Emission-line galaxies from the Hubble space telescope Probing Evolution and Reionization Spectroscopically (PEARS) grism survey. II. The complete sample.

Authors

N. Pirzkal, Space Telescope Science Institute
Barry Rothberg, George Mason University
Chun Ly, Space Telescope Science Institute
Sangeeta Malhotra, Arizona State University
James E. Rhoads, Arizona State University
Norman A. Grogin, Space Telescope Science Institute
Tomas Dahlen, Space Telescope Science Institute
Kai G. Noeske, Space Telescope Science Institute
Gerhardt R. Meurer, University of Western Australia
Jeremy R. Walsh, European Southern Observatory
Nimish P. Hathi, Carnegie Observatories
Seth H. Cohen, Arizona State University
Andrea Bellini, Space Telescope Science Institute
Benne W. Holwerda, University of Louisville
Amber N. Straughn, Goddard Space Flight Center
Matthew Mechtley, Arizona State University
Rogier A. Windhorst, Arizona State University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2013

Department

Physics and Astronomy

Abstract

We present a full analysis of the Probing Evolution And Reionization Spectroscopically (PEARS) slitess grism spectroscopic data obtained with the Advanced Camera for Surveys on board Hubble Space Telescope. PEARS covers fields within both the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey (GOODS) North and South fields, making it ideal as a random survey of galaxies, as well as the availability of a wide variety of ancillary observations complemented by the spectroscopic results. Using the PEARS data, we are able to identify star-forming galaxies (SFGs) within the redshift volume 0 < z < 1.5. Star-forming regions in the PEARS survey are pinpointed independently of the host galaxy. This method allows us to detect the presence of multiple emission-line regions (ELRs) within a single galaxy. We identified a total of 1162 Hα, [O iii], and/or [O ii] emission lines in the PEARS sample of 906 galaxies to a limiting flux of ∼10−18 erg s−1 cm−2. The ELRs have also been compared to the properties of the host galaxy, including morphology, luminosity, and mass. From this analysis, we find three key results: (1) the computed line luminosities show evidence of a flattening in the luminosity function with increasing redshift; (2) the star-forming systems show evidence of complex morphologies with star formation occurring predominantly within one effective (half-light) radius. However, the morphologies show no correlation with host stellar mass. (3) Also, the number density of SFGs with M∗ 109 M decreases by an order of magnitude at z 0.5 relative to the number at 0.5 < z < 0.9, supporting the argument of galaxy downsizing.

Comments

Copyright 2013. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/772/1/48

Original Publication Information

Pirzkal, Nor, et al. "Emission-line Galaxies from the Hubble Space Telescope Probing Evolution and Reionization Spetroscopically (PEARS) Grism Survey. II. The Complete Sample." 2013. The Astrophysical Journal 772(1): 17 pp.

ThinkIR Citation

Pirzkal, N.; Rothberg, Barry; Ly, Chun; Malhotra, Sangeeta; Rhoads, James E.; Grogin, Norman A.; Dahlen, Tomas; Noeske, Kai G.; Meurer, Gerhardt R.; Walsh, Jeremy R.; Hathi, Nimish P.; Cohen, Seth H.; Bellini, Andrea; Holwerda, Benne W.; Straughn, Amber N.; Mechtley, Matthew; and Windhorst, Rogier A., "Emission-line galaxies from the Hubble space telescope Probing Evolution and Reionization Spectroscopically (PEARS) grism survey. II. The complete sample." (2013). Faculty and Staff Scholarship. 220.
https://ir.library.louisville.edu/faculty/220

DOI

10.1088/0004-637X/772/1/48