New star-forming galaxies at z≈ 7 from Wide Field Camera Three imaging
Abstract
The addition of Wide Field Camera Three on the Hubble Space Telescope has led to a dramatic increase in our ability to study the z > 6 Universe. The improvement in the near-infrared (NIR) sensitivity of WFC3 over previous instruments has enabled us to reach apparent magnitudes approaching 29 (AB). This allows us to probe the rest-frame UV continuum, redshifted into the NIR at z > 6. Taking advantage of the large optical depths of the intergalactic medium at this redshift, resulting in the Lyman α break, we use a combination of WFC3 imaging and pre-existing Advanced Camera for Surveys imaging to search for z≈ 7 galaxies over four fields in and around Great Observatories Origins Survey-South (GOODS-S). Our analysis reveals 29 new z≈ 7 star-forming galaxy candidates in addition to 15 pre-existing candidates already discovered in these fields. The improved statistics from our doubling of the robust sample of z-drop candidates confirms the previously observed evolution of the bright end of the luminosity function.
- Publication:
-
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Pub Date:
- February 2011
- DOI:
- 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.17626.x
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1002.4866
- Bibcode:
- 2011MNRAS.411...23W
- Keywords:
-
- galaxies: evolution;
- galaxies: formation;
- galaxies: high-redshift;
- galaxies: starburst;
- ultraviolet: galaxies;
- Astrophysics - Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 15 pages, accepted in MNRAS