium-band filters (FWHM similar to 150 angstrom). This data set is combined with ancillary optical and NIR fluxes to constrain the dust attenuation law in the rest-frame NUV region of star-forming galaxies within the redshift window 1.5 < z < 3. We focus on the NUV bump strength (B) and the total-to-selective extinction ratio (R-V), targeting a sample of 1753 galaxies. By comparing the data with a set of population synthesis models coupled to a parametric dust attenuation law, we constrain R-V and B, as well as the colour excess, E(B - V). We find a correlation between R-V and B, which can be interpreted either as a result of the grain size distribution, or a variation of the dust geometry among galaxies. According to the former, small dust grains are associated with a stronger NUV bump. The latter would lead to a range of clumpiness in the distribution of dust within the interstellar medium of star-forming galaxies. The observed wide range of NUV bump strengths can lead to a systematic in the interpretation of the UV slope beta typically used to characterize the dust content. In this study, we quantify these variations, concluding that the effects are Delta beta similar to 0.4

The CANDELS/SHARDS multiwavelength catalog in GOODS-N: photometry, photometric redshifts, stellar masses, emission-line fluxes, and star formation rates

We present a WFC3 F160W (H-band) selected catalog in the CANDELS/GOODS-N field containing photometry from the ultraviolet (UV) to the far-infrared (IR), photometric redshifts, and stellar parameters derived from the analysis of the multiwavelength data. The catalog contains 35,445 sources over the 171 arcmin^(2) of the CANDELS F160W mosaic. The 5σ detection limits (within an aperture of radius 0”. 17) of the mosaic range between H = 27.8, 28.2, and 28.7 in the wide, intermediate, and deep regions, which span approximately 50%, 15%, and 35% of the total area. The multiwavelength photometry includes broadband data from the UV (U band from KPNO and LBC), optical (HST/ACS F435W, F606W, F775W, F814W, and F850LP), near-to-mid IR (HST/WFC3 F105W, F125W, F140W, and F160W; Subaru/MOIRCS Ks; CFHT/Megacam K; and Spitzer/IRAC 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8.0 μm), and far-IR (Spitzer/MIPS 24 μm, HERSCHEL/PACS 100 and 160 μm, SPIRE 250, 350 and 500 μm) observations. In addition, the catalog also includes optical medium-band data (R ∼ 50) in 25 consecutive bands, λ = 500–950 nm, from the SHARDS survey and WFC3 IR spectroscopic observations with the G102 and G141 grisms (R ∼ 210 and 130). The use of higher spectral resolution data to estimate photometric redshifts provides very high, and nearly uniform, precision from z = 0–2.5. The comparison to 1485 good-quality spectroscopic redshifts up to z ∼ 3 yields Δz/(1 + z_(spec)) = 0.0032 and an outlier fraction of η = 4.3%. In addition to the multiband photometry, we release value-added catalogs with emission-line fluxes, stellar masses, dust attenuations, UV- and IR-based star formation rates, and rest-frame colors

Optically-faint massive Balmer Break Galaxies at z>3 in the CANDELS/GOODS fields

We present a sample of 33 Balmer Break Galaxies (BBGs) selected as HST/F160W dropouts in the deepest CANDELS/GOODS fields ($H\gtrsim27.3$~mag) but relatively bright in {\it Spitzer}/IRAC ($[3.6],[4.5]<24.5$~mag), implying red colors (median and quartiles: $\langle H-[3.6]\rangle=3.1^{3.4}_{2.8}$\,mag). Half of these BBGs are newly identified sources. Our BBGs are massive ($\langle \log(\rm{M}/\rm{M}_\odot)\rangle=10.8$) high redshift ($\langle z\rangle=4.8$) dusty ($\langle \rm{A(V)}\rangle=2.0$~mag) galaxies. The SEDs of half of our sample indicate that they are star-forming galaxies with typical specific SFRs 0.5-1.0~Gyr$^{-1}$, qualifying them as main sequence (MS) galaxies at $3<z<6$. One third of those SEDs indicates the presence of prominent emission lines (H$\beta$+$[OIII]$, H$\alpha$$+$[NII]) boosting the IRAC fluxes and red colors. Approximately 20\% of the BBGs are very dusty ($\rm{A(V)}\sim2.5$~mag) starbursts with strong mid-to-far infrared detections and extreme SFRs ($\rm{SFR}>10^{3}\,\rm{M}_\odot/yr$) that place them above the MS. The rest, 30\%, are post-starbursts or quiescent galaxies located $>2\sigma$ below the MS with mass-weighted ages older than 700~Myr. Only 2 of the 33 galaxies are X-ray detected AGN with optical/near-infrared SEDs dominated by stellar emission, but the presence of obscured AGN in the rest of sources cannot be discarded. Our sample accounts for 8\% of the total number density of $\log(\rm{M}/\rm{M}_\odot)>10$ galaxies at $z>3$, but it is a significant contributor (30\%) to the general population of red $\log(\rm{M}/\rm{M}_\odot)>11$ galaxies at $4<z<6$. Finally, our results point out that 1 of every 30 massive $\log(\rm{M}/\rm{M}_\odot)>11$ galaxies in the local Universe was assembled in the first 1.5~Gyr after the Big Bang, a fraction that is not reproduced by state-of-the-art galaxy formation simulations.Comment: 38 pages, 18 figures, Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal 26/03/201

