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Abstract The mean free path of ionizing photons,λ_mfp, is a critical parameter for modeling the intergalactic medium (IGM) both during and after reionization. We present direct measurements ofλ_mfpfrom QSO spectra over the redshift range 5 <z< 6, including the first measurements atz≃ 5.3 and 5.6. Our sample includes data from the XQR-30 VLT large program, as well as new Keck/ESI observations of QSOs nearz∼ 5.5, for which we also acquire new [Cii] 158μm redshifts with ALMA. By measuring the Lyman continuum transmission profile in stacked QSO spectra, we find ${\lambda }_{\mathrm{mfp}}={9.33}_{-1.80}^{+2.06}$, ${5.40}_{-1.40}^{+1.47}$, ${3.31}_{-1.34}^{+2.74}$, and ${0.81}_{-0.48}^{+0.73}$pMpc atz= 5.08, 5.31, 5.65, and 5.93, respectively. Our results demonstrate thatλ_mfpincreases steadily and rapidly with time over 5 <z< 6. Notably, we find thatλ_mfpdeviates significantly from predictions based on a fully ionized and relaxed IGM as late asz= 5.3. By comparing our results to model predictions and indirectλ_mfpconstraints based on IGM Lyαopacity, we find that the evolution ofλ_mfpis consistent with scenarios wherein the IGM is still undergoing reionization and/or retains large fluctuations in the ionizing UV background well below redshift 6. 

Abstract We  present the demography of the dynamics and gas mass fraction of 33 extremely metal-poor galaxies (EMPGs) with metallicities of 0.015–0.195Z_⊙and low stellar masses of 10⁴–10⁸M_⊙in the local universe. We conduct deep optical integral field spectroscopy (IFS) for the low-mass EMPGs with the medium-high resolution (R= 7500) grism of the 8 m Subaru FOCAS IFU instrument by the EMPRESS 3D survey, and investigate the Hαemission of the EMPGs. Exploiting the resolution high enough for the low-mass galaxies, we derive gas dynamics with the Hαlines by the fitting of three-dimensional disk models. We obtain an average maximum rotation velocity (v_rot) of 15 ± 3 km s⁻¹and an average intrinsic velocity dispersion (σ₀) of 27 ± 10 km s⁻¹for 15 spatially resolved EMPGs out of 33 EMPGs, and find that all 15 EMPGs havev_rot/σ₀< 1 suggesting dispersion-dominated systems. There is a clear decreasing trend ofv_rot/σ₀with the decreasing stellar mass and metallicity. We derive the gas mass fraction (f_gas) for all 33 EMPGs, and find no clear dependence on stellar mass and metallicity. Thesev_rot/σ₀andf_gastrends should be compared with young high-zgalaxies observed by the forthcoming JWST IFS programs to understand the physical origins of the EMPGs in the local universe. 

Abstract We present kinematics of six local extremely metal-poor galaxies (EMPGs) with low metallicities (0.016–0.098 Z ⊙ ) and low stellar masses (10 4.7 –10 7.6 M ⊙ ). Taking deep medium/high-resolution ( R ∼ 7500) integral-field spectra with 8.2 m Subaru, we resolve the small inner velocity gradients and dispersions of the EMPGs with H α emission. Carefully masking out substructures originating by inflow and/or outflow, we fit three-dimensional disk models to the observed H α flux, velocity, and velocity dispersion maps. All the EMPGs show rotational velocities ( v rot ) of 5–23 km s −1 smaller than the velocity dispersions ( σ 0 ) of 17–31 km s −1 , indicating dispersion-dominated ( v rot / σ 0 = 0.29–0.80 < 1) systems affected by inflow and/or outflow. Except for two EMPGs with large uncertainties, we find that the EMPGs have very large gas-mass fractions of f gas ≃ 0.9–1.0. Comparing our results with other H α kinematics studies, we find that v rot / σ 0 decreases and f gas increases with decreasing metallicity, decreasing stellar mass, and increasing specific star formation rate. We also find that simulated high- z ( z ∼ 7) forming galaxies have gas fractions and dynamics similar to the observed EMPGs. Our EMPG observations and the simulations suggest that primordial galaxies are gas-rich dispersion-dominated systems, which would be identified by the forthcoming James Webb Space Telescope observations at z ∼ 7.