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1. LATIS: The Stellar Mass–Metallicity Relation of Star-forming Galaxies at z ∼ 2.5

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad0554  

   Chartab, Nima ; Newman, Andrew B. ; Rudie, Gwen C. ; Blanc, Guillermo A. ; Kelson, Daniel D. ( December 2023 , The Astrophysical Journal)

   We present the stellar mass–stellar metallicity relation for 3491 star-forming galaxies at 2 ≲z≲ 3 using rest-frame far-ultraviolet spectra from the LyαTomography IMACS Survey (LATIS). We fit stellar population synthesis models from the Binary Population And Spectral Synthesis code (v2.2.1) to medium-resolution (R∼ 1000) and high signal-to-noise (>30 per 100 km s⁻¹over the wavelength range 1221–1800 Å) composite spectra of galaxies in bins of stellar mass to determine their stellar metallicity, primarily tracing Fe/H. We find a strong correlation between stellar mass and stellar metallicity, with stellar metallicity monotonically increasing with stellar mass at low masses and flattening at high masses (M_*≳ 10^10.3M_⊙). Additionally, we compare our stellar metallicity measurements with the gas-phase oxygen abundance of galaxies at similar redshift and estimate the average [α/Fe] ∼ 0.6. Such highα-enhancement indicates that high-redshift galaxies have not yet undergone significant iron enrichment through Type Ia supernovae. Moreover, we utilize an analytic chemical evolution model to constrain the mass loading parameter of galactic winds as a function of stellar mass. We find that as the stellar mass increases, the mass loading parameter decreases. The parameter then flattens or reaches a turning point at aroundM_*∼ 10^10.5M_⊙. Our findings may signal the onset of black-hole-driven outflows atz∼ 2.5 for galaxies withM_*≳ 10^10.5M_⊙.

    

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2. Dual constraints with ALMA: new [O iii ] 88-μm and dust-continuum observations reveal the ISM conditions of luminous LBGs at z  ∼ 7

   https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac1905  

   Witstok, Joris ; Smit, Renske ; Maiolino, Roberto ; Kumari, Nimisha ; Aravena, Manuel ; Boogaard, Leindert ; Bouwens, Rychard ; Carniani, Stefano ; Hodge, Jacqueline A. ; Jones, Gareth C. ; et al ( July 2022 , Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society)

   We present new [${\rm O\, {\small III}}$] 88-$\mu \mathrm{{m}}$ observations of five bright z ∼ 7 Lyman-break galaxies spectroscopically confirmed by ALMA through [${\rm C\, {\small II}}$] 158 $\mu \mathrm{{m}}$, unlike recent [${\rm O\, {\small III}}$] detections where Lyman α was used. This nearly doubles the sample of Epoch of Reionization galaxies with robust (5σ) [${\rm C\, {\small II}}$] and [${\rm O\, {\small III}}$] detections. We perform a multiwavelength comparison with new deep HST images of the rest-frame UV, whose compact morphology aligns well with [${\rm O\, {\small III}}$] tracing ionized gas. In contrast, we find more spatially extended [${\rm C\, {\small II}}$] emission likely produced in neutral gas, as indicated by an [${\rm N\, {\small II}}$] 205-$\mu \mathrm{{m}}$ non-detection in one source. We find a correlation between the optical ${[{\rm O\, {\small III}}]}+ {\mathrm{H\,\beta }}$ equivalent width and [${\rm O\, {\small III}}$]/[${\rm C\, {\small II}}$], as seen in local metal-poor dwarf galaxies. cloudy models of a nebula of typical density harbouring a young stellar population with a high-ionization parameter adequately reproduce the observed lines. Surprisingly, however, our models fail to reproduce the strength of [${\rm O\, {\small III}}$] 88-$\mu \mathrm{{m}}$, unless we assume an α/Fe enhancement and near-solar nebular oxygen abundance. On spatially resolved scales, we find [${\rm O\, {\small III}}$]/[${\rm C\, {\small II}}$] shows a tentative anticorrelation with infrared excess, LIR/LUV, also seen on global scales in the local Universe. Finally, we introduce the far-infrared spectral energy distribution fitting code mercurius to show that dust-continuum measurements of one source appear to favour a low dust temperature and correspondingly high dust mass. This implies a high stellar metallicity yield and may point towards the need of dust production or grain-growth mechanisms beyond supernovae.

    

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3. The MOSDEF survey: the mass–metallicity relationship and the existence of the FMR at z ∼ 1.5

   https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab1793  

   Topping, Michael W ; Shapley, Alice E ; Sanders, Ryan L ; Kriek, Mariska ; Reddy, Naveen A ; Coil, Alison L ; Mobasher, Bahram ; Siana, Brian ; Freeman, William R ; Shivaei, Irene ; et al ( July 2021 , Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society)

