ADF22-WEB: Massive galaxy formation shaped by cosmic web filaments in the z = 3.1 proto-cluster core
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: We present a comprehensive census of dust, molecular gas, and galaxy structure in 18 dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) at $z=3.09$ embedded in Ly$\alpha$-traced cosmic web filaments in the core of the SSA22 proto-cluster, based on multi-band Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations, JWST imaging, and CO(1–0) measurements with JVLA. Using up to six-band ALMA photometry combined with Herschel/SPIRE data, we construct rest-frame far-infrared spectral energy distributions. The DSFGs span two orders of magnitude in far-infrared luminosity ($L_{\rm FIR}\sim 10^{11}$–$10^{13}\, L_\odot$), with median values of $\log (L_{\rm FIR}/L_\odot )=11.56^{+0.32}_{-0.37}$ and $T_{\rm dust}=25^{+6}_{-3}\, {\rm K}$. For eight DSFGs with high-resolution (${\sim }1$ kpc) JWST and ALMA imaging, we measure stellar and dust surface densities and find a positive correlation, suggesting that structural compaction of the stellar component proceeds together with that of the interstellar medium. We report 12 detections of CO(1–0), 18 of CO(3–2), four each of CO(8–7) and CO(9–8), and one of CO(12–11). The median brightness temperature ratio between CO(3–2) and CO(1–0) is $r_{31}=0.66_{-0.04}^{+0.05}$, consistent with field galaxies at similar redshifts. The high-J CO lines show relatively low excitation, and the ${\rm CO}(8\!-\!7)/{\rm CO}(3\!-\!2)$ ratio correlates with star-formation rate surface density, suggesting that molecular gas excitation is primarily regulated by star formation. Lower-mass galaxies show excess molecular gas fractions and depletion times relative to field scaling relations. By combining quiescent galaxy samples in the same field, we identify a sequence from gas-rich systems with low stellar surface density to gas-poor, compact systems with high stellar surface density. These results suggest that massive galaxy evolution in dense environments is governed by a baryon cycle linking gas supply, star formation, and structural transformation within the cosmic web environment.
DOI: 10.1093/pasj/psag120
Institutions: Nagoya University Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Durham University, California Institute of Technology, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, The University of Tokyo, Kwansei Gakuin University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: National Science and Technology Council, National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Space Telescope Science Institute, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Japan Science and Technology Corporation, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Fujikura Foundation, National Science and Technology Council, National Research Council Canada, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Fusion Oriented REsearch for disruptive Science and Technology
Awards: G103270039, G1338664626, G256731684, Formation Processes of Heavy Elements in the Early Universe Elucidated by Superconducting Nanoelectronics, Large-Scale Numerical Simulations, and Data Science, Galaxy evolution in the cosmic web revealed with JWST and ALMA, G5568641063, G9000372373, G9000373877, G9000379114, G9000386361
OpenAlex ID: W7214562534