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1. The Pan-STARRS1 z > 5.6 Quasar Survey. III. The z ≈ 6 Quasar Luminosity Function

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aca7ca  

   Schindler, Jan-Torge; Bañados, Eduardo; Connor, Thomas; Decarli, Roberto; Fan, Xiaohui; Farina, Emanuele Paolo; Mazzucchelli, Chiara; Nanni, Riccardo; Rix, Hans-Walter; Stern, Daniel; et al (January 2023, The Astrophysical Journal)

   Abstract We present thez≈ 6 type-1 quasar luminosity function (QLF), based on the Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) quasar survey. The PS1 sample includes 125 quasars atz≈ 5.7–6.2, with −28 ≲M₁₄₅₀≲ −25. With the addition of 48 fainter quasars from the SHELLQs survey, we evaluate thez≈ 6 QLF over −28 ≲M₁₄₅₀≲ −22. Adopting a double power law with an exponential evolution of the quasar density (Φ(z) ∝ 10^k(z−6);k= −0.7), we use a maximum likelihood method to model our data. We find a break magnitude of $M^{*}=-{26.38}_{-0.60}^{+0.79}\mathrm{mag}$, a faint-end slope of $\alpha =-{1.70}_{-0.19}^{+0.29}$, and a steep bright-end slope of $\beta =-{3.84}_{-1.21}^{+0.63}$. Based on our new QLF model, we determine the quasar comoving spatial density atz≈ 6 to be $n(M_{1450}<-26)={1.16}_{-0.12}^{+0.13}{\mathrm{cGpc}}^{-3}$. In comparison with the literature, we find the quasar density to evolve with a constant value ofk≈ −0.7, fromz≈ 7 toz≈ 4. Additionally, we derive an ionizing emissivity of ${ϵ}_{912}(z=6)={7.23}_{-1.02}^{+1.65}\times {10}^{22}\mathrm{erg}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}{\mathrm{Hz}}^{-1}{\mathrm{cMpc}}^{-3}$, based on the QLF measurement. Given standard assumptions, and the recent measurement of the mean free path by Becker et al. atz≈ 6, we calculate an Hiphotoionizing rate of Γ_{H I}(z= 6) ≈ 6 × 10⁻¹⁶s⁻¹, strongly disfavoring a dominant role of quasars in hydrogen reionization. 

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2. Exploring the Mpc Environment of the Quasar ULAS J1342+0928 at z = 7.54

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad3bab  

   Rojas-Ruiz, Sofía; Mazzucchelli, Chiara; Finkelstein, Steven L; Bañados, Eduardo; Farina, Emanuele Paolo; Venemans, Bram P; Decarli, Roberto; Willott, Chris J; Wang, Feige; Walter, Fabian; et al (May 2024, The Astrophysical Journal)

   Abstract Theoretical models predict thatz≳ 6 quasars are hosted in the most massive halos of the underlying dark matter distribution and thus would be immersed in protoclusters of galaxies. However, observations report inconclusive results. We investigate the 1.1 proper-Mpc²environment of thez= 7.54 luminous quasar ULAS J1342+0928. We search for Lyman-break galaxy (LBG) candidates using deep imaging from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS)/F814W, Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3)/F105W/F125W bands, and Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera at 3.6 and 4.5μm. We report a $z_{\mathrm{phot}}={7.69}_{-0.23}^{+0.33}$LBG with mag_F125W= 26.41 at 223 projected proper kpc (pkpc) from the quasar. We find no HST counterpart to one [Cii] emitter previously found with the Atacama Large millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) at 27 projected pkpc andz_{[C II]}=7.5341 ± 0.0009 (Venemans et al. 2020). We estimate the completeness of our LBG candidates using results from Cosmic Assembly Near-Infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey/GOODS deep blank field searches sharing a similar filter setup. We find that >50% of thez∼ 7.5 Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs) with mag_F125W> 25.5 are missed due to the absence of a filter redward of the Lyman break in F105W, hindering the UV color accuracy of the candidates. We conduct a QSO-LBG clustering analysis revealing a low LBG excess of ${0.46}_{-0.08}^{+1.52}$in this quasar field, consistent with an average or low-density field. Consequently, this result does not present strong evidence of an LBG overdensity around ULAS J1342+0928. Furthermore, we identify two LBG candidates with az_photmatching a confirmedz= 6.84 absorber along the line of sight to the quasar. All these galaxy candidates are excellent targets for follow-up observations with JWST and/or ALMA to confirm their redshift and physical properties. 