   ABSTRACT We analyse the rest-optical emission-line ratios of z ∼ 1.5 galaxies drawn from the Multi-Object Spectrometer for Infra-Red Exploration Deep Evolution Field (MOSDEF) survey. Using composite spectra, we investigate the mass–metallicity relation (MZR) at z ∼ 1.5 and measure its evolution to z = 0. When using gas-phase metallicities based on the N2 line ratio, we find that the MZR evolution from z ∼ 1.5 to z = 0 depends on stellar mass, evolving by $\Delta \rm log(\rm O/H) \sim 0.25$ dex at M*< $10^{9.75}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$ down to $\Delta \rm log(\rm O/H) \sim 0.05$ at M* ≳ $10^{10.5}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$. In contrast, the O3N2-based MZR shows a constant offset of $\Delta \rm log(\rm O/H) \sim 0.30$ across all masses, consistent with previous MOSDEF results based on independent metallicity indicators, and suggesting that O3N2 provides a more robust metallicity calibration for our z ∼ 1.5 sample. We investigated the secondary dependence of the MZR on star formation rate (SFR) by measuring correlated scatter about the mean M*-specific SFR and M*−$\log (\rm O3N2)$ relations. We find an anticorrelation between $\log (\rm O/H)$ and sSFR offsets, indicating the presence of a M*−SFR−Z relation, though with limited significance. Additionally, we find that our z ∼ 1.5 stacks lie along the z = 0 metallicity sequence at fixed μ = log (M*/M⊙) − 0.6 × $\log (\rm SFR / M_{\odot } \, yr^{-1})$ suggesting that the z ∼ 1.5 stacks can be described by the z = 0 fundamental metallicity relation (FMR). However, using different calibrations can shift the calculated metallicities off of the local FMR, indicating that appropriate calibrations are essential for understanding metallicity evolution with redshift. Finally, understanding how [N ii]/H α scales with galaxy properties is crucial to accurately describe the effects of blended [N ii] and H α on redshift and H α fiux measurements in future large surveys utilizing low-resolution spectra such as with Euclid and the Roman Space Telescope. 

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4. Physical Properties of Massive Compact Starburst Galaxies with Extreme Outflows

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac2fa4  

   Perrotta, Serena ; George, Erin R. ; Coil, Alison L. ; Tremonti, Christy A. ; Rupke, David S. N. ; Davis, Julie D. ; Diamond-Stanic, Aleksandar M. ; Geach, James E. ; Hickox, Ryan C. ; Moustakas, John ; et al ( December 2021 , The Astrophysical Journal)

   We present results on the nature of extreme ejective feedback episodes and the physical conditions of a population of massive (M_*∼ 10¹¹M_⊙), compact starburst galaxies atz= 0.4–0.7. We use data from Keck/NIRSPEC, SDSS, Gemini/GMOS, MMT, and Magellan/MagE to measure rest-frame optical and near-IR spectra of 14 starburst galaxies with extremely high star formation rate surface densities (mean Σ_SFR∼ 2000M_⊙yr⁻¹kpc⁻²) and powerful galactic outflows (maximum speedsv₉₈∼ 1000–3000 km s⁻¹). Our unique data set includes an ensemble of both emission ([Oii]λλ3726,3729, Hβ, [Oiii]λλ4959,5007, Hα, [Nii]λλ6549,6585, and [Sii]λλ6716,6731) and absorption (Mgiiλλ2796,2803, and Feiiλ2586) lines that allow us to investigate the kinematics of the cool gas phase (T∼ 10⁴K) in the outflows. Employing a suite of line ratio diagnostic diagrams, we find that the central starbursts are characterized by high electron densities (mediann_e∼ 530 cm⁻³), and high metallicity (solar or supersolar). We show that the outflows are most likely driven by stellar feedback emerging from the extreme central starburst, rather than by an AGN. We also present multiple intriguing observational signatures suggesting that these galaxies may have substantial Lyman continuum (LyC) photon leakage, including weak [Sii]nebular emission lines. Our results imply that these galaxies may be captured in a short-lived phase of extreme star formation and feedback where much of their gas is violently blown out by powerful outflows that open up channels for LyC photons to escape.

    

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5. Spectroscopy of CASSOWARY gravitationally lensed galaxies in SDSS: characterization of an extremely bright reionization-era analogue at z = 1.42

   https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad387  

   Mainali, Ramesh ; Stark, Daniel P. ; Jones, Tucker ; Ellis, Richard S. ; Hezaveh, Yashar D. ; Rigby, Jane R. ( February 2023 , Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society)

   We present new observations of 16 bright (r = 19–21) gravitationally lensed galaxies at z ≃ 1–3 selected from the CASSOWARY survey. Included in our sample is the z = 1.42 galaxy CSWA-141, one of the brightest known reionization-era analogues at high redshift (g = 20.5), with a large specific star formation rate (31.2 Gyr−1) and an [O iii]+H β equivalent width (EW[O iii] + H β = 730 Å) that is nearly identical to the average value expected at z ≃ 7–8. In this paper, we investigate the rest-frame UV nebular line emission in our sample with the goal of understanding the factors that regulate strong C iii] emission. Although most of the sources in our sample show weak UV line emission, we find elevated C iii] in the spectrum of CSWA-141 (EWC iii] = 4.6 ± 1.9 Å) together with detections of other prominent emission lines (O iii], Si iii], Fe ii⋆, Mg ii). We compare the rest-optical line properties of high-redshift galaxies with strong and weak C iii] emission, and find that systems with the strongest UV line emission tend to have young stellar populations and nebular gas that is moderately metal-poor and highly ionized, consistent with trends seen at low and high redshift. The brightness of CSWA-141 enables detailed investigation of the extreme emission line galaxies which become common at z > 6. We find that gas traced by the C iii] doublet likely probes higher densities than that traced by [O ii] and [S ii]. Characterization of the spectrally resolved Mg ii emission line and several low-ionization absorption lines suggests neutral gas around the young stars is likely optically thin, potentially facilitating the escape of ionizing radiation.

    

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