New Determinations of the UV Luminosity Functions from z ∼ 9 to 2 Show a Remarkable Consistency with Halo Growth and a Constant Star Formation Efficiency
Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: Here we provide the most comprehensive determinations of the rest-frame UV luminosity function (LF) available to date with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) at z ∼ 2–9. Essentially all of the noncluster extragalactic legacy fields are utilized, including the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, the Hubble Frontier Fields parallel fields, and all five CANDELS fields, for a total survey area of 1136 arcmin2. Our determinations include galaxies at z ∼ 2–3 leveraging the deep HDUV, UVUDF, and ERS WFC3/UVIS observations available over an ∼150 arcmin2 area in the GOODS-North and GOODS-South regions. All together, our collective samples include >24,000 sources, >2.3× larger than previous selections with HST. We identify 5766, 6332, 7240, 3449, 1066, 601, 246, and 33 sources at z ∼ 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, respectively. Combining our results with an earlier z ∼ 10 LF determination by Oesch et al., we quantify the evolution of the UV LF. Our results indicate that there is (1) a smooth flattening of the faint-end slope α from α ∼ −2.4 at z ∼ 10 to α ∼ −1.5 at z ∼ 2, (2) minimal evolution in the characteristic luminosity M* at z ≥ 2.5, and (3) a monotonic increase in the normalization log 10 ϕ * from z ∼ 10 to 2, which can be well described by a simple second-order polynomial, consistent with an “accelerated” evolution scenario. We find that each of these trends (from z ∼ 10 to 2.5 at least) can be readily explained on the basis of the evolution of the halo mass function and a simple constant star formation efficiency model.
Source: The Astronomical Journal
Authors: R. J. Bouwens, P. A. Oesch, M. Stefanon, G. Illingworth, I. Labbé, N. Reddy, H. Atek, M. Montes, R. Naidu, T. Nanayakkara, E. Nelson, S. Wilkins
Institutions: Leiden University, Leiden Observatory, University of Geneva, University of Copenhagen, University of California, Santa Cruz, Swinburne University of Technology, University of California, Riverside, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, Space Telescope Science Institute, Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Sussex
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funders: National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, California Institute of Technology, Space Telescope Science Institute, National Research Foundation, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Danmarks Grundforskningsfond, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Awards: Weinbau im Deutschwallis, G3863383412, Phasenübergänge und Instabilitäten, G433322167, G4518818167, The Growth of Baby Galaxies in the Early Universe, as Seen by Multi-Wavelength Views of Unprecedented Sensitivity, G5678091964, G58316358, G6273510985, G6354088624, Galaxy Build-up at Cosmic Dawn, G767601387
OpenAlex ID: W3132462017