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SAPPHIRES: A Galaxy Over-Density in the Heart of Cosmic Reionization at $z=8.47$

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arxiv 2503.15597 v1 pith:6NZF7TV7 submitted 2025-03-19 astro-ph.GA

classification astro-ph.GA
keywords galaxyover-densityfieldgalaxiesmassivesim8surveyactive
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abstract

We report the discovery of a galaxy proto-cluster candidate (dubbed MACS0416-OD-z8p5) at a spectroscopic redshift of $z\sim8.47$, dating back to $\sim550$Myr after the Big Bang. The observations are part of the JWST Cycle-3 treasury program, Slitless Areal Pure-Parallel HIgh-Redshift Emission Survey (SAPPHIRES) with NIRCam-grism. Using wide field slitless spectroscopy (WFSS) obtained in the MACS0416 parallel field, we robustly confirm nine galaxies at $z_{\rm spec}\sim8.47$ via emission line detections of [OIII]5008A (with $>5\,\sigma$) and tentatively confirm one additional galaxy (at $\sim3\,\sigma$). This discovery represents the highest-redshift, spectroscopically confirmed galaxy over-density known to date, which is $\sim6$--$8$ times more dense than the average volume density of galaxies at the same redshift. Furthermore, a galaxy hosting a low-mass active galactic nucleus (``Little-Red-Dot'') is found as a member, suggesting an early emergence of active, massive black holes and feedback between these black holes and their surrounding environments. We also discuss the spatial structures connecting the galaxy over-density to nearby massive star-forming galaxies (separated by $\sim 5$pMpc, including MACS0416-Y1 and MACS0416-JD. This finding of a massive dark matter halo hosting a galaxy over-density at $z\sim8.5$ is surprising given that our survey covered only a small, random field ($16.5\,{\rm arcmin^2}$) as part of a pure parallel observation. The comparison with cosmological simulations shows that the likelihood of finding such a large-scale structure is $<5\,\%$ under the current galaxy formation scenario and the observed survey volume. Our results demonstrate the power of WFSS observations to build a complete line-emitter sample and suggest an important role for over-densities in enhancing galaxy formation by funneling large-scale gas supplies into small cosmological volumes.

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Cited by 4 Pith papers

Reviewed papers in the Pith corpus that reference this work. Sorted by Pith novelty score. Full citation record

  1. A Promise for the JWST era: Massive black holes directly collapsed from wave dark matter haloes, and Star formation in and around their accretion flows

    astro-ph.GA 2025-08 reject novelty 6.0 of 10

    Wave dark matter haloes could collapse directly into massive black holes before galaxies formed, explaining JWST-observed over-massive black holes, early massive galaxies, and rapid metal enrichment.

  2. The Identification of Two JWST/NIRCam-Dark Starburst Galaxies at $z=6.6$ with ALMA

    astro-ph.GA 2025-06 conditional novelty 6.0 of 10

    Two ALMA-detected, JWST/NIRCam-dark starburst galaxies at z=6.6 are presented as viable progenitors of massive quiescent galaxies at z>4, with a poorly constrained number density between 10^-8.1 and 10^-5.5 Mpc^-3.

  3. Lonely Little Red Dots: Challenges to the AGN-nature of little red dots through their clustering and spectral energy distributions

    astro-ph.GA 2025-06 conditional novelty 6.0 of 10

    Little red dots sit in lower-density environments than typical galaxies, and Bayesian model comparison favors non-AGN interpretations for most of them.

  4. Evolution of Size, Mass, and Density of Galaxies Since Cosmic Dawn

    physics.gen-ph 2025-10 reject novelty 4.0 of 10

    Under the author's CCC+TL cosmology, galaxy effective radii are larger by roughly (1+z)^0.93, reducing the inferred density and mass of early galaxies.

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