Spectroscopic confirmation of a dust-obscured, possibly metal-rich dwarf galaxy at <i>z</i> ∼ 5

We present the first spectroscopic confirmation of a dust-obscured dwarf galaxy, CEERS-14821. The analysis was performed by combining JWST NIRCam broadband photometry and NIRSpec/PRISM spectroscopic data. From the detection of multiple rest-frame optical lines, we derive that CEERS-14821 is located at z = 4.883 ± 0.003. Moreover, from a secure detection of the H α and H β , we derive that the galaxy has a dust extinction ranging from A V = 2.2 −0.6 +0.5 to A V = 3.4 −0.9 +0.7 , depending on the assumed reddening law. This value is extremely large given that we estimated a low stellar mass, that is, log 10 (M/M ⊙ ) = 8.17 −0.04 +0.05 or log 10 (M/M ⊙ ) = 8.65 −0.05 +0.06 , based on two different dust extinction laws. Moreover, the combination of different metallicity tracers and the spectro-photometric fit suggests that the galaxy may also be metal-rich, with 12 + log 10 (O/H)&gt; 8.3, but a low metallicity value cannot be totally ruled out. The high metallicity value would be above the expectation based on the mass-metallicity relation. Both metallicity estimations are above the expectations based on the fundamental mass-metallicity relation since CEERS-14821 is going through a burst of star formation. The constraints on a possible active galactic nucleus presence are limited and loose, but they point towards a possible non-dominant contribution ( f AGN &lt; 0.5 with respect to the total dust luminosity). Based on the rest-frame optical images, this source has a size compatible with galaxies of similar stellar masses and at similar redshifts. Finally, CEERS-14821 may be part of a larger galaxy overdensity, but there are no other galaxies closely interacting with it (within 30 Mpc).

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Journal
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Published
2025-01-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202452604
Citations
6
Primary Topic
Astronomy and Astrophysical Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
7.15

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article

Spectroscopic confirmation of a dust-obscured, possibly metal-rich dwarf galaxy at z ∼ 5

G. Rodighiero, Ray A. Lucas, A. Feltre, I. Prandoni et al.
6 citations
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy and Astrophysical Research
7.15
article

Spectroscopic confirmation of a dust-obscured, possibly metal-rich dwarf galaxy at z ∼ 5

G. Rodighiero, Ray A. Lucas, A. Feltre, I. Prandoni, Fabio Pacucci, Luca Costantin, G. Gandolfi, Anton M. Koekemoer, G. Girardi, A. Grazian, M. Giulietti, C. Papovich, M. Bagley, Benne W. Holwerda, M. Dickinson, Steven L. Finkelstein, Lise-Marie Seillé, L Bisigello, M. Llerena, A. Calabrò, J. Kartaltepe, C. Gruppioni, N. P. Hathi, M. Stephen Wilkins, N. Pirzkal, Arrabal P. Haro, J.N. Cleri
article en
6 citations

Abstract

We present the first spectroscopic confirmation of a dust-obscured dwarf galaxy, CEERS-14821. The analysis was performed by combining JWST NIRCam broadband photometry and NIRSpec/PRISM spectroscopic data. From the detection of multiple rest-frame optical lines, we derive that CEERS-14821 is located at z = 4.883 ± 0.003. Moreover, from a secure detection of the H α and H β , we derive that the galaxy has a dust extinction ranging from A V = 2.2 −0.6 +0.5 to A V = 3.4 −0.9 +0.7 , depending on the assumed reddening law. This value is extremely large given that we estimated a low stellar mass, that is, log 10 (M/M ⊙ ) = 8.17 −0.04 +0.05 or log 10 (M/M ⊙ ) = 8.65 −0.05 +0.06 , based on two different dust extinction laws. Moreover, the combination of different metallicity tracers and the spectro-photometric fit suggests that the galaxy may also be metal-rich, with 12 + log 10 (O/H)&gt; 8.3, but a low metallicity value cannot be totally ruled out. The high metallicity value would be above the expectation based on the mass-metallicity relation. Both metallicity estimations are above the expectations based on the fundamental mass-metallicity relation since CEERS-14821 is going through a burst of star formation. The constraints on a possible active galactic nucleus presence are limited and loose, but they point towards a possible non-dominant contribution ( f AGN &lt; 0.5 with respect to the total dust luminosity). Based on the rest-frame optical images, this source has a size compatible with galaxies of similar stellar masses and at similar redshifts. Finally, CEERS-14821 may be part of a larger galaxy overdensity, but there are no other galaxies closely interacting with it (within 30 Mpc).

Astronomy and AstrophysicsVol. 693
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Space Telescope Science Institute (US), Goddard Space Flight Center (US), Pennsylvania State University (US), University of Padua (IT), University of Louisville (US), Rochester Institute of Technology (US), University of Sussex (GB), University of Malta (MT), Aix-Marseille Université (FR), Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory (IT), Astronomical Observatory of Rome (IT), Mitchell Institute (US), Harvard University Press (US), Istituto di Radioastronomia di Bologna (IT), Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian (US), Centro de Astrobiología (ES), NSF NOIRLab (US), Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova (IT), Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, The University of Texas at Austin (US), National Institute for Astrophysics (IT), Texas A&M University (US)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Science and Technology Facilities Council
Openalex Percentile: Top 4%
Astronomy and Astrophysical Research
7.15
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