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3. ODIN: High Clustering Strength of Protoclusters at Cosmic Noon

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb624  

   Ramakrishnan, Vandana; Lee, Kyoung-Soo; Firestone, Nicole; Gawiser, Eric; Artale, Maria Celeste; Gronwall, Caryl; Guaita, Lucia; Hwang, Ho Seong; Im, Sang Hyeok; Jeong, Woong-Seob; et al (March 2025, The Astrophysical Journal)

   Abstract The One-hundred-deg²DECam Imaging in Narrowbands (ODIN) survey is carrying out a systematic search for protoclusters during Cosmic Noon, using Lyα-emitting galaxies (LAEs) as tracers. Once completed, ODIN aims to identify hundreds of protoclusters at redshifts of 2.4, 3.1, and 4.5 across seven extragalactic fields, covering a total area of up to 91 deg². In this work, we report the high clustering strength of the ODIN protoclusters, determined via measurements of their cross-correlation with LAEs. Our sample consists of 150 protocluster candidates atz = 2.4 and 3.1, identified in two ODIN fields with a total area of 13.9 deg². Atz = 2.4 and 3.1, the inferred protocluster biases are $6.6_{-1.1}^{+1.3}$and $6.1_{-1.1}^{+1.3}$, corresponding to mean halo masses of $\log 〈M/M_{\odot }〉=13.53_{-0.24}^{+0.21}$and $12.96_{-0.33}^{+0.28}$, respectively. By the present day, these protoclusters are expected to evolve into virialized galaxy clusters with a mean mass of ∼10^14.5M_⊙. By comparing the observed number density of protoclusters to that of halos with the same measured clustering strength, we find that the completeness of our sample is of order unity. Finally, the similar descendant masses derived for our samples atz= 2.4 and 3.1, assuming that the halo number density remains constant, suggest that they represent similar structures observed at different cosmic epochs. As a consequence, any observed differences between the two samples can be understood as redshift evolution. The ODIN protocluster samples will thus provide valuable insights into the cosmic evolution of cluster galaxies. 

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4. SCUBA-2 High Redshift Bright Quasar Survey. II. The Environment of z ∼ 6 Quasars at Submillimeter Band

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acd7f3  

   Li, Qiong; Wang, Ran; Fan, Xiaohui; Wu, Xue-Bing; Jiang, Linhua; Bañados, Eduardo; Venemans, Bram; Shao, Yali; Li, Jianan; Wagg, Jeff; et al (September 2023, The Astrophysical Journal)

   Abstract The formation of the first supermassive black holes is expected to have occurred in some most pronounced matter and galaxy overdensities in the early universe. We have conducted a submillimeter wavelength continuum survey of 54z∼ 6 quasars using the Submillimeter Common-User Bolometre Array-2 on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope to study the environments aroundz∼ 6 quasars. We identified 170 submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) with above 3.5σdetections in 450 or 850μm maps. Their far-IR luminosities are (2.2–6.4) × 10¹²L_⊙, and their star formation rates are ∼400–1200M_⊙yr⁻¹. We also calculated the SMGs’ differential and cumulative number counts in a combined area of ∼620 arcmin². To a 4σdetection (at ∼5.5 mJy), SMGs’ overdensity is ${0.68}_{-0.19}^{+0.21}$(±0.19), exceeding the blank-field source counts by a factor of 1.68. We find that 13/54 quasars show overdensities (at ∼5.5 mJy) ofδ_SMG∼ 1.5–5.4. The combined area of these 13 quasars exceeds the blank-field counts with the overdensity to 5.5 mJy ofδ_SMG∼ ${2.46}_{-0.55}^{+0.64}$(±0.25) in the regions of ∼150 arcmin². However, the excess is insignificant on the bright end (e.g., 7.5 mJy). We also compare results with previous environmental studies of Lyαemitters and Lyman break galaxies on a similar scale. Our survey presents the first systematic study of the environment of quasars atz∼ 6. The newly discovered SMGs provide essential candidates for follow-up spectroscopic observations to test whether they reside in the same large-scale structures as the quasars and search for protoclusters at an early epoch. 

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5. ODIN: Clustering Analysis of 14,000 Ly α -emitting Galaxies at z = 2.4, 3.1, and 4.5

   https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adec82  

   Herrera, Danisbel; Gawiser, Eric; Benda, Barbara; Firestone, Nicole M; Ramakrishnan, Vandana; Moon, Byeongha; Lee, Kyoung-Soo; Park, Changbom; Valdes, Francisco; Yang, Yujin; et al (July 2025, The Astrophysical Journal Letters)

   Abstract Lyαemitters (LAEs) are star-forming galaxies that efficiently probe the spatial distribution of galaxies in the high-redshift Universe. The spatial clustering of LAEs reflects the properties of their individual host dark matter halos, allowing us to study the evolution of the galaxy–halo connection. We analyze the clustering of 5233, 5220, and 3706 LAEs atz= 2.4, 3.1, and 4.5, respectively, in the 9 deg²COSMOS field from the One-hundred-deg²DECam Imaging in Narrowbands survey. After correcting for redshift-space distortions, LAE contamination rates, and the integral constraint, the observed angular correlation functions imply linear galaxy bias factors ofb= $1.72_{-0.27}^{+0.26},2.01_{-0.29}^{+0.26},$and $2.95_{-0.46}^{+0.40}$forz= 2.4, 3.1, and 4.5, respectively. The median dark matter halo masses inferred from these measurements are $\log (M_h/M_{\odot })$= $11.44_{-0.28}^{+0.30},11.13_{-0.26}^{+0.26},\mathrm{and}10.85_{-0.24}^{+0.24}$for the three samples, respectively. The analysis also reveals that LAEs occupy roughly 3%–7% of the halos whose clustering strength matches that of the LAEs. 

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