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arXiv · 2403.05362

Physical properties of extreme emission-line galaxies at $z\sim 4-9$ from the JWST CEERS survey

M. Llerena·R. Amorín·L. Pentericci·P. Arrabal Haro·B. E. Backhaus·M. B. Bagley·A. Calabrò·N. J. Cleri·K. Davis·M. Dickinson·S. L. Finkelstein·E. Gawiser·N. A. Grogin·N. P. Hathi·M. Hirschmann·J. S. Kartaltepe·A. M. Koekemoer·E. J. McGrath·B. Mobasher·L. Napolitano·C. Papovich·N. Pirzkal·J. R. Trump·S. M. Wilkins·L. Y. A. Yung
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Abstract

Extreme emission line galaxies (EELGs) are typically characterized by high equivalent widths (EWs) which are driven by elevated specific star formation rates (sSFR) in low-mass galaxies with subsolar metallicities and little dust. Such extreme systems are rare in the local universe, but the number density of EELGs increases with redshift. Such starburst galaxies are currently presumed to be the main drivers of hydrogen reionization over 5.5 0.4-1 which indicates that star formation may be the dominant source of ionization. Based on the photometric fluxes, we find an increase of EW([OIII]+H$\beta$) with sSFR and $\Sigma_{SFR}$, and a decrease with age and stellar mass. The sample of EELGs can reach $\Sigma_{SFR}>$10Msun yr$^{-1}$kpc$^{-2}$ which indicate they are strong candidates of LyC leakers. Another indirect indicator is the high values of O32>5 that can be reached for some galaxies in the sample.

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M. Llerena, R. Amorín, L. Pentericci, P. Arrabal Haro, B. E. Backhaus, M. B. Bagley, A. Calabrò, N. J. Cleri, K. Davis, M. Dickinson, S. L. Finkelstein, E. Gawiser, N. A. Grogin, N. P. Hathi, M. Hirschmann, J. S. Kartaltepe, A. M. Koekemoer, E. J. McGrath, B. Mobasher, L. Napolitano, C. Papovich, N. Pirzkal, J. R. Trump, S. M. Wilkins, L. Y. A. Yung. 2024-03-08. Physical properties of extreme emission-line galaxies at $z\sim 4-9$ from the JWST CEERS survey. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202449904

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