The 300 pc resolution imaging of a z = 8.31 galaxy: Turbulent ionized gas and potential stellar feedback 600 million years after the Big Bang

Abstract

We present the results of 300 pc resolution ALMA imaging of the [OIII] 88 $μ$m line and dust continuum emission from a $z = 8.312$ Lyman break galaxy MACS0416_Y1. The velocity-integrated [OIII] emission has three peaks which are likely associated with three young stellar clumps of MACS0416_Y1, while the channel map shows a complicated velocity structure with little indication of a global velocity gradient unlike what was found in [CII] 158 $μ$m at a larger scale, suggesting random bulk motion of ionized gas clouds inside the galaxy. In contrast, dust emission appears as two individual clumps apparently separating or bridging the [OIII]/stellar clumps. The cross correlation coefficient between dust and ultraviolet-related emission (i.e., [OIII] and ultraviolet continuum) is unity on a galactic scale, while it drops at < 1 kpc, suggesting well mixed geometry of multi-phase interstellar media on sub-kpc scales. If the cutoff scale characterizes different stages of star formation, the cutoff scale can be explained by gravitational instability of turbulent gas. We also report on a kpc-scale off-center cavity embedded in the dust continuum image. This could be a superbubble producing galactic-scale outflows, since the energy injection from the 4 Myr starburst suggested by a spectral energy distribution analysis is large enough to push the surrounding media creating a kpc-scale cavity.