@article{11524, abstract = {We measure the evolution of the rest-frame UV luminosity function (LF) and the stellar mass function (SMF) of Lyman-α (Ly α) emitters (LAEs) from z ∼ 2 to z ∼ 6 by exploring ∼4000 LAEs from the SC4K sample. We find a correlation between Ly α luminosity (LLy α) and rest-frame UV (MUV), with best fit MUV=−1.6+0.2−0.3log10(LLyα/ergs−1)+47+12−11 and a shallower relation between LLy α and stellar mass (M⋆), with best fit log10(M⋆/M⊙)=0.9+0.1−0.1log10(LLyα/ergs−1)−28+4.0−3.8⁠. An increasing LLy α cut predominantly lowers the number density of faint MUV and low M⋆ LAEs. We estimate a proxy for the full UV LFs and SMFs of LAEs with simple assumptions of the faint end slope. For the UV LF, we find a brightening of the characteristic UV luminosity (M∗UV⁠) with increasing redshift and a decrease of the characteristic number density (Φ*). For the SMF, we measure a characteristic stellar mass (⁠M∗⋆/M⊙⁠) increase with increasing redshift, and a Φ* decline. However, if we apply a uniform luminosity cut of log10(LLyα/ergs−1)≥43.0⁠, we find much milder to no evolution in the UV and SMF of LAEs. The UV luminosity density (ρUV) of the full sample of LAEs shows moderate evolution and the stellar mass density (ρM) decreases, with both being always lower than the total ρUV and ρM of more typical galaxies but slowly approaching them with increasing redshift. Overall, our results indicate that both ρUV and ρM of LAEs slowly approach the measurements of continuum-selected galaxies at z > 6, which suggests a key role of LAEs in the epoch of reionization.}, author = {Santos, S and Sobral, D and Butterworth, J and Paulino-Afonso, A and Ribeiro, B and da Cunha, E and Calhau, J and Khostovan, A A and Matthee, Jorryt J and Arrabal Haro, P}, issn = {1365-2966}, journal = {Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, keywords = {Space and Planetary Science, Astronomy and Astrophysics, galaxies: evolution, galaxies: high-redshift, galaxies: luminosity function, mass function}, number = {1}, pages = {1117--1134}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, title = {{The evolution of the UV luminosity and stellar mass functions of Lyman-α emitters from z ∼ 2 to z ∼ 6}}, doi = {10.1093/mnras/stab1218}, volume = {505}, year = {2021}, } @article{11505, abstract = {Contact. This paper presents the results obtained with the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) at the ESO Very Large Telescope on the faint end of the Lyman-alpha luminosity function (LF) based on deep observations of four lensing clusters. The goal of our project is to set strong constraints on the relative contribution of the Lyman-alpha emitter (LAE) population to cosmic reionization. Aims. The precise aim of the present study is to further constrain the abundance of LAEs by taking advantage of the magnification provided by lensing clusters to build a blindly selected sample of galaxies which is less biased than current blank field samples in redshift and luminosity. By construction, this sample of LAEs is complementary to those built from deep blank fields, whether observed by MUSE or by other facilities, and makes it possible to determine the shape of the LF at fainter levels, as well as its evolution with redshift. Methods. We selected a sample of 156 LAEs with redshifts between 2.9 ≤ z ≤ 6.7 and magnification-corrected luminosities in the range 39 ≲ log LLyα [erg s−1] ≲43. To properly take into account the individual differences in detection conditions between the LAEs when computing the LF, including lensing configurations, and spatial and spectral morphologies, the non-parametric 1/Vmax method was adopted. The price to pay to benefit from magnification is a reduction of the effective volume of the survey, together with a more complex analysis procedure to properly determine the effective volume Vmax for each galaxy. In this paper we present a complete procedure for the determination of the LF based on IFU detections in lensing clusters. This procedure, including some new methods for masking, effective volume integration and (individual) completeness determinations, has been fully automated when possible, and it can be easily generalized to the analysis of IFU observations in blank fields. Results. As a result of this analysis, the Lyman-alpha LF has been obtained in four different redshift bins: 2.9 <  z <  6, 7, 2.9 <  z <  4.0, 4.0 <  z <  5.0, and 5.0 <  z <  6.7 with constraints down to log LLyα = 40.5. From our data only, no significant evolution of LF mean slope can be found. When performing a Schechter analysis also including data from the literature