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Witnessing an extreme, highly efficient galaxy formation mode with resolved Ly$\alpha$ and LyC emission

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arxiv 2407.18804 v2 pith:K4GKFAUV submitted 2024-07-26 astro-ph.GA

classification astro-ph.GA
keywords highj1316alphaemissionepsilonmassstarburstcompact
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abstract

J1316+2614 at z=3.613 is the UV-brightest ($M_{UV}$ = -24.7) and strongest Lyman continuum (LyC, $f_{esc}^{LyC} \approx$ 90%) emitting star-forming galaxy known, showing also signatures of inflowing gas from its blue-dominated Ly$\alpha$ profile. Here, we present high-resolution imaging with the HST and VLT of the LyC, Ly$\alpha$, rest-UV, and optical emission of J1316+2614. Detailed analysis of the LyC and UV light distributions reveals compact yet resolved profiles, with LyC and UV morphologies showing identical half-light radii of $\simeq$ 220 pc. The continuum-subtracted Ly$\alpha$ emission reveals an extended filamentary structure of $\simeq$ 6.0 kpc oriented south-north with only weak/residual flux within the stellar core, suggesting a Ly$\alpha$ "hole". J1316+2614 presents remarkably high SFR and stellar mass surface densities of log($\Sigma_{SFR}$ [$M_{\odot}$/yr/kpc^2]) = 3.47$\pm$0.11 and log($\Sigma_{M}$ [$M_{\odot}$/pc^2]) = 4.20$\pm$0.06, respectively, which are among the highest observed in star-forming galaxies. Our findings indicate that J1316+2614 is a powerful, young, and compact starburst, leaking significant LyC photons due to the lack of gas and dust within the starburst. We explore the conditions for gas expulsion using a simple energetic balance and find that, given the strong binding force in J1316+2614, a high star formation efficiency ($\epsilon_{SF} \geq 0.7$) is necessary to remove the gas and explain its exposed nature. Our results thus suggest a close link between high $\epsilon_{SF}$ and high $f_{esc}^{LyC}$. This high efficiency can also naturally explain the remarkably high SFR, UV-luminosity, and efficient mass growth of J1316+2614, where at least 62% of its mass formed in the last 6 Myr. J1316+2614 may exemplify an intense, feedback-free starburst with a high $\epsilon_{SF}$, similar to those proposed for UV-bright galaxies at high redshifts. (ABRIDGED)

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Cited by 2 Pith papers

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

  1. Little impact of mergers and galaxy morphology on the production and escape of ionizing photons in the early Universe

    astro-ph.GA 2025-01 conditional novelty 6.0 of 10

    Using 436 JWST galaxies at z=5 to 7, the authors find no significant correlation between merger morphology and predicted Lyman continuum escape or ionizing photon production efficiency.

  2. Lyman Continuum Leakers at $z>3$ in the GOODS-S Field: Mergers Dominated

    astro-ph.GA 2024-12 conditional novelty 6.0 of 10

    Twenty of 23 Lyman continuum leakers at z = 3 to 4.5 in GOODS-S show merger signatures, indicating mergers are a major channel for ionizing photon escape.

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