The bright end of the galaxy luminosity function at z ≃ 7 from the VISTA VIDEO survey

Journal article

We have conducted a search for z ≃ 7 Lyman-break galaxies over 8.2 deg² of near-infrared imaging from the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) Deep Extragalactic Observations (VIDEO) survey in the XMM–Newton-Large Scale Structure (XMM-LSS) and the Extended Chandra Deep Field-South (ECDF-S) fields. Candidate galaxies were selected from a full photometric redshift analysis down to a Y + J depth of 25.3 (5σ), utilizing deep auxiliary optical and Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) data to remove brown dwarf and red interloper galaxy contaminants. Our final sample consists of 28 candidate galaxies at 6.5 ≤ z ≤ 7.5 with −23.5 ≤ M_UV ≤ −21.6. We derive stellar masses of 9.1 ≤ log₁₀(M_⋆/M_⊙) ≤ 10.9 for the sample, suggesting that these candidates represent some of the most massive galaxies known at this epoch. We measure the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) luminosity function (LF) at z ≃ 7, confirming previous findings of a gradual decline in number density at the bright end (M_UV < −22) that is well described by a double power law (DPL). We show that quasar contamination in this magnitude range is expected to be minimal, in contrast to conclusions from recent pure-parallel Hubble studies. Our results are up to a factor of 10 lower than previous determinations from optical-only ground-based studies at M_UV ≲ −23. We find that the inclusion of YJHK_s photometry is vital for removing brown dwarf contaminants, and z ≃ 7 samples based on red optical data alone could be highly contaminated (≳50 per cent). In comparison with other robust z > 5 samples, our results further support little evolution in the very bright end of the rest-frame UV LF from z = 5–10, potentially signalling a lack of mass quenching and/or dust obscuration in the most massive galaxies in the first Gyr.

Authors: Varadaraj, RG; Bowler, RAA; Jarvis, MJ; Adams, NJ; Haussler, B

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Journal: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
• Volume: 524
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 4586-4613
• Publication date: 2023-07-11
• Acceptance date: 2023-07-05
• DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stad2081
• EISSN: 1365-2966
• ISSN: 0035-8711
• Language: English
• Keywords: galaxies: formation; galaxies: high-redshift; galaxies: evolution; FFR