Probing the Star Formation Main Sequence down to 10810^{8} M⊙_\odot at 1.0<z<3.01.0<z<3.0

We investigate the star formation main sequence (MS) (SFR-M$_{\star}$) down to 10$^{8-9}\mathrm{M}_\odot$ using a sample of 34,061 newly-discovered ultra-faint ($27\lesssim i \lesssim 30$ mag) galaxies at $1<z<3$ detected in the GOODS-N field. Virtually these galaxies are not contained in previous public catalogs, effectively doubling the number of known sources in the field. The sample was constructed by stacking the optical broad-band observations taken by the HST/GOODS-CANDELS surveys as well as the 25 ultra-deep medium-band images gathered by the GTC/SHARDS project. Our sources are faint (average observed magnitudes $\sim28.2$ mag, $\sim27.9$ mag), blue (UV-slope $\sim-1.9$), star-forming (rest-frame colors $\sim0.10$ mag, $\sim0.17$ mag) galaxies. These observational characteristics are identified with young (mass-weighted age $\sim0.014$ Gyr) stellar populations subject to low attenuations ($\sim0.30$ mag). Our sample allows us to probe the MS down to $10^{8.0}\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$ at $z=1$ and $10^{8.5}\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$ at $z=3$, around 0.6 dex deeper than previous analysis. In the low-mass galaxy regime, we find an average value for the slope of 0.97 at $1<z<2$ and 1.12 at $2<z<3$. Nearly $\sim$60% of our sample presents stellar masses in the range $10^{6-8}$ M$_\odot$ between $1<z<3$. If the slope of the MS remained constant in this regime, the sources populating the low-mass tail of our sample would qualify as starburst galaxies.Comment: 34 pages, 16 figures, 9 tables. Accepted for publication to Ap

A duality in the origin of bulges and spheroidal galaxies

Studying the resolved stellar populations of the different structural components which build massive galaxies directly unveils their assembly history. We aim at characterizing the stellar population properties of a representative sample of bulges and pure spheroids in massive galaxies (M* > 10^(10) Mסּ ) in the GOODS-N field. We take advantage of the spectral and spatial information provided by SHARDS and HST data to perform the multi-image spectro-photometrical decoupling of the galaxy light. We derive the spectral energy distribution separately for bulges and disks in the redshift range 0.14 < z ≤1 with spectral resolution R ∼50. Analyzing these SEDs, we find evidences of a bimodal distribution of bulge formation redshifts. We find that 33% of them present old mass-weighted ages, implying a median formation redshift z_(form) = 6.2^(+1.5)_(−1.7). They are relics of the early Universe embedded in disk galaxies. A second wave, dominant in number, accounts for bulges formed at median redshift z_(form) = 1.3^(+0.6)_(−0.6). The oldest (1st-wave) bulges are more compact than the youngest. Virtually all pure spheroids (i.e., those without any disk) are coetaneous with the 2nd-wave bulges, presenting a median redshift of formation z_(form) = 1.1^(+0.3)_(−0.3). The two waves of bulge formation are not only distinguishable in terms of stellar ages, but also in star formation mode. All 1st-wave bulges formed fast at z ∼ 6, with typical timescales around 200 Myr. A significant fraction of the 2nd-wave bulges assembled more slowly, with star formation timescales as long as 1 Gyr. The results of this work suggest that the centers of massive disk-like galaxies actually harbor the oldest spheroids formed in the Universe

SHARDS frontier fields: physical properties of a low-mass Lyα emitter at z = 5.75

