Abstract We investigate the effects of stellar populations and sizes on Lyαescape in 27 spectroscopically confirmed and 35 photometric Lyαemitters (LAEs) atz≈ 2.65 in seven fields of the Boötes region of the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey. We use deep HST/WFC3 imaging to supplement ground-based observations and infer key galaxy properties. Compared to typical star-forming galaxies (SFGs) at similar redshifts, the LAEs are less massive (M⋆≈ 107–109M⊙), younger (ages ≲1 Gyr), smaller (re< 1 kpc), and less dust-attenuated (E(B−V) ≤ 0.26 mag) but have comparable star formation rates (SFRs ≈ 1–100M⊙yr−1). Some of the LAEs in the sample may be very young galaxies having low nebular metallicities (Zneb≲ 0.2Z⊙) and/or high ionization parameters ( ). Motivated by previous studies, we examine the effects of the concentration of star formation and gravitational potential on Lyαescape by computing SFR surface density, ΣSFR, and specific SFR surface density, ΣsSFR. For a given ΣSFR, the Lyαescape fraction is higher for LAEs with lower stellar masses. The LAEs have a higher ΣsSFR, on average, compared to SFGs. Our results suggest that compact star formation in a low gravitational potential yields conditions amenable to the escape of Lyαphotons. These results have important implications for the physics of Lyαradiative transfer and for the type of galaxies that may contribute significantly to cosmic reionization.
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Ly α Halo Properties and Dust in the Circumgalactic Medium of z ∼ 2 Star-forming Galaxies
Abstract We present Keck Cosmic Web Imager integral-field unit observations around extended Lyαhalos of 27 typical star-forming galaxies with redshifts 2.0 <z< 3.2 drawn from the MOSFIRE Deep Evolution Field survey. We examine the average Lyαsurface brightness profiles in bins of star formation rate (SFR), stellar mass (M*), age, stellar continuum reddening, SFR surface density (ΣSFR), and ΣSFRnormalized by stellar mass (ΣsSFR). The scale lengths of the halos correlate with stellar mass, age, and stellar continuum reddening and anticorrelate with SFR, ΣSFR, and ΣsSFR. These results are consistent with a scenario in which the down-the-barrel fraction of Lyαemission is modulated by the low-column-density channels in the interstellar medium, and in which the neutral gas covering fraction is related to the physical properties of the galaxies. Specifically, we find that this covering fraction increases with stellar mass, age, andE(B−V) and decreases with SFR, ΣSFR, and ΣsSFR. We also find that the resonantly scattered Lyαemission suffers greater attenuation than the (nonresonant) stellar continuum emission, and that the difference in attenuation increases with stellar mass, age, and stellar continuum reddening, and decreases with ΣsSFR. These results imply that more reddened galaxies have more dust in their circumgalactic medium.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2009313
- PAR ID:
- 10543301
- Publisher / Repository:
- IOP
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- The Astrophysical Journal
- Volume:
- 969
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 0004-637X
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 103
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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