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Galaxies at z ~ 6: physical properties at the edge of the cosmic reionization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 August 2016

Stephane de Barros ,
Eros Vanzella ,
Laura Pentericci ,
Adriano Fontana ,
Andrea Grazian  and
Marco Castellano
Stephane de Barros
Affiliation:
INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, via Ranzani 1, I-40127 Bologna, Italy email: stephane.debarros@oabo.inaf.it
Eros Vanzella
Affiliation:
INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, via Ranzani 1, I-40127 Bologna, Italy email: stephane.debarros@oabo.inaf.it
Laura Pentericci
Affiliation:
INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, via Frascati 33, 00040 Monteporzio, Italy
Adriano Fontana
Affiliation:
INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, via Frascati 33, 00040 Monteporzio, Italy
Andrea Grazian
Affiliation:
INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, via Frascati 33, 00040 Monteporzio, Italy
Marco Castellano
Affiliation:
INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, via Frascati 33, 00040 Monteporzio, Italy
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Abstract

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An important effort has been recently made to detect spectroscopically galaxies at z ~ 6 and higher where the cosmic reionization is thought to occur. The drop of the fraction of Lyman Alpha Emitters (LAEs) at z>6 is currently interpreted as an effect of the increasing neutral hydrogen density.

We present preliminary results from the latest VLT/FORS2 programs, combined with ESO archival data, to perform a large census of z ~ 6 galaxies. We derive their physical properties as stellar mass and dust attenuation with an SED fitting tool including nebular emission which is of primeval importance because IRAC channels are strongly contaminated by emission lines at those redshifts. We take a special care to derive with precision the redshift of non LAEs to perform a comparison of their properties with the LAE population and derive as accurately as possible the fraction of LAEs. In particular, we compare the UV beta slope with the Lyα equivalent width which are known to correlate at lower redshift.

We also report the detection of few peculiar z ~ 6 galaxies with extremely blue UV β slope (~−3), which can be a signature of unusual stellar populations (e.g., very hot and massive stars).

Keywords

galaxies: distances and redshifts – galaxies: formation – galaxies: high-redshift
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 11 , Symposium S319: Galaxies at High Redshift and Their Evolution Over Cosmic Time , August 2015 , pp. 7 - 9
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2016 

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