We analyze the properties of a multiply-imaged Lyman-alpha (Lya) emitter at z=5.75 identified through SHARDS Frontier Fields intermediate-band imaging of the Hubble Frontier Fields (HFF) cluster Abell 370. The source, A370-L57, has low intrinsic luminosity (M_UV~-16.5), steep UV spectral index (\beta=-2.4+/-0.1), and extreme rest-frame equivalent width of Lya (EW(Lya)=420+180-120 \AA). Two different gravitational lens models predict high magnification (\mu~10--16) for the two detected counter-images, separated by 7", while a predicted third counter-image (\mu~3--4) is undetected. We find differences of ~50% in magnification between the two lens models, quantifying our current systematic uncertainties. Integral field spectroscopy of A370-L57 with MUSE shows a narrow (FWHM=204+/-10 km/s) and asymmetric Lya profile with an integrated luminosity L(Lya)~10^42 erg/s. The morphology in the HST bands comprises a compact clump (r_e<100 pc) that dominates the Lya and continuum emission and several fainter clumps at projected distances <1 kpc that coincide with an extension of the Lya emission in the SHARDS F823W17 and MUSE observations. The latter could be part of the same galaxy or an interacting companion. We find no evidence of contribution from AGN to the Lya emission. Fitting of the spectral energy distribution with stellar population models favors a very young (t<10 Myr), low mass (M*~10^6.5 Msun), and metal poor (Z<4x10^-3) stellar population. Its modest star formation rate (SFR~1.0 Msun/yr) implies high specific SFR (sSFR~2.5x10^-7 yr^-1) and SFR density (Sigma_SFR ~ 7-35 Msun/yr/kpc^2). The properties of A370-L57 make it a good representative of the population of galaxies responsible for cosmic reionization.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in Ap

Las primeras galaxias masivas formadas en el Universo : selección y caracterización de galaxias ópticamente débiles e infrarrojas brillantes en los primeros 2 Gyr del Universo

Tesis inédita de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Departamento de Física de la Tierra y Astrofísica, leída el 28-07-2020The ultimate goal in galaxy studies is having a complete picture of galaxy formation and evolution across the history of the Universe. A robust determination of the abundance of massive (an even quiescent) galaxies at high redshift is essential to constrain current models of galaxy formation and alleviate the tension between existing models and observations. In this context, this Ph.D. Thesis addresses the challenge of studying the build-up of massive galaxies adding a new population of optically faint Balmer Break Galaxies (BBGs), which are bright at longer wave lengths, to the general population of massive galaxies at z È 3...El objetivo último de los estudios de galaxias es lograr una visión completa de la formación y evolución de las galaxias a lo largo de la historia del Universo. Determinar de forma robusta la abundancia de galaxias masivas (e incluso quiescentes) a alto desplazamiento al rojo es esencial para acotar los modelos existentes de formación de galaxias y mitigar la tensión existente entre los modelos y las observaciones. En este sentido, esta tesis doctoral aborda el reto de estudiar el ensamblado de las galaxias masivas añadiendo una nueva población de galaxias con discontinuidad de Balmer (BBG),débiles en longitudes ópticas y brillantes en longitudes de onda más largas, a la población general de galaxias masivas a z>3...Fac. de Ciencias FísicasTRUEunpu

Emission line galaxies in the SHARDS Hubble frontier fields. II. Limits on Lyman-continuum escape fractions of lensed emission line galaxies at redshifts 2<z<3.5

We present an investigation of escape fractions of UV photons from a unique sample of lensed low-mass emission line–selected galaxies at z < 3.5 found in the SHARDS Hubble Frontier Fields medium-band survey. We have used this deep imaging survey to locate 42 relatively low-mass galaxies down to log (M_(*)/M_(ꙩ))= 7 in the redshift range 2.4 <z<3.5 that are candidate line emitters. Using deep multiband Hubble UVIS imaging, we investigate the flux of escaping ionizing photons from these systems, obtaining 1σ upper limits of f^(rel)_(esc) ∼ 7% for individual galaxies and <2% for stacked data. We measure potential escaping Lyman-continuum flux for two low-mass line emitters with values at f^(rel)_(esc) = 0.032^(+0.081)_(-0.009) and 0.021^(+0.101)_(-0.006), both detected at the ∼3.2σ level. A detailed analysis of possible contamination reveals a <0.1% probability that these detections result from line-of-sight contamination. The relatively low Lyman-continuum escape fraction limit and the low fraction of systems detected are an indication that low-mass line-emitting galaxies may not be as important a source of reionization as hoped if these are analogs of reionization sources. We also investigate the structures of our galaxy sample, finding no evidence for a correlation of escape fraction with asymmetric structure