Tang, M;
Stark, D;
Chevallard, J;
Charlot, S;
Endsley, R;
Congiu, E;
(2021)
Lyman-alpha spectroscopy of extreme [O III] emitting galaxies at z ≃ 2-3: implications for Lyα visibility and LyC leakage at z > 6.
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
, 503
(3)
pp. 4105-4117.
10.1093/mnras/stab705.
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Abstract
Spectroscopic observations of massive z > 7 galaxies selected to have extremely large [O III] + H β equivalent width (EW ∼1500 Å) have recently revealed large Ly α detection rates, in contrast to the weak emission seen in the general population. Why these systems are uniquely visible in Ly α at redshifts where the intergalactic medium (IGM) is likely significantly neutral is not clear. With the goal of better understanding these results, we have begun a campaign with MMT and Magellan to measure Ly α in galaxies with similar [O III] + H β EWs at z ≃ 2–3. At these redshifts, the IGM is highly ionized, allowing us to clearly disentangle how the Ly α properties depend on the [O III] + H β EW. Here, we present Ly α EWs of 49 galaxies at z = 2.2–3.7 with intense [O III] + H β line emission (EW = 300–3000 Å). Our results demonstrate that strong Ly α emission (EW >20 Å) becomes more common in galaxies with larger [O III] + H β EW, reflecting a combination of increasingly efficient ionizing photon production and enhanced transmission of Ly α. Among the galaxies with the most extreme [O III] + H β emission (EW ∼1500 Å), we find that strong Ly α emission is not ubiquitous, with only 50 per cent of our population showing Ly α EW >20 Å. Our data suggest that the range of Ly α strengths is related to the observed ellipticity, with those systems that appear edge-on or elongated having weaker Ly α emission. We use these results to interpret the anomalous Ly α properties seen in z > 7 galaxies with extreme [O III] + H β emission and discuss implications for the escape of ionizing radiation from these extreme line emitting galaxies.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Lyman-alpha spectroscopy of extreme [O III] emitting galaxies at z ≃ 2-3: implications for Lyα visibility and LyC leakage at z > 6 |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1093/mnras/stab705 |
| Publisher version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab705 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the version of record. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | galaxies: evolution, galaxies: formation, galaxies: high-redshift, cosmology: observations |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Physics and Astronomy |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10124412 |
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