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TRACING the REIONIZATION EPOCH with ALMA: [C II] EMISSION in z ∼ 7 GALAXIES

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Carniani, S 
Maiolino, R 

Abstract

We present new results on [CII]158μ m emission from four galaxies in the reionization epoch. These galaxies were previously confirmed to be at redshifts between 6.6 and 7.15 from the presence of the Lyα emission line in their spectra. The Lyα emission line is redshifted by 100-200 km/s compared to the systemic redshift given by the [CII] line. These velocity offsets are smaller than what is observed in z~3 Lyman break galaxies with similar UV luminosities and emission line properties. Smaller velocity shifts reduce the visibility of Lyα and hence somewhat alleviate the need for a very neutral IGM at z~7 to explain the drop in the fraction of Lyα emitters observed at this epoch. The galaxies show [CII] emission with L[CII]=0.6-1.6 x108L: these luminosities place them consistently below the SFR-L[CII] relation observed for low redshift star forming and metal poor galaxies and also below z =5.5 Lyman break galaxies with similar star formation rates. We argue that previous undetections of [CII] in z~7 galaxies with similar or smaller star formation rates are due to selection effects: previous targets were mostly strong Lyα emitters and therefore probably metal poor systems, while our galaxies are more representative of the general high redshift star forming population .

Description

Keywords

galaxies, evolution - galaxies, formation - galaxies, high-redshift

Journal Title

Astrophysical Journal Letters

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2041-8205
2041-8213

Volume Title

829

Publisher

American Astronomical Society
Sponsorship
Science and Technology Facilities Council (ST/K003119/1)
Science and Technology Facilities Council (ST/M001172/1)
S.C. and R.M. acknowledge financial support from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).