to complete the present sample towards the brightest luminosities, a steep faint end slope was measured varying from α = −1.69−0.08+0.08 to α = −1.87−0.12+0.12 between the lowest and the highest redshift bins. Conclusions. The contribution of the LAE population to the star formation rate density at z ∼ 6 is ≲50% depending on the luminosity limit considered, which is of the same order as the Lyman-break galaxy (LBG) contribution. The evolution of the LAE contribution with redshift depends on the assumed escape fraction of Lyman-alpha photons, and appears to slightly increase with increasing redshift when this fraction is conservatively set to one. Depending on the intersection between the LAE/LBG populations, the contribution of the observed galaxies to the ionizing flux may suffice to keep the universe ionized at z ∼ 6.}, author = {de La Vieuville, G. and Bina, D. and Pello, R. and Mahler, G. and Richard, J. and Drake, A. B. and Herenz, E. C. and Bauer, F. E. and Clément, B. and Lagattuta, D. and Laporte, N. and Martinez, J. and Patrício, V. and Wisotzki, L. and Zabl, J. and Bouwens, R. J. and Contini, T. and Garel, T. and Guiderdoni, B. and Marino, R. A. and Maseda, M. V. and Matthee, Jorryt J and Schaye, J. and Soucail, G.}, issn = {1432-0746}, journal = {Astronomy & Astrophysics}, keywords = {Space and Planetary Science, Astronomy and Astrophysics, gravitational lensing: strong / galaxies: high-redshift / dark ages, reionization, first stars / galaxies: clusters: general / galaxies: luminosity function, mass function}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, title = {{Faint end of the z ∼ 3–7 luminosity function of Lyman-alpha emitters behind lensing clusters observed with MUSE}}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201834471}, volume = {628}, year = {2019}, } @article{11558, abstract = {We present and explore deep narrow- and medium-band data obtained with the Subaru and the Isaac Newton Telescopes in the ∼2 deg2 COSMOS field. We use these data as an extremely wide, low-resolution (R ∼ 20–80) Integral Field Unit survey to slice through the COSMOS field and obtain a large sample of ∼4000 Ly α emitters (LAEs) from z ∼ 2 to 6 in 16 redshift slices (SC4K). We present new Ly α luminosity functions (LFs) covering a comoving volume of ∼108 Mpc3. SC4K extensively complements ultradeep surveys, jointly covering over 4 dex in Ly α luminosity and revealing a global (2.5 < z < 6) synergy LF with α=−1.93+0.12−0.12⁠, log10Φ∗Lyα=−3.45+0.22−0.29 Mpc−3, and log10L∗Lyα=42.93+0.15−0.11 erg s−1. The Schechter component of the Ly α LF reveals a factor ∼5 rise in L∗Lyα and a ∼7 × decline in Φ∗Lyα from z ∼ 2 to 6. The data reveal an extra power-law (or Schechter) component above LLy α ≈ 1043.3 erg s−1 at z ∼ 2.2–3.5 and we show that it is partially driven by X-ray and radio active galactic nucleus (AGN), as their Ly α LF resembles the excess. The power-law component vanishes and/or is below our detection limits above z > 3.5, likely linked with the evolution of the AGN population. The Ly α luminosity density rises by a factor ∼2 from z ∼ 2 to 3 but is then found to be roughly constant (⁠1.1+0.2−0.2×1040 erg s−1 Mpc−3) to z ∼ 6, despite the ∼0.7 dex drop in ultraviolet (UV) luminosity density. The Ly α/UV luminosity density ratio rises from 4 ± 1 per cent to 30 ± 6 per cent from z ∼ 2.2 to 6. Our results imply a rise of a factor of ≈2 in the global ionization efficiency (ξion) and a factor ≈4 ± 1 in the Ly α escape fraction from z ∼ 2 to 6, hinting for evolution in both the typical burstiness/stellar populations and even more so in the typical interstellar medium conditions allowing Ly α photons to escape.}, author = {Sobral, David and Santos, Sérgio and Matthee, Jorryt J and Paulino-Afonso, Ana and Ribeiro, Bruno and Calhau, João and Khostovan, Ali A}, issn = {1365-2966}, journal = {Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, keywords = {Space and Planetary Science, Astronomy and Astrophysics, galaxies: evolution, galaxies: formation, galaxies: high-redshift, galaxies: luminosity function, mass function, galaxies: statistics}, number = {4}, pages = {4725--4752}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, title = {{Slicing COSMOS with SC4K: The evolution of typical Ly α emitters and the Ly α escape fraction from z ∼ 2 to 6}}, doi = {10.1093/mnras/sty378}, volume = {476}, year = {2018}, } @article{11562, abstract = {We present the CAlibrating LYMan-α with Hα (CALYMHA) pilot survey and new results on Lyman α (Lyα) selected galaxies at z ∼ 2. We use a custom-built Lyα narrow-band filter at the Isaac Newton Telescope, designed