H-drop galaxies: ``Rosetta Stones'' at z 13 for galaxy formation studies
Abstract
We propose NIRSpec/PRISM spectroscopy to confirm the Lyman break in secure candidates of luminous Lyman break galaxies at z~13. These galaxies were found in an H-band dropout selection to search for unprecedentedly high-z objects at z>12 in the 2.3 deg2 near-infrared deep imaging data in the COSMOS and UDS fields. After careful examination of non-detections in the deep optical to H-band images as well as the flat spectrum from K-band to Spitzer IRAC [3.6] and [4.5]-bands, only three candidates remain. The absolute magnitudes of these objects are typically -23.4 and the photometric redshifts are estimated to be z>12. An ALMA program targeting one of the candidates shows a tentative [OIII]88um emission line at z=13.3. The line flux is at the lower edge of the expectation, implying that this galaxy is a very low-metal system before chemical enrichment begins. A successful detection of the Lyman break from at least one object among them will yield the new redshift record far from the current ones at z=9.1 and z=11.1, and demonstrate the JWST capability for confirming galaxies at z>12. These z~13 galaxies are luminous enough to be followed-up with higher spectral resolution modes and will be "Rosetta Stones" for galaxy formation studies, once their redshifts are determined.
- Publication:
-
JWST Proposal. Cycle 1
- Pub Date:
- March 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021jwst.prop.1740H