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Title: AN ULTRAVIOLET ULTRA-LUMINOUS LYMAN BREAK GALAXY AT Z = 2.78 IN NDWFS BOOeTES FIELD {sup ,} {sup ,}

Journal Article · · Astrophysical Journal
; ; ; ;  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6]
  1. Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)
  2. National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States)
  3. Large Binocular Telescope Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)
  4. INAF Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma Via di Frascati 33, I-00040 Monte Porzio Catone (Italy)
  5. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Astronomie, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)
  6. Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan (China)

We present one of the most ultraviolet (UV) luminous Lyman break galaxies (LBGs; J1432+3358) at z = 2.78, discovered in the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey Booetes field. The R-band magnitude of J1432+3358 is 22.29 AB, more than two magnitudes brighter than typical L* LBGs at this redshift. The deep z-band image reveals two components of J1432+3358 separated by 1.''0 with a flux ratio of 3:1. The high signal-to-noise ratio rest-frame UV spectrum shows Ly{alpha} emission line and interstellar medium absorption lines. The absence of N V and C IV emission lines, and the non-detection in X-ray and radio wavelengths and mid-infrared (MIR) colors indicates weak or no active galactic nuclei (<10%) in this galaxy. The galaxy shows a broader line profile, with a FWHM of about 1000 km s{sup -1} and a larger outflow velocity ( Almost-Equal-To 500 km s{sup -1}) than those of typical z {approx} 3 LBGs. The physical properties are derived by fitting the spectral energy distribution (SED) with stellar synthesis models. The dust extinction, E(B - V) = 0.12, is similar to that in normal LBGs. The star formation rates (SFRs) derived from the SED fitting and the dust-corrected UV flux are consistent with each other, {approx}300 M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}, and the stellar mass is (1.3 {+-} 0.3) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 11} M{sub Sun }. The SFR and stellar mass in J1432+3358 are about an order of magnitude higher than those in normal LBGs. The SED-fitting results support that J1432+3358 has a continuous star formation history, with a star formation episode of 6.3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 8} yr. The morphology of J1432+3358 and its physical properties suggest that J1432+3358 is in an early phase of a 3:1 merger process. The unique properties and the low space number density ({approx}10{sup -7} Mpc{sup -3}) are consistent with the interpretation that such galaxies are either found in a short unobscured phase of the star formation or that a small fraction of intensive star-forming galaxies are unobscured.

OSTI ID:
22092176
Journal Information:
Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 757, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English