The evolution of the galaxy UV luminosity function at redshifts z ~ 8-15 from deep JWST and ground-based near-infrared imaging

C. T. Donnan; D. J. McLeod; J. S. Dunlop; R. J. McLure; A. C. Carnall; R. Begley; F. Cullen; M. L. Hamadouche; R. A. A. Bowler; D. Magee; H. J. McCracken; B. Milvang-Jensen; A. Moneti; T. Targett

doi:10.1093/mnras/stac3472

The evolution of the galaxy UV luminosity function at redshifts z ~ 8-15 from deep JWST and ground-based near-infrared imaging

C. T. Donnan^*, D. J. McLeod, J. S. Dunlop, R. J. McLure, A. C. Carnall, R. Begley, F. Cullen, M. L. Hamadouche, R. A. A. Bowler, D. Magee, H. J. McCracken, B. Milvang-Jensen, A. Moneti, T. Targett

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract / Description of output

We reduce and analyse the available JWST ERO and ERS NIRCam imaging (SMACS0723, GLASS, CEERS) in combination with the latest deep ground-based near-infrared imaging in the COSMOS field (provided by UltraVISTA DR5) to produce a new measurement of the evolving galaxy UV luminosity function (LF) over the redshift range z = 8 − 15. This yields a new estimate of the evolution of UV luminosity density (ρ_UV), and hence cosmic star formation rate density (ρ_SFR) out to within <300 Myr of the Big Bang. Our results confirm that the high-redshift LF is best described by a double power law (rather than a Schechter) function up to z ∼ 10, and that the LF and the resulting derived ρ_UV (and thus ρ_SFR), continues to decline gradually and steadily up to z ∼ 15 (as anticipated from previous studies which analysed the pre-existing data in a consistent manner to this study). We provide details of the 61 high-redshift galaxy candidates, 47 of which are new, that have enabled this new analysis. Our sample contains 6 galaxies at z ≥ 12, one of which appears to set a new redshift record as an apparently robust galaxy candidate at z ≃ 16.4, the properties of which we therefore consider in detail. The advances presented here emphasize the importance of achieving high dynamic range in studies of early galaxy evolution, and re-affirm the enormous potential of forthcoming larger JWST programmes to transform our understanding of the young Universe.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	6011-6040
Number of pages	30
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	518
Issue number	4
Early online date	23 Nov 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac3472
Publication status	Published - 1 Feb 2023

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

galaxies: evolution
galaxies: formation
galaxies: high-redshift

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10.1093/mnras/stac3472Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY)

2207.12356v3Accepted author manuscript, 5.69 MBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY)
stac3472Final published version, 6.75 MBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY)

https://arxiv.org/abs/2207.12356Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY)

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Donnan, C. T., McLeod, D. J., Dunlop, J. S., McLure, R. J., Carnall, A. C., Begley, R., Cullen, F., Hamadouche, M. L., Bowler, R. A. A., Magee, D., McCracken, H. J., Milvang-Jensen, B., Moneti, A., & Targett, T. (2023). The evolution of the galaxy UV luminosity function at redshifts z ~ 8-15 from deep JWST and ground-based near-infrared imaging. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society , 518(4), 6011-6040. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac3472

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title = "The evolution of the galaxy UV luminosity function at redshifts z ~ 8-15 from deep JWST and ground-based near-infrared imaging",

abstract = "We reduce and analyse the available JWST ERO and ERS NIRCam imaging (SMACS0723, GLASS, CEERS) in combination with the latest deep ground-based near-infrared imaging in the COSMOS field (provided by UltraVISTA DR5) to produce a new measurement of the evolving galaxy UV luminosity function (LF) over the redshift range z = 8 − 15. This yields a new estimate of the evolution of UV luminosity density (ρUV), and hence cosmic star formation rate density (ρSFR) out to within <300 Myr of the Big Bang. Our results confirm that the high-redshift LF is best described by a double power law (rather than a Schechter) function up to z ∼ 10, and that the LF and the resulting derived ρUV (and thus ρSFR), continues to decline gradually and steadily up to z ∼ 15 (as anticipated from previous studies which analysed the pre-existing data in a consistent manner to this study). We provide details of the 61 high-redshift galaxy candidates, 47 of which are new, that have enabled this new analysis. Our sample contains 6 galaxies at z ≥ 12, one of which appears to set a new redshift record as an apparently robust galaxy candidate at z ≃ 16.4, the properties of which we therefore consider in detail. The advances presented here emphasize the importance of achieving high dynamic range in studies of early galaxy evolution, and re-affirm the enormous potential of forthcoming larger JWST programmes to transform our understanding of the young Universe.",

