The Star-forming Main Sequence in JADES and CEERS at z > 1.4: Investigating the Burstiness of Star Formation
We have used public JWST/NIRSpec and JWST/NIRCam observations from the CEERS and JADES surveys in order to analyze the star-forming main sequence (SFMS) over the redshift range 1.4 ≤ z < 7. We calculate the star formation rates (SFRs) of the galaxy sample using three approaches: Balmer line lumin...
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2024-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad8ba4 |
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| author | Leonardo Clarke Alice E. Shapley Ryan L. Sanders Michael W. Topping Gabriel B. Brammer Trinity Bento Naveen A. Reddy Emily Kehoe |
| author_facet | Leonardo Clarke Alice E. Shapley Ryan L. Sanders Michael W. Topping Gabriel B. Brammer Trinity Bento Naveen A. Reddy Emily Kehoe |
| author_sort | Leonardo Clarke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We have used public JWST/NIRSpec and JWST/NIRCam observations from the CEERS and JADES surveys in order to analyze the star-forming main sequence (SFMS) over the redshift range 1.4 ≤ z < 7. We calculate the star formation rates (SFRs) of the galaxy sample using three approaches: Balmer line luminosity, spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting, and UV luminosity. We find a larger degree of scatter about the SFMS using the Balmer-based SFRs compared to the UV-based SFRs. Because these SFR indicators are sensitive to star formation on different timescales, the difference in scatter may be evidence of bursty star formation histories in the early Universe. We additionally compare the H α -to-UV luminosity ratio ( L (H α )/ ν L _ν _,1600 ) for individual galaxies in the sample and find that 29%–52% of the ratios across the sample are poorly described by predictions from a smooth star formation history. Measuring the burstiness of star formation in the early Universe has multiple significant implications, such as deriving accurate physical parameters from SED fitting, explaining the evolution of the UV luminosity function, and providing constraints for subgrid models of feedback in simulations of galaxy formation and evolution. |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-a9732ddabf454e53b9a285a1f7b765a12024-12-09T10:03:25ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572024-01-01977113310.3847/1538-4357/ad8ba4The Star-forming Main Sequence in JADES and CEERS at z > 1.4: Investigating the Burstiness of Star FormationLeonardo Clarke0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1249-6392Alice E. Shapley1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3509-4855Ryan L. Sanders2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4792-9119Michael W. Topping3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8426-1141Gabriel B. Brammer4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2680-005XTrinity Bento5Naveen A. Reddy6https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9687-4973Emily Kehoe7University of California , Los Angeles, 475 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USAUniversity of California , Los Angeles, 475 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USAUniversity of Kentucky , 506 Library Drive, Lexington, KY 40506, USASteward Observatory, University of Arizona , 933 N Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721, USACosmic Dawn Center (DAWN) , Denmark; Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen , Jagtvej 128, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, DenmarkUniversity of California , Los Angeles, 475 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USADepartment of Physics & Astronomy, University of California, Riverside , 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USAUniversity of California , Los Angeles, 475 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USAWe have used public JWST/NIRSpec and JWST/NIRCam observations from the CEERS and JADES surveys in order to analyze the star-forming main sequence (SFMS) over the redshift range 1.4 ≤ z < 7. We calculate the star formation rates (SFRs) of the galaxy sample using three approaches: Balmer line luminosity, spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting, and UV luminosity. We find a larger degree of scatter about the SFMS using the Balmer-based SFRs compared to the UV-based SFRs. Because these SFR indicators are sensitive to star formation on different timescales, the difference in scatter may be evidence of bursty star formation histories in the early Universe. We additionally compare the H α -to-UV luminosity ratio ( L (H α )/ ν L _ν _,1600 ) for individual galaxies in the sample and find that 29%–52% of the ratios across the sample are poorly described by predictions from a smooth star formation history. Measuring the burstiness of star formation in the early Universe has multiple significant implications, such as deriving accurate physical parameters from SED fitting, explaining the evolution of the UV luminosity function, and providing constraints for subgrid models of feedback in simulations of galaxy formation and evolution.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad8ba4Galaxy evolutionGalaxy spectroscopyHigh-redshift galaxiesGalaxies |
| spellingShingle | Leonardo Clarke Alice E. Shapley Ryan L. Sanders Michael W. Topping Gabriel B. Brammer Trinity Bento Naveen A. Reddy Emily Kehoe The Star-forming Main Sequence in JADES and CEERS at z > 1.4: Investigating the Burstiness of Star Formation The Astrophysical Journal Galaxy evolution Galaxy spectroscopy High-redshift galaxies Galaxies |
| title | The Star-forming Main Sequence in JADES and CEERS at z > 1.4: Investigating the Burstiness of Star Formation |
| title_full | The Star-forming Main Sequence in JADES and CEERS at z > 1.4: Investigating the Burstiness of Star Formation |
| title_fullStr | The Star-forming Main Sequence in JADES and CEERS at z > 1.4: Investigating the Burstiness of Star Formation |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Star-forming Main Sequence in JADES and CEERS at z > 1.4: Investigating the Burstiness of Star Formation |
| title_short | The Star-forming Main Sequence in JADES and CEERS at z > 1.4: Investigating the Burstiness of Star Formation |
| title_sort | star forming main sequence in jades and ceers at z 1 4 investigating the burstiness of star formation |
| topic | Galaxy evolution Galaxy spectroscopy High-redshift galaxies Galaxies |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad8ba4 |
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