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We present a study of the galaxy merger and interaction activity within the Hyperion Proto-supercluster atz ∼ 2.5 in an effort to assess the occurrence of galaxy mergers and interactions in contrast to the coeval field and their impact on the buildup of stellar mass in high-density environments at higher redshifts. For this work, we utilized data from the Charting Cluster Construction with VUDS and ORELSE Survey (C3VO) along with extensive spectroscopic and photometric datasets available for the COSMOS field – including theHST-Hyperion Survey. To evaluate potential merger and interaction activity, we measured the fraction of galaxies with close kinematic companions (f_ckc) both within Hyperion and the coeval field by means of a Monte Carlo (MC) methodology developed in this work that probabilistically employs our entire combined spectroscopic and photometric dataset. We validated ourf_ckcMC methodology on a simulated lightcone built from the GAlaxy Evolution and Assembly (GAEA) semi-analytic model, and we determined correction factors that account for the underlying spectroscopic sampling rate of our dataset. We find that galaxies in Hyperion have close kinematic companions ≳2.5× more than galaxies in the field and measure a correctedf_ckc= 59⁺⁹₋₁₀% for Hyperion and a correctedf_ckc= 23^+1.7_−1.8% for the surrounding field; a ≳3σdifference. The enhancement inf_ckclikely correlates to an enhancement in the merger and interaction activity within the high-density environment of Hyperion and matches the trend seen in other structures. The rate of merger and interactions within the field implied from our fieldf_ckcmeasurement is well aligned with values measured from other observations in similar redshift ranges. The enhancedf_ckcmeasured within Hyperion suggests that merger and interaction activity play an important role in the mass growth of galaxies in denser environments at higher redshifts. 

The cosmic star formation rate density, molecular gas density, and active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity of the Universe peak atz∼2–3, demonstrating the Universe is most active at this epoch. The nature of the galaxies at these redshifts and their properties as a function of their environment are particularly interesting with respect to our understanding of the mechanisms driving their star formation and quenching. Atz∼2.5, the massive (∼4.8×10¹⁵ M_⊙) proto-supercluster Hyperion, consisting of seven groups and peaks and extending over a co-moving volume of 60×60×150 Mpc³, is an excellent laboratory for probing the properties and evolution of galaxies as a function of their environments. We used a large compilation of photometric (optical to radio wavelengths, COSMOS2020, COSMOS-Super-deblended, and A³COSMOS), and spectroscopic (C3VO, HST-Hyperion, VUDS, zCOSMOS, DEIMOS10K, and MAGAZ3NE) data to assign membership and study the relation between the local environment and the molecular gas mass, the star-formation rate (SFR), gas depletion timescales, and quenching mechanisms. We find that the depletion timescales and the molecular gas fractions decrease and SFR increases in denser environments at the ∼2σlevel, suggesting accelerated evolution in the densest regions of this proto-supercluster resulting from gas stripping, over-consumption, and/or cessation of cold flows. Dedicated observations at sub-millimeter (sub-mm) wavelengths will enable further spectroscopic confirmations and better coverage at these wavelengths, thereby offering more conclusive results on the environmental implications on gas reservoirs of galaxies in Hyperion. 

Utilizing spectroscopic observations taken for the VIMOS Ultra-Deep Survey (VUDS), new observations from Keck/DEIMOS, and publicly available observations of large samples of star-forming galaxies, we report here on the relationship between the star-formation rate (SFR) and the local environment ( δ gal ) of galaxies in the early universe (2 <  z  < 5). Unlike what is observed at lower redshifts ( z  ≲ 2), we observe a definite, nearly monotonic increase in the average SFR with increasing galaxy overdensity over more than an order of magnitude in δ gal . The robustness of this trend is quantified by accounting for both uncertainties in our measurements and galaxy populations that are either underrepresented or not present in our sample (e.g., extremely dusty star-forming and quiescent galaxies), and we find that the trend remains significant under all circumstances. This trend appears to be primarily driven by the fractional increase of galaxies in high-density environments that are more massive in their stellar content and are forming stars at a higher rate than their less massive counterparts. We find that, even after stellar mass effects are accounted for, there remains a weak but significant SFR– δ gal trend in our sample implying that additional environmentally related processes are helping to drive this trend. We also find clear evidence that the average SFR of galaxies in the densest environments increases with increasing redshift. These results lend themselves to a picture in which massive gas-rich galaxies coalesce into proto-cluster environments at z  ≳ 3, interact with other galaxies or with a forming large-scale medium, subsequently using or losing most of their gas in the process, and begin to seed the nascent red sequence that is present in clusters at slightly lower redshifts. 

ABSTRACT We present 10 main-sequence ALPINE galaxies (log (M/M⊙) = 9.2−11.1 and $${\rm SFR}=23-190\, {\rm M_{\odot }\, yr^{-1}}$$) at z ∼ 4.5 with optical [O ii] measurements from Keck/MOSFIRE spectroscopy and Subaru/MOIRCS narrow-band imaging. This is the largest such multiwavelength sample at these redshifts, combining various measurements in the ultraviolet, optical, and far-infrared including [C ii]158 $$\mu$$m line emission and dust continuum from ALMA and H α emission from Spitzer photometry. For the first time, this unique sample allows us to analyse the relation between [O ii] and total star-formation rate (SFR) and the interstellar medium (ISM) properties via [O ii]/[C ii] and [O ii]/H α luminosity ratios at z ∼ 4.5. The [O ii]−SFR relation at z ∼ 4.5 cannot be described using standard local descriptions, but is consistent with a metal-dependent relation assuming metallicities around $$50{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$$ solar. To explain the measured dust-corrected luminosity ratios of $$\log (L_{\rm [OII]}/L_{\rm [CII]}) \sim 0.98^{+0.21}_{-0.22}$$ and $$\log (L_{\rm [OII]}/L_{\rm H\alpha }) \sim -0.22^{+0.13}_{-0.15}$$ for our sample, ionization parameters log (U) < −2 and electron densities $$\log (\rm n_e / {\rm [cm^{-3}]}) \sim 2.5-3$$ are required. The former is consistent with galaxies at z ∼ 2−3, however lower than at z > 6. The latter may be slightly higher than expected given the galaxies’ specific SFR. The analysis of this pilot sample suggests that typical log (M/M⊙) > 9 galaxies at z ∼ 4.5 to have broadly similar ISM properties as their descendants at z ∼ 2 and suggest a strong evolution of ISM properties since the epoch of reionization at z > 6. 

ABSTRACT We study the projected spatial offset between the ultraviolet continuum and Ly α emission for 65 lensed and unlensed galaxies in the Epoch of Reionization (5 ≤ z ≤ 7), the first such study at these redshifts, in order to understand the potential for these offsets to confuse estimates of the Ly α properties of galaxies observed in slit spectroscopy. While we find that ∼40 per cent of galaxies in our sample show significant projected spatial offsets ($$|\Delta _{\rm {Ly}\alpha -\rm {UV}}|$$), we find a relatively modest average projected offset of $$|\widetilde{\Delta }_{\rm {Ly}\alpha -\rm {UV}}|$$  = 0.61 ± 0.08 proper kpc for the entire sample. A small fraction of our sample, ∼10 per cent, exhibit offsets in excess of 2 proper kpc, with offsets seen up to ∼4 proper kpc, sizes that are considerably larger than the effective radii of typical galaxies at these redshifts. An internal comparison and a comparison to studies at lower redshift yielded no significant evidence of evolution of $$|\Delta _{\rm {Ly}\alpha -\rm {UV}}|$$ with redshift. In our sample, ultraviolet (UV)-bright galaxies ($$\widetilde{L_{\mathrm{ UV}}}/L^{\ast }_{\mathrm{ UV}}=0.67$$) showed offsets a factor of three greater than their fainter counterparts ($$\widetilde{L_{\mathrm{ UV}}}/L^{\ast }_{\mathrm{ UV}}=0.10$$), 0.89 ± 0.18 versus 0.27 ± 0.05 proper kpc, respectively. The presence of companion galaxies and early stage merging activity appeared to be unlikely causes of these offsets. Rather, these offsets appear consistent with a scenario in which internal anisotropic processes resulting from stellar feedback, which is stronger in UV-brighter galaxies, facilitate Ly α fluorescence and/or backscattering from nearby or outflowing gas. The reduction in the Ly α flux due to offsets was quantified. It was found that the differential loss of Ly α photons for galaxies with average offsets is not, if corrected for, a limiting factor for all but the narrowest slit widths (<0.4 arcsec). However, for the largest offsets, if they are mostly perpendicular to the slit major axis, slit losses were found to be extremely severe in cases where slit widths of ≤1 arcsec were employed, such as those planned for James Webb Space Telescope/NIRSpec observations. 

We present ALMA observations of a merging system at z  ∼ 4.57, observed as a part of the ALMA Large Program to INvestigate [CII] at Early times (ALPINE) survey. Combining ALMA [CII]158  μ m and far-infrared continuum data with multi-wavelength ancillary data, we find that the system is composed of two massive ( M ⋆  ≳ 10 10   M ⊙ ) star-forming galaxies experiencing a major merger (stellar mass ratio r mass  ≳ 0.9) at close spatial (∼13 kpc; projected) and velocity (Δ v  <  300 km s −1 ) separations, and two additional faint narrow [CII]-emitting satellites. The overall system belongs to a larger scale protocluster environment and is coincident to one of its overdensity peaks. Additionally, ALMA reveals the presence of [CII] emission arising from a circumgalactic gas structure, extending up to a diameter-scale of ∼30 kpc. Our morpho-spectral decomposition analysis shows that about 50% of the total flux resides between the individual galaxy components, in a metal-enriched gaseous envelope characterised by a disturbed morphology and complex kinematics. Similarly to observations of shock-excited [CII] emitted from tidal tails in local groups, our results can be interpreted as a possible signature of interstellar gas stripped by strong gravitational interactions, with a possible contribution from material ejected by galactic outflows and emission triggered by star formation in small faint satellites. Our findings suggest that mergers could be an efficient mechanism of gas mixing in the circumgalactic medium around high- z galaxies, and thus play a key role in the galaxy baryon cycle at early epochs. 

Star formation rate (SFR) measurements at z  > 4 have relied mostly on the rest-frame far-ultraviolet (FUV) observations. The corrections for dust attenuation based on the IRX- β relation are highly uncertain and are still debated in the literature. Hence, rest-frame far-infrared (FIR) observations are necessary to constrain the dust-obscured component of the SFR. In this paper, we exploit the rest-frame FIR continuum observations collected by the ALMA Large Program to INvestigate [CII] at Early times (ALPINE) to directly constrain the obscured SFR in galaxies at 4.4 <  z  < 5.9. We used stacks of continuum images to measure average infrared luminosities taking both detected and undetected sources into account. Based on these measurements, we measured the position of the main sequence of star-forming galaxies and the specific SFR (sSFR) at z  ∼ 4.5 and z  ∼ 5.5. We find that the main sequence and sSFR do not significantly evolve between z  ∼ 4.5 and z  ∼ 5.5, as opposed to lower redshifts. We developed a method to derive the obscured SFR density (SFRD) using the stellar masses or FUV-magnitudes as a proxy of FIR fluxes measured on the stacks and combining them with the galaxy stellar mass functions and FUV luminosity functions from the literature. We obtain consistent results independent of the chosen proxy. We find that the obscured fraction of SFRD is decreasing with increasing redshift, but even at z  ∼ 5.5 it constitutes around 61% of the total SFRD.