Constraints on the Star Formation Efficiency of Galaxies During the Epoch of Reionization

Reionization is thought to have occurred in the redshift range of $6 < z < 9$, which is now being probed by both deep galaxy surveys and CMB observations. Using halo abundance matching over the redshift range $5<z<8$ and assuming smooth, continuous gas accretion, we develop a model for the star formation efficiency $f_{\star}$ of dark matter halos at $z>6$ that matches the measured galaxy luminosity functions at these redshifts. We find that $f_{\star}$ peaks at $\sim 30\%$ at halo masses $M \sim 10^{11}$--$10^{12}$~M$_\odot$, in qualitative agreement with its behavior at lower redshifts. We then investigate the cosmic star formation histories and the corresponding models of reionization for a range of extrapolations to small halo masses. We use a variety of observations to further constrain the characteristics of the galaxy populations, including the escape fraction of UV photons. Our approach provides an empirically-calibrated, physically-motivated model for the properties of star-forming galaxies sourcing the epoch of reionization. In the case where star formation in low-mass halos is maximally efficient, an average escape fraction $\sim0.1$ can reproduce the optical depth reported by Planck, whereas inefficient star formation in these halos requires either about twice as many UV photons to escape, or an escape fraction that increases towards higher redshifts. Our models also predict how future observations with JWST can improve our understanding of these galaxy populations.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS, minor modification

A minimalist feedback-regulated model for galaxy formation during the epoch of reionization

Near-infrared surveys have now determined the luminosity functions of galaxies at 6 ≲ z ≲ 8 to impressive precision and identified a number of candidates at even earlier times. Here, we develop a simple analytic model to describe these populations that allows physically motivated extrapolation to earlier times and fainter luminosities. We assume that galaxies grow through accretion on to dark matter haloes, which we model by matching haloes at fixed number density across redshift, and that stellar feedback limits the star formation rate. We allow for a variety of feedback mechanisms, including regulation through supernova energy and momentum from radiation pressure. We show that reasonable choices for the feedback parameters can fit the available galaxy data, which in turn substantially limits the range of plausible extrapolations of the luminosity function to earlier times and fainter luminosities: for example, the global star formation rate declines rapidly (by a factor of ∼20 from z = 6 to 15 in our fiducial model), but the bright galaxies accessible to observations decline even faster (by a factor ≳ 400 over the same range). Our framework helps us develop intuition for the range of expectations permitted by simple models of high-z galaxies that build on our understanding of ‘normal’ galaxy evolution. We also provide predictions for galaxy measurements by future facilities, including James Webb Space Telescope and Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope

Seen and unseen: bursty star formation and its implications for observations of high-redshift galaxies with JWST

Both observations and simulations have shown strong evidence for highly time-variable star formation in low-mass and/or high-redshift galaxies, which has important observational implications because high-redshift galaxy samples are rest-UV selected and therefore particularly sensitive to the recent star formation. Using a suite of cosmological "zoom-in" simulations at $z>5$ from the Feedback in Realistic Environments (FIRE) project, we examine the implications of bursty star formation histories for observations of high-redshift galaxies with JWST. We characterize how the galaxy observability depends on the star formation history. We also investigate selection effects due to bursty star formation on the physical properties measured, such as the gas fraction, specific star formation rate, and metallicity. We find the observability to be highly time-dependent for galaxies near the survey's limiting flux due to the SFR variability: as the star formation rate fluctuates, the same galaxy oscillates in and out of the observable sample. The observable fraction $f_\mathrm{obs} = 50\%$ at $z \sim 7$ and $M_{\star} \sim 10^{8.5}$ to $10^{9}\,M_{\odot}$ for a JWST/NIRCam survey reaching a limiting magnitude of $m^\mathrm{lim}_\mathrm{AB} \sim 29$-$30$, representative of surveys such as JADES and CEERS. JWST-detectable galaxies near the survey limit tend to have properties characteristic of galaxies in the bursty phase: on average, they show approximately 2.5 times higher cold, dense gas fractions and 20 times higher specific star formation rates at a given stellar mass than galaxies below the rest-UV detection threshold. Our study represents a first step in quantifying selection effects and the associated biases due to bursty star formation in studying high-redshift galaxy properties.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, resubmitted after incorporating referee's comments; analysis expanded to include more galaxies and some quantitative results correcte

A Self-consistent Framework for Multiline Modeling in Line Intensity Mapping Experiments

Line intensity mapping (LIM) is a promising approach to study star formation and the interstellar medium (ISM) in galaxies by measuring the aggregate line emission from the entire galaxy population. In this work, we develop a simple yet physically motivated framework for modeling the line emission as would be observed in LIM experiments. It is done by building on analytic models of the cosmic infrared background that connect total infrared luminosity of galaxies to their host dark matter halos. We present models of the H I 21 cm, CO (1−0), [C II] 158 μm, and [N II] 122 and 205 μm lines consistent with current observational constraints. With four case studies of various combinations of these lines that probe different ISM phases, we demonstrate the potential for reliably extracting physical properties of the ISM, and the evolution of these properties with cosmic time, from auto- and cross-correlation analysis of these lines as measured by future LIM experiments

