Early Results from GLASS-JWST. XXV. Electron Density in the Interstellar Medium at 0.7 ≲ z ≲ 9.3 with NIRSpec High-resolution Spectroscopy
The electron density ( n _e ) of the interstellar medium (ISM) in star-forming galaxies is intimately linked to star formation and ionization condition. Using the high-resolution spectra obtained from the JWST Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) microshutter assembly (MSA) as part of the GLASS-JWST...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Sijia Li Xin Wang Yuguang Chen Tucker Jones Tommaso Treu Karl Glazebrook Xianlong He Alaina Henry Xiao-Lei Meng Takahiro Morishita Guido Roberts-Borsani Lilan Yang Hao-Ran Yu Antonello Calabrò Marco Castellano Nicha Leethochawalit Benjamin Metha Themiya Nanayakkara Namrata Roy Benedetta Vulcani |
| author_facet | Sijia Li Xin Wang Yuguang Chen Tucker Jones Tommaso Treu Karl Glazebrook Xianlong He Alaina Henry Xiao-Lei Meng Takahiro Morishita Guido Roberts-Borsani Lilan Yang Hao-Ran Yu Antonello Calabrò Marco Castellano Nicha Leethochawalit Benjamin Metha Themiya Nanayakkara Namrata Roy Benedetta Vulcani |
| author_sort | Sijia Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The electron density ( n _e ) of the interstellar medium (ISM) in star-forming galaxies is intimately linked to star formation and ionization condition. Using the high-resolution spectra obtained from the JWST Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) microshutter assembly (MSA) as part of the GLASS-JWST program, we have assembled the largest sample to date (34 galaxies) with individual n _e measurements derived from the [O ii ] λλ 3726, 29 and/or [S ii ] λλ 6718, 32 doublets at 0.7 ≲ z ≲ 9.3. The gravitational lensing magnification by the foreground A2744 cluster allows us to probe n _e in galaxies with stellar masses ( M _* ) down to ≃10 ^7.5 M _⊙ across the entire redshift range. Our analysis reveals that the [O ii ] flux ratios are marginally anticorrelated with a specific star formation rate (sSFR) within a 1 σ confidence interval, whereas the [S ii ] flux ratios show no significant correlation with sSFR. Despite a clear correlation between sSFR and redshift within our sample, we find no apparent redshift evolution of n _e at z ≃ 1–9. Our data set also includes 13 galaxies where n _e can be measured from both [O ii ] and [S ii ]. Contrary to findings at lower redshifts, we observe considerable scatter in n _e measurements from [O ii ] and [S ii ], indicating a complex gaseous environment with significant variations in n _e in high-redshift galaxies. This work highlights the unique capability of JWST NIRSpec/MSA high-resolution spectroscopy to characterize the detailed physical properties of the ISM in individual high-redshift galaxies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-30ff8adc7ef24181a6995006e94901ef |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-8205 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| series | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-30ff8adc7ef24181a6995006e94901ef2025-01-14T17:43:51ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052025-01-019791L1310.3847/2041-8213/ad9eacEarly Results from GLASS-JWST. XXV. Electron Density in the Interstellar Medium at 0.7 ≲ z ≲ 9.3 with NIRSpec High-resolution SpectroscopySijia Li0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4813-8482Xin Wang1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9373-3865Yuguang Chen2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4520-5395Tucker Jones3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5860-3419Tommaso Treu4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8460-0390Karl Glazebrook5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3254-9044Xianlong He6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1336-5100Alaina Henry7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6586-4446Xiao-Lei Meng8https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0596-9445Takahiro Morishita9https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8512-1404Guido Roberts-Borsani10https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4140-1367Lilan Yang11https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8434-880XHao-Ran Yu12https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5277-4882Antonello Calabrò13https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2536-1614Marco Castellano14https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9875-8263Nicha Leethochawalit15https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4570-3159Benjamin Metha16https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8632-6049Themiya Nanayakkara17https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2804-0648Namrata Roy18https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4430-8846Benedetta Vulcani19https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0980-1499School of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) , Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China ; xwang@ucas.ac.cn; Department of Astronomy, Xiamen University , Xiamen, Fujian 361005, People's Republic of ChinaSchool of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) , Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China ; xwang@ucas.ac.cn; National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China; Institute for Frontiers in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Beijing Normal University , Beijing 102206, People's Republic of ChinaDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Davis , 