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

author = "Donnan, {C. T.} and McLeod, {D. J.} and Dunlop, {J. S.} and McLure, {R. J.} and Carnall, {A. C.} and R. Begley and F. Cullen and Hamadouche, {M. L.} and Bowler, {R. A. A.} and D. Magee and McCracken, {H. J.} and B. Milvang-Jensen and A. Moneti and T. Targett",

note = "28 pages, 4 figures in main manuscript, accepted for publication in MNRAS. Updated zero-point corrections noted in Appendix C Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society.",

year = "2023",

month = feb,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1093/mnras/stac3472",

language = "English",

volume = "518",

pages = "6011--6040",

journal = "Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ",

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publisher = "Oxford University Press",

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Donnan, CT, McLeod, DJ, Dunlop, JS , McLure, RJ , Carnall, AC, Begley, R, Cullen, F, Hamadouche, ML, Bowler, RAA, Magee, D, McCracken, HJ, Milvang-Jensen, B, Moneti, A & Targett, T 2023, 'The evolution of the galaxy UV luminosity function at redshifts z ~ 8-15 from deep JWST and ground-based near-infrared imaging', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society , vol. 518, no. 4, pp. 6011-6040. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac3472

TY - JOUR

T1 - The evolution of the galaxy UV luminosity function at redshifts z ~ 8-15 from deep JWST and ground-based near-infrared imaging

AU - Donnan, C. T.

AU - McLeod, D. J.

AU - Dunlop, J. S.

AU - McLure, R. J.

AU - Carnall, A. C.

AU - Begley, R.

AU - Cullen, F.

AU - Hamadouche, M. L.

AU - Bowler, R. A. A.

AU - Magee, D.

AU - McCracken, H. J.

AU - Milvang-Jensen, B.

AU - Moneti, A.

AU - Targett, T.

N1 - 28 pages, 4 figures in main manuscript, accepted for publication in MNRAS. Updated zero-point corrections noted in Appendix C Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society.

PY - 2023/2/1

Y1 - 2023/2/1

N2 - We reduce and analyse the available JWST ERO and ERS NIRCam imaging (SMACS0723, GLASS, CEERS) in combination with the latest deep ground-based near-infrared imaging in the COSMOS field (provided by UltraVISTA DR5) to produce a new measurement of the evolving galaxy UV luminosity function (LF) over the redshift range z = 8 − 15. This yields a new estimate of the evolution of UV luminosity density (ρUV), and hence cosmic star formation rate density (ρSFR) out to within <300 Myr of the Big Bang. Our results confirm that the high-redshift LF is best described by a double power law (rather than a Schechter) function up to z ∼ 10, and that the LF and the resulting derived ρUV (and thus ρSFR), continues to decline gradually and steadily up to z ∼ 15 (as anticipated from previous studies which analysed the pre-existing data in a consistent manner to this study). We provide details of the 61 high-redshift galaxy candidates, 47 of which are new, that have enabled this new analysis. Our sample contains 6 galaxies at z ≥ 12, one of which appears to set a new redshift record as an apparently robust galaxy candidate at z ≃ 16.4, the properties of which we therefore consider in detail. The advances presented here emphasize the importance of achieving high dynamic range in studies of early galaxy evolution, and re-affirm the enormous potential of forthcoming larger JWST programmes to transform our understanding of the young Universe.

AB - We reduce and analyse the available JWST ERO and ERS NIRCam imaging (SMACS0723, GLASS, CEERS) in combination with the latest deep ground-based near-infrared imaging in the COSMOS field (provided by UltraVISTA DR5) to produce a new measurement of the evolving galaxy UV luminosity function (LF) over the redshift range z = 8 − 15. This yields a new estimate of the evolution of UV luminosity density (ρUV), and hence cosmic star formation rate density (ρSFR) out to within <300 Myr of the Big Bang. Our results confirm that the high-redshift LF is best described by a double power law (rather than a Schechter) function up to z ∼ 10, and that the LF and the resulting derived ρUV (and thus ρSFR), continues to decline gradually and steadily up to z ∼ 15 (as anticipated from previous studies which analysed the pre-existing data in a consistent manner to this study). We provide details of the 61 high-redshift galaxy candidates, 47 of which are new, that have enabled this new analysis. Our sample contains 6 galaxies at z ≥ 12, one of which appears to set a new redshift record as an apparently robust galaxy candidate at z ≃ 16.4, the properties of which we therefore consider in detail. The advances presented here emphasize the importance of achieving high dynamic range in studies of early galaxy evolution, and re-affirm the enormous potential of forthcoming larger JWST programmes to transform our understanding of the young Universe.

KW - galaxies: evolution

KW - galaxies: formation

KW - galaxies: high-redshift

U2 - 10.1093/mnras/stac3472

DO - 10.1093/mnras/stac3472

M3 - Article

SN - 0035-8711

VL - 518

SP - 6011

EP - 6040

JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

IS - 4

ER -

The evolution of the galaxy UV luminosity function at redshifts z ~ 8-15 from deep JWST and ground-based near-infrared imaging

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Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

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