Completeness-weighted stacking of 56 HAEs at z≃6.2 gives median f_esc^Lyα = 0.106^{+0.066}_{-0.044} with no strong Hα-luminosity dependence and UV-linked galaxy-to-galaxy trends.
The spectral evolution of the first galaxies. II. Spectral signatures of Lyman continuum leakage from galaxies in the reionization epoch
2 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.
abstract
The fraction of ionizing photons (fesc) that escape from z>6 galaxies is an important parameter when assessing the role of these objects in the reionization of the Universe, but the opacity of the intergalactic medium precludes a direct measurement of fesc for individual galaxies at these epochs. We argue, that since fesc regulates the impact of nebular emission on the spectra of galaxies, it should nonetheless be possible to indirectly probe fesc well into the reionization epoch. As a first step, we demonstrate that by combining measurements of the rest-frame UV slope beta with the equivalent width of the Hb emission line, galaxies with very high Lyman continuum escape fractions (fesc>0.5) should be identifiable up to z~9 through spectroscopy with the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). By targeting strongly lensed galaxies behind low-redshift galaxy clusters, JWST spectra of sufficiently good quality can be obtained for M(1500)<-16.0 galaxies at z~7 and for M(1500)<-17.5 galaxies at z~9. Dust-obscured star formation may complicate the analysis, but supporting observations with ALMA or the planned SPICA mission may provide useful constraints on the dust properties of these galaxies.
fields
astro-ph.GA 2years
2026 2representative citing papers
SKA-Mid is predicted to yield samples of 10-100 low-metallicity Lyman continuum emitting galaxies per square degree, enabling multi-wavelength studies of feedback processes linked to ionizing photon escape.
citing papers explorer
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Subaru meets JWST: A Direct Measurement of Ly$\boldsymbol{\alpha}$ Escape Fraction at $\boldsymbol{z\simeq6.2}$ with Dual Narrow-Band Imaging
Completeness-weighted stacking of 56 HAEs at z≃6.2 gives median f_esc^Lyα = 0.106^{+0.066}_{-0.044} with no strong Hα-luminosity dependence and UV-linked galaxy-to-galaxy trends.
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Probing the Nature of Lyman Continuum Emitting and Low-metallicity Galaxies Using the SKA
SKA-Mid is predicted to yield samples of 10-100 low-metallicity Lyman continuum emitting galaxies per square degree, enabling multi-wavelength studies of feedback processes linked to ionizing photon escape.