Probing bursty star formation by cross-correlating extragalactic background light and galaxy surveys

Understanding the star formation rate (SFR) variability and how it depends on physical properties of galaxies is important for developing and testing the theory of galaxy formation. We investigate how statistical measurements of the extragalactic background light (EBL) can shed light on this topic and complement traditional methods based on observations of individual galaxies. Using semi-empirical models of galaxy evolution and SFR indicators sensitive to different star formation timescales (e.g., H$\alpha$ and UV continuum luminosities), we show that the SFR variability, quantified by the joint probability distribution of the SFR indicators (i.e., the bivariate conditional luminosity function), can be characterized as a function of galaxy mass and redshift through the cross-correlation between deep, near-infrared maps of the EBL and galaxy distributions. As an example, we consider combining upcoming SPHEREx maps of the EBL with galaxy samples from Rubin/LSST. We demonstrate that their cross-correlation over a sky fraction of $f_\mathrm{sky}\sim0.5$ can constrain the joint SFR indicator distribution at high significance up to $z\sim2.5$ for mass-complete samples of galaxies down to $M_{*}\sim10^9\,M_{\odot}$. These constraints not only allow models of different SFR variability to be distinguished, but also provide unique opportunities to investigate physical mechanisms that require large number statistics such as environmental effects. The cross-correlations investigated illustrate the power of combining cosmological surveys to extract information inaccessible from each data set alone, while the large galaxy populations probed capture ensemble-averaged properties beyond the reach of targeted observations towards individual galaxies.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, MNRAS accepte

The Early Universe was Dust-Rich and Extremely Hot

We investigate the dust properties and star-formation signature of galaxies in the early universe by stacking 111,227 objects in the recently released COSMOS catalogue on maps at wavelengths bracketing the peak of warmed dust emission. We find an elevated far-infrared luminosity density to redshift 10, indicating abundant dust in the early universe. We further find an increase of dust temperature with redshift, reaching ~ 119 +- 7 K at z ~ 9, suggesting either the presence of silicate rich dust originating from Population II stars, or sources of heating beyond simply young hot stars. Lastly, we try to understand how these objects have been missed in previous surveys, and how to design observations to target them. All code, links to the data, and instructions to reproduce this research in full is located at https://github.com/marcoviero/simstack3/

Bursty Star Formation Naturally Explains the Abundance of Bright Galaxies at Cosmic Dawn

Recent discoveries of a significant population of bright galaxies at cosmic dawn $\left(z \gtrsim 10\right)$ have enabled critical tests of cosmological galaxy formation models. In particular, the bright end of the galaxy UV luminosity function (UVLF) appears higher than predicted by many models. Using approximately 25,000 galaxy snapshots at $8 \leq z \leq 12$ in a suite of FIRE-2 cosmological "zoom-in'' simulations from the Feedback in Realistic Environments (FIRE) project, we show that the observed abundance of UV-bright galaxies at cosmic dawn is reproduced in these simulations with a multi-channel implementation of standard stellar feedback processes, without any fine-tuning. Notably, we find no need to invoke previously suggested modifications such as a non-standard cosmology, a top-heavy stellar initial mass function, or a strongly enhanced star formation efficiency. We contrast the UVLFs predicted by bursty star formation in these original simulations to those derived from star formation histories (SFHs) smoothed over prescribed timescales (e.g., 100 Myr). The comparison demonstrates that the strongly time-variable SFHs predicted by the FIRE simulations play a key role in correctly reproducing the observed, bright-end UVLFs at cosmic dawn: the bursty SFHs induce order-or-magnitude changes in the abundance of UV-bright ($M_\mathrm{UV} \lesssim -20$) galaxies at $z \gtrsim 10$. The predicted bright-end UVLFs are consistent with both the spectroscopically confirmed population and the photometrically selected candidates. We also find good agreement between the predicted and observationally inferred integrated UV luminosity densities, which evolve more weakly with redshift in FIRE than suggested by some other models.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures + 1 table, submitted to ApJ

A minimalist feedback-regulated model for galaxy formation during the epoch of reionization

Near-infrared surveys have now determined the luminosity functions of galaxies at 6 ≲ z ≲ 8 to impressive precision and identified a number of candidates at even earlier times. Here, we develop a simple analytic model to describe these populations that allows physically motivated extrapolation to earlier times and fainter luminosities. We assume that galaxies grow through accretion on to dark matter haloes, which we model by matching haloes at fixed number density across redshift, and that stellar feedback limits the star formation rate. We allow for a variety of feedback mechanisms, including regulation through supernova energy and momentum from radiation pressure. We show that reasonable choices for the feedback parameters can fit the available galaxy data, which in turn substantially limits the range of plausible extrapolations of the luminosity function to earlier times and fainter luminosities: for example, the global star formation rate declines rapidly (by a factor of ∼20 from z = 6 to 15 in our fiducial model), but the bright galaxies accessible to observations decline even faster (by a factor ≳ 400 over the same range). Our framework helps us develop intuition for the range of expectations permitted by simple models of high-z galaxies that build on our understanding of ‘normal’ galaxy evolution. We also provide predictions for galaxy measurements by future facilities, including James Webb Space Telescope and Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope