Search for: All records

ABSTRACT We present initial results from the Cosmic Ultraviolet Baryon Survey (CUBS). CUBS is designed to map diffuse baryonic structures at redshift z ≲ 1 using absorption-line spectroscopy of 15 UV-bright QSOs with matching deep galaxy survey data. CUBS QSOs are selected based on their NUV brightness to avoid biases against the presence of intervening Lyman limit systems (LLSs) at zabs < 1. We report five new LLSs of $$\log \, N({\mathrm{ H} \,{\small I}})/{{\rm cm^{-2}}}\gtrsim 17.2$$ over a total redshift survey path-length of $$\Delta \, z_{\mathrm{ LL}}=9.3$$, and a number density of $$n(z)=0.43_{-0.18}^{+0.26}$$. Considering all absorbers with $$\log \, N({{\mathrm{ H} \,{\small I}}})/{{\rm cm^{-2}}}\gt 16.5$$ leads to $$n(z)=1.08_{-0.25}^{+0.31}$$ at zabs < 1. All LLSs exhibit a multicomponent structure and associated metal transitions from multiple ionization states such as C ii, C iii, Mg ii, Si ii, Si iii, and O vi absorption. Differential chemical enrichment levels as well as ionization states are directly observed across individual components in three LLSs. We present deep galaxy survey data obtained using the VLT-MUSE integral field spectrograph and the Magellan Telescopes, reaching sensitivities necessary for detecting galaxies fainter than $$0.1\, L_*$$ at d ≲ 300 physical kpc (pkpc) in all five fields. A diverse range of galaxy properties is seen around these LLSs, from a low-mass dwarf galaxy pair, a co-rotating gaseous halo/disc, a star-forming galaxy, a massive quiescent galaxy, to a galaxy group. The closest galaxies have projected distances ranging from d = 15 to 72 pkpc and intrinsic luminosities from $${\approx} 0.01\, L_*$$ to $${\approx} 3\, L_*$$. Our study shows that LLSs originate in a variety of galaxy environments and trace gaseous structures with a broad range of metallicities. 

Abstract We report the discovery of an accreting supermassive black hole atz= 8.679. This galaxy, denoted here as CEERS_1019, was previously discovered as a Lyα-break galaxy by Hubble with a Lyαredshift from Keck. As part of the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) survey, we have observed this source with JWST/NIRSpec, MIRI, NIRCam, and NIRCam/WFSS and uncovered a plethora of emission lines. The Hβline is best fit by a narrow plus a broad component, where the latter is measured at 2.5σwith an FWHM ∼1200 km s⁻¹. We conclude this originates in the broadline region of an active galactic nucleus (AGN). This is supported by the presence of weak high-ionization lines (N V, N IV], and C III]), as well as a spatial point-source component. The implied mass of the black hole (BH) is log (M_BH/M_⊙) = 6.95 ± 0.37, and we estimate that it is accreting at 1.2 ± 0.5 times the Eddington limit. The 1–8μm photometric spectral energy distribution shows a continuum dominated by starlight and constrains the host galaxy to be massive (log M/M_⊙∼9.5) and highly star-forming (star formation rate, or SFR ∼ 30 M_⊙yr⁻¹; log sSFR ∼ − 7.9 yr⁻¹). The line ratios show that the gas is metal-poor (Z/Z_⊙∼ 0.1), dense (n_e∼ 10³cm⁻³), and highly ionized (logU∼ − 2.1). We use this present highest-redshift AGN discovery to place constraints on BH seeding models and find that a combination of either super-Eddington accretion from stellar seeds or Eddington accretion from very massive BH seeds is required to form this object.