Ionizing Photon Production Efficiencies and Chemical Abundances at Cosmic Dawn Revealed by Ultradeep Rest-frame Optical Spectroscopy of JADES-GS-z14-0

Helton, JM; Morrison, JE; Hainline, KN; D’Eugenio, F; Rieke, GH; Alberts, S; Carniani, S; Leja, J; Li, Y; Rinaldi, P; Scholtz, J; Stone, M; Willmer, CNA; Wu, Z; Baker, WM; Bunker, AJ; Charlot, S; Chevallard, J; Cleri, NJ; Curti, M; Curtis-Lake, E; Egami, E; Eisenstein, DJ; Jakobsen, P; Ji, Z; Saxena, A

Journal article

Ionizing Photon Production Efficiencies and Chemical Abundances at Cosmic Dawn Revealed by Ultradeep Rest-frame Optical Spectroscopy of JADES-GS-z14-0

Abstract:: JWST has discovered an early period of galaxy formation that was more vigorous than expected, which has challenged our understanding of the early Universe. In this work, we present the longest spectroscopic integration ever acquired by JWST/MIRI (tobs ≈ 51 hr). This spectrum covers the brightest rest-frame optical nebular emission lines for the luminous galaxy JADES-GS-z14-0 at z = 14.18. Most notably, we detect [O III]λλ4959, 5007 at ≈14σ and Hα at ≈4σ with these ultradeep observations. These lines reveal that JADES-GS-z14-0 has low dust attenuation with a recent star formation rate of SFR ≈ 8 ± 2M⊙ yr−1, star formation rate surface density of ΣSFR ≈ 20 ± 5M⊙ yr−1 kpc−2, and ionizing photon production efficiency of ξion ≈ 1025.3±0.1 Hz erg−1. Using standard strong-line diagnostics, we infer a gas-phase oxygen abundance of log10(O/H)+12≈7.5±0.2 (≈6%Z⊙), carbon-to-oxygen ratio of [C/O] ≈ −0.4 ± 0.2, ionization parameter of log10(U)≳−2.4 , and density of nH ≈ 690 ± 200 cm−3. Using detailed photoionization modeling, we instead derive log10(O/H)+12≈8.5−0.4+0.4 (≈60%Z⊙), log10(U)≈−1.4−0.4+0.3 , and nH≈540−320+520cm−3 . The inferred properties of JADES-GS-z14-0 are similar to those measured for similarly luminous galaxies at z > 10 with previous MIRI/Spectroscopy, such as GHZ2/GLASSz12, GN-z11, and MACS0647-JD1. These results suggest extreme ionization conditions and rapid metal enrichment less than 300 Myr after the Big Bang. Existing simulations are unable to reproduce the empirical and inferred properties of JADES-GS-z14-0. This work demonstrates an important step toward understanding the formation of the first stars and heavy elements in the Universe. Future work will focus on the detection of the rest-frame optical continuum and its interpretation for the stellar population properties of JADES-GS-z14-0.

Publication status:: Published

Peer review status:: Peer reviewed

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APA Style

Helton, J. M., Morrison, J. E., Hainline, K. N., D’Eugenio, F., Rieke, G. H., Alberts, S., Carniani, S., Leja, J., Li, Y., Rinaldi, P., Scholtz, J., Stone, M., Willmer, C. N. A., Wu, Z., Baker, W. M., Bunker, A. J., Charlot, S., Chevallard, J., Cleri, N. J., … Saxena, A. (2026). Ionizing Photon Production Efficiencies and Chemical Abundances at Cosmic Dawn Revealed by Ultradeep Rest-frame Optical Spectroscopy of JADES-GS-z14-0. The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 1004(2), L30.

MLA Style

Helton, JM, et al. “Ionizing Photon Production Efficiencies and Chemical Abundances at Cosmic Dawn Revealed by Ultradeep Rest-Frame Optical Spectroscopy of JADES-GS-z14-0.” The Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 1004, no. 2, 2026, p. L30.

Chicago Style

Helton, JM, JE Morrison, KN Hainline, et al. 2026. “Ionizing Photon Production Efficiencies and Chemical Abundances at Cosmic Dawn Revealed by Ultradeep Rest-Frame Optical Spectroscopy of JADES-GS-z14-0.” The Astrophysical Journal Letters 1004 (2): L30.
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