to provide a matched volume coverage to the z = 2.23 Hα HiZELS survey. Here, we present the first results for the COSMOS and UDS fields. Our survey currently reaches a 3σ line flux limit of ∼4 × 10−17 erg s−1 cm−2, and a Lyα luminosity limit of ∼1042.3 erg s−1. We find 188 Lyα emitters over 7.3 × 105 Mpc3, but also find significant numbers of other line-emitting sources corresponding to He II, C III] and C IV emission lines. These sources are important contaminants, and we carefully remove them, unlike most previous studies. We find that the Lyα luminosity function at z = 2.23 is very well described by a Schechter function up to LLy α ≈ 1043 erg s−1 with L∗=1042.59+0.16−0.08 erg s−1, ϕ∗=10−3.09+0.14−0.34 Mpc−3 and α = −1.75 ± 0.25. Above LLy α ≈ 1043 erg s−1, the Lyα luminosity function becomes power-law like, driven by X-ray AGN. We find that Lyα-selected emitters have a high escape fraction of 37 ± 7 per cent, anticorrelated with Lyα luminosity and correlated with Lyα equivalent width. Lyα emitters have ubiquitous large (≈40 kpc) Lyα haloes, ∼2 times larger than their Hα extents. By directly comparing our Lyα and Hα luminosity functions, we find that the global/overall escape fraction of Lyα photons (within a 13 kpc radius) from the full population of star-forming galaxies is 5.1 ± 0.2 per cent at the peak of the star formation history. An extra 3.3 ± 0.3 per cent of Lyα photons likely still escape, but at larger radii.}, author = {Sobral, David and Matthee, Jorryt J and Best, Philip and Stroe, Andra and Röttgering, Huub and Oteo, Iván and Smail, Ian and Morabito, Leah and Paulino-Afonso, Ana}, issn = {1365-2966}, journal = {Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, keywords = {Space and Planetary Science, Astronomy and Astrophysics, galaxies: evolution, galaxies: haloes, galaxies: high-redshift, galaxies: luminosity function, mass function, galaxies: statistics, cosmology: observations}, number = {1}, pages = {1242--1258}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, title = {{The CALYMHA survey: Lyα luminosity function and global escape fraction of Lyα photons at z = 2.23}}, doi = {10.1093/mnras/stw3090}, volume = {466}, year = {2017}, } @article{11567, abstract = {Recently, the C III] and C IV emission lines have been observed in galaxies in the early Universe (z > 5), providing new ways to measure their redshift and study their stellar populations and active galactic nuclei (AGN). We explore the first blind C II], C III] and C IV survey (z ∼ 0.68, 1.05, 1.53, respectively) presented in Stroe et al. (2017). We derive luminosity functions (LF) and study properties of C II], C III] and C IV line emitters through comparisons to the LFs of H α and Ly α emitters, UV selected star-forming (SF) galaxies and quasars at similar redshifts. The C II] LF at z ∼ 0.68 is equally well described by a Schechter or a power-law LF, characteristic of a mixture of SF and AGN activity. The C III] LF (z ∼ 1.05) is consistent to a scaled down version of the Schechter H α and Ly α LF at their redshift, indicating a SF origin. In stark contrast, the C IV LF at z ∼ 1.53 is well fit by a power-law, quasar-like LF. We find that the brightest UV sources (MUV < −22) will universally have C III] and C IV emission. However, on average, C III] and C IV are not as abundant as H α or Ly α emitters at the same redshift, with cosmic average ratios of ∼0.02–0.06 to H α and ∼0.01–0.1 to intrinsic Ly α. We predict that the C III] and C IV lines can only be truly competitive in confirming high-redshift candidates when the hosts are intrinsically bright and the effective Ly α escape fraction is below 1 per cent. While C III] and C IV were proposed as good tracers of young, relatively low-metallicity galaxies typical of the early Universe, we find that, at least at z ∼ 1.5, C IV is exclusively hosted by AGN/quasars, especially at large line equivalent widths.}, author = {Stroe, Andra and Sobral, David and Matthee, Jorryt J and Calhau, João and Oteo, Ivan}, issn = {1365-2966}, journal = {Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, keywords = {Space and Planetary Science, Astronomy and Astrophysics, galaxies: active, galaxies: high redshift, galaxies: luminosity function, mass function, quasars: emission lines, star formation, cosmology: observations}, number = {3}, pages = {2575--2586}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, title = {{A 1.4 deg2 blind survey for C II], C III] and C IV at z ∼ 0.7–1.5 – II. Luminosity functions and cosmic average line ratios}}, doi = {10.1093/mnras/stx1713}, volume = {471}, year = {2017}, } @article{11574, abstract = {We present new results from the widest narrow-band survey search for Lyα emitters at z = 5.7, just after reionization. We survey a total of 7 deg2 spread over the COSMOS, UDS and SA22 fields. We find over 11 000 line emitters, out of which 514 are robust Lyα candidates at z = 5.7 within a volume of 6.3 × 106 Mpc3. Our Lyα emitters span a wide range in Lyα luminosities, from faint to bright (LLyα ∼ 1042.5–44 erg s−1) and rest-frame equivalent widths (EW0 ∼ 25–1000 Å) in a single, homogeneous data set. By combining all our fields, we find that the faint end slope of the z = 5.7 Lyα luminosity function is very steep, with α=−2.3+0.4−0.3⁠. We also present an updated z = 6.6 Lyα luminosity function, based on comparable volumes and obtained with the same methods, which we directly compare with that at z = 5.7. We find a significant decline of the number density of faint Lyα emitters from z = 5.7 to 6.6 (by 0.5 ± 0.1 dex), but no evolution at the bright end/no evolution in L*. Faint Lyα emitters at z = 6.6 show much more extended haloes than those at z = 5.7, suggesting that neutral Hydrogen plays an important role, increasing the scattering and leading to observations missing faint Lyα emission within the epoch of reionization. Altogether, our results suggest that we are observing patchy reionization which happens first around the brightest Lyα emitters, allowing the number densities of those sources to remain unaffected by the increase of neutral Hydrogen fraction from z ∼ 5 to 7.}, author = {Santos, Sérgio and Sobral, David and Matthee, Jorryt J}, issn = {1365-2966}, journal = {Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, keywords = {Space and Planetary Science, Astronomy and Astrophysics, galaxies: high-redshift, galaxies: luminosity function, mass function, cosmology: observations, dark ages, reionization, first stars}, number = {2}, pages = {1678--1691}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, title = {{The Lyα luminosity function at z= 5.7–6.6 and the steep drop of the faint end: Implications for reionization}}, doi = {10.1093/mnras/stw2076}, volume = {463}, year = {2016}, } @article{11580, abstract = {We present results from the largest contiguous narrow-band survey in the near-infrared. We have used the wide-field infrared camera/Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope and the lowOH2 filter (1.187 ± 0.005 μm) to survey ≈10 deg2 of contiguous extragalactic sky in the SA22 field. A total of ∼6000 candidate emission-line galaxies are found. We use deep ugrizJK data to obtain robust photometric redshifts. We combine our data with the High-redshift(Z) Emission Line Survey (HiZELS), explore spectroscopic surveys (VVDS, VIPERS) and obtain our own spectroscopic follow-up with KMOS, FMOS and MOSFIRE to derive large samples of high-redshift emission-line selected galaxies: 3471 Hα emitters at z = 0.8, 1343 [O III] + Hβ emitters at z = 1.4 and 572 [O II] emitters at z = 2.2. We probe comoving volumes of >106 Mpc3 and find significant overdensities, including an 8.5σ (spectroscopically confirmed) overdensity of Hα emitters at z = 0.81. We derive Hα, [O III] + Hβ and [O II] luminosity functions at z = 0.8, 1.4, 2.2, respectively, and present implications for future surveys such as Euclid. Our uniquely large volumes/areas allow us to subdivide the samples in thousands of randomized combinations of areas and provide a robust empirical measurement of sample/cosmic variance. We show that surveys for star-forming/emission-line galaxies at a depth similar to ours can only overcome cosmic-variance (errors <10 per cent) if they are based on volumes >5 × 105 Mpc3; errors on L* and ϕ* due to sample (cosmic) variance on surveys probing ∼104 and ∼105 Mpc3 are typically very high: ∼300 and ∼40–60 per cent, respectively.}, author = {Sobral, D. and Matthee, Jorryt J and Best, P. N. and Smail, I. and Khostovan, A. A. and Milvang-Jensen, B. and Kim, J.-W. and Stott, J. and Calhau, J. and Nayyeri, H. and Mobasher, B.}, issn = {1365-2966}, journal = {Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, keywords = {Space and Planetary Science, Astronomy and Astrophysics, galaxies: evolution, galaxies: formation, galaxies: luminosity function, mass function, cosmology: observations, early Universe, large-scale structure of Universe}, number = {3}, pages = {2303--2323}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, title = {{CF-HiZELS, an ∼10 deg2 emission-line survey with spectroscopic follow-up: Hα, [O III] + Hβ and [O II] luminosity functions at z = 0.8, 1.4 and 2.2 }}, doi = {10.1093/mnras/stv1076}, volume = {451}, year = {2015}, }