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA ; yugchen@ucdavis.eduDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Davis , 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA ; yugchen@ucdavis.eduDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of California , Los Angeles, 430 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USACentre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology , PO Box 218, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, AustraliaSchool of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) , Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China ; xwang@ucas.ac.cn; School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University (WHU) , Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of ChinaSpace Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Center for Astrophysical Sciences, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore, MD 21218, USANational Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100101, People's Republic of ChinaIPAC, California Institute of Technology , MC 314-6, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of California , Los Angeles, 430 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USAKavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, The University of Tokyo , Kashiwa, 277-8583, JapanDepartment of Astronomy, Xiamen University , Xiamen, Fujian 361005, People's Republic of ChinaINAF Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma , Via Frascati 33, 00078 Monteporzio Catone, Rome, ItalyINAF Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma , Via Frascati 33, 00078 Monteporzio Catone, Rome, ItalyNational Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) , MaeRim, Chiang Mai, 50180, ThailandSchool of Physics, The University of Melbourne , VIC 3010, AustraliaCentre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology , PO Box 218, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, AustraliaCenter for Astrophysical Sciences, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore, MD 21218, USAINAF Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova , vicolo dell’Osservatorio 5, 35122 Padova, ItalyThe electron density ( n _e ) of the interstellar medium (ISM) in star-forming galaxies is intimately linked to star formation and ionization condition. Using the high-resolution spectra obtained from the JWST Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) microshutter assembly (MSA) as part of the GLASS-JWST program, we have assembled the largest sample to date (34 galaxies) with individual n _e measurements derived from the [O ii ] λλ 3726, 29 and/or [S ii ] λλ 6718, 32 doublets at 0.7 ≲ z ≲ 9.3. The gravitational lensing magnification by the foreground A2744 cluster allows us to probe n _e in galaxies with stellar masses ( M _* ) down to ≃10 ^7.5 M _⊙ across the entire redshift range. Our analysis reveals that the [O ii ] flux ratios are marginally anticorrelated with a specific star formation rate (sSFR) within a 1 σ confidence interval, whereas the [S ii ] flux ratios show no significant correlation with sSFR. Despite a clear correlation between sSFR and redshift within our sample, we find no apparent redshift evolution of n _e at z ≃ 1–9. Our data set also includes 13 galaxies where n _e can be measured from both [O ii ] and [S ii ]. Contrary to findings at lower redshifts, we observe considerable scatter in n _e measurements from [O ii ] and [S ii ], indicating a complex gaseous environment with significant variations in n _e in high-redshift galaxies. This work highlights the unique capability of JWST NIRSpec/MSA high-resolution spectroscopy to characterize the detailed physical properties of the ISM in individual high-redshift galaxies.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad9eacGalaxy formationGalaxy evolutionInterstellar mediumStar formation |
| spellingShingle | Sijia Li Xin Wang Yuguang Chen Tucker Jones Tommaso Treu Karl Glazebrook Xianlong He Alaina Henry Xiao-Lei Meng Takahiro Morishita Guido Roberts-Borsani Lilan Yang Hao-Ran Yu Antonello Calabrò Marco Castellano Nicha Leethochawalit Benjamin Metha Themiya Nanayakkara Namrata Roy Benedetta Vulcani Early Results from GLASS-JWST. XXV. Electron Density in the Interstellar Medium at 0.7 ≲ z ≲ 9.3 with NIRSpec High-resolution Spectroscopy The Astrophysical Journal Letters Galaxy formation Galaxy evolution Interstellar medium Star formation |
| title | Early Results from GLASS-JWST. XXV. Electron Density in the Interstellar Medium at 0.7 ≲ z ≲ 9.3 with NIRSpec High-resolution Spectroscopy |
| title_full | Early Results from GLASS-JWST. XXV. Electron Density in the Interstellar Medium at 0.7 ≲ z ≲ 9.3 with NIRSpec High-resolution Spectroscopy |
| title_fullStr | Early Results from GLASS-JWST. XXV. Electron Density in the Interstellar Medium at 0.7 ≲ z ≲ 9.3 with NIRSpec High-resolution Spectroscopy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Early Results from GLASS-JWST. XXV. Electron Density in the Interstellar Medium at 0.7 ≲ z ≲ 9.3 with NIRSpec High-resolution Spectroscopy |
| title_short | Early Results from GLASS-JWST. XXV. Electron Density in the Interstellar Medium at 0.7 ≲ z ≲ 9.3 with NIRSpec High-resolution Spectroscopy |
| title_sort | early results from glass jwst xxv electron density in the interstellar medium at 0 7 ≲ z ≲ 9 3 with nirspec high resolution spectroscopy |
| topic | Galaxy formation Galaxy evolution Interstellar medium Star formation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad9eac |
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