Can Blue UV-Bright Galaxies Drive Reionization at Cosmic Dawn? An $M_{\rm UV}=-19.6$ Galaxy with $f_{\rm esc}\approx0.85$ at $z=9.244$

Abstract

We revisit EBG-1, a gravitationally lensed galaxy at $z = 9.244$, using newly obtained deep (14 hr) JWST/NIRSpec G235M ($R \sim 1000$) spectroscopy. EBG-1 is one of the bluest galaxies observed at $z > 9$. Along with its remarkably blue continuum of $β= -2.99 \pm 0.15$, we find very weak nebular emission from EBG-1. We obtain a $3σ$ upper limit of EW $< 8.4$ Angstrom for C III], a marginal H$β$ measurement (EW $= 256.2 \pm 122.2$ Angstrom), and a $5σ$ detection of [O III] $λ5007$ (EW $= 882.8 \pm 180.6$ Angstrom). These lines suggest an oxygen abundance of $12 + \log(\mathrm{O/H}) = 7.16 \pm 0.25$ ($\simeq 3\% Z_{\odot}$) and $\log(\mathrm{C/O}) < -0.88$ ($3σ$), placing EBG-1 on the C/O-metallicity sequence traced by lower-redshift galaxies. To constrain the escape fraction ($f_{\rm esc}$), we compare the observed UV slope and emission-line equivalent widths with synthetic spectra generated using BEAGLE. The models favor $f_{\rm esc} \gtrsim 0.75$, with $f_{\rm esc} \approx 0.85$ providing the best overall agreement with the observations. These results suggest that relatively UV-bright galaxies like EBG-1 can achieve the exceptionally high ionizing efficiencies supported by late reionization scenarios.