Nebular Emission Line Ratios in z ≃ 2–3 Star-forming Galaxies with KBSS-MOSFIRE: Exploring the Impact of Ionization, Excitation, and Nitrogen-to-Oxygen Ratio - INSPIRE

DataBETA

Nebular Emission Line Ratios in z ≃ 2–3 Star-forming Galaxies with KBSS-MOSFIRE: Exploring the Impact of Ionization, Excitation, and Nitrogen-to-Oxygen Ratio

Allison L. Strom
(
- Caltech
)
,
Charles C. Steidel
(
- Caltech
)
,
Gwen C. Rudie
(
- Carnegie Inst. Observ.
)
,
Ryan F. Trainor
(
- UC, Berkeley
)
,
Max Pettini
(
- Cambridge U., Inst. of Astron.
)

Aug 8, 2016

27 pages

Published in:

Astrophys.J. 836 (2017) 2, 164

Published: Feb 17, 2017

e-Print:

1608.02587 [astro-ph.GA]

DOI:

10.3847/1538-4357/836/2/164

View in:

ADS Abstract Service

reference search34 citations

Citations per year

Abstract: (IOP)

We present a detailed study of the rest-optical (3600–7000 Å) nebular spectra of ∼380 star-forming galaxies at z\simeq 2\mbox{--}3, obtained with Keck/Multi-object Spectrometer for Infrared Exploration (MOSFIRE) as part of the Keck Baryonic Structure Survey (KBSS). The KBSS-MOSFIRE sample is representative of star-forming galaxies at these redshifts, with stellar masses {M}_{* }={10}^{9}\mbox{--}{10}^{11.5}

{M}_{\odot }

and star formation rates SFR = 3–1000

{M}_{\odot }

yr(−)(1). We focus on robust measurements of many strong diagnostic emission lines for individual galaxies: [O ii]λλ3727, 3729, [Ne iii]λ3869, Hβ, [O iii]

\lambda \lambda

4960, 5008, [N ii]λλ 6549, 6585, Hα, and [S ii]λλ6718, 6732. Comparisons with observations of typical local galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and between subsamples of KBSS-MOSFIRE show that high-redshift galaxies exhibit a number of significant differences in addition to the well-known offset in log([O iii]

\lambda 5008

/Hβ) and log([N ii]

\lambda 6585

/Hα). We argue that the primary difference between H ii regions in

z\sim 2.3

galaxies and those at

z\sim 0

is an enhancement in the degree of nebular excitation, as measured by [O iii]/Hβ and

{\rm{R}}23\equiv \mathrm{log}

[([O iii]

\lambda \lambda 4960,5008

+[O ii]

\lambda \lambda 3727,3729

)/Hβ]. At the same time, KBSS-MOSFIRE galaxies are ∼10 times more massive than

z\sim 0

galaxies with similar ionizing spectra and have higher N/O (likely accompanied by higher O/H) at fixed excitation. These results indicate the presence of harder ionizing radiation fields at fixed N/O and O/H relative to typical

z\sim 0

galaxies, consistent with Fe-poor stellar population models that include massive binaries, and highlight a population of massive, high-specific star formation rate galaxies at high redshift with systematically different star formation histories than galaxies of similar stellar mass today.

Note:

29 pages, 26 figures. Accepted to the Astrophysical Journal

cosmology: observations
galaxies: evolution
galaxies: high-redshift
galaxies: ISM
H ii regions
ISM: abundances

References(74)

Figures(38)

The Seventh Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

SDSS

Collaboration

•

Kevork N. Abazajian
(
- Maryland U.
)

et al.

- Astrophys.J.Suppl. 182 (2009) 543-558
•
e-Print:
- 0812.0649
•
DOI:
- 10.1088/0067-0049/182/2/543

Optical selection of galaxies at redshifts 1 < z < 3

Kurt L. Adelberger
(
- Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.
)
,
Charles C. Steidel
(
- Palomar Observ.
)
,
Alice E. Shapley
(
- Palomar Observ.
)
,
Matthew P. Hunt
(
- Palomar Observ.
)
,
Dawn K. Erb
(
- Palomar Observ.
)

et al.

- Astrophys.J. 607 (2004) 226-240
•
e-Print:
- astro-ph/0401445
•
DOI:
- 10.1086/383221

The Mass-Metallicity Relation with the Direct Method on Stacked Spectra of SDSS Galaxies

- Astrophys.J. 765 (2013) 140
•
e-Print:
- 1211.3418
•
DOI:
- 10.1088/0004-637X/765/2/140

The chemical composition of the Sun

Martin Asplund
(
- Garching, Max Planck Inst.
)
,
Nicolas Grevesse
(
- Liege U.
)
,
A.Jacques Sauval
(
- Royal Observ. of Belgium
)
,
Pat Scott
(
- Stockholm U. and
- Stockholm U., OKC
)

- Ann.Rev.Astron.Astrophys. 47 (2009) 481-522
•
e-Print:
- 0909.0948
•
DOI:
- 10.1146/annurev.astro.46.060407.145222

Classification parameters for the emission-line spectra of extragalactic objects

- Publ.Astron.Soc.Pac. 93 (1981) 5-19
•
DOI:
- 10.1086/130766

New insights into the stellar content and physical conditions of star-forming galaxies at z = 2-3 from spectral modelling

- Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 385 (2008) 769
•
e-Print:
- 0801.1678
•
DOI:
- 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.12914.x

Stellar population synthesis at the resolution of 2003

G. Bruzual
(
- Merida, CIDA
)
,
Stephane Charlot
(
- Garching, Max Planck Inst. and
- Paris, Inst. Astrophys.
)

- Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 344 (2003) 1000
•
e-Print:
- astro-ph/0309134
•
DOI:
- 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2003.06897.x

The Dust content and opacity of actively star-forming galaxies

et al.

- Astrophys.J. 533 (2000) 682-695
•
e-Print:
- astro-ph/9911459
•
DOI:
- 10.1086/308692

A. Campbell
,
R. Terlevich
,
J. Melnick

- Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 223 (1986) 811

The relationship between infrared, optical, and ultraviolet extinction

Jason A. Cardelli
(
- Washburn Observ.
)
,
Geoffrey C. Clayton
(
- Washburn Observ.
)
,
John S. Mathis
(
- Washburn Observ.
)

- Astrophys.J. 345 (1989) 245-256
•
DOI:
- 10.1086/167900

Galactic stellar and substellar initial mass function

Gilles Chabrier
(
- Lyon, Ecole Normale Superieure
)

- Publ.Astron.Soc.Pac. 115 (2003) 763-796
•
e-Print:
- astro-ph/0304382
•
DOI:
- 10.1086/376392

L.L. Cowie
,
A.J. Barger
,
A. Songaila

- Astrophys.J. 817 (2016) 57

A.I. Diaz
,
M. Tosi

- Astron.Astrophys. 158 (1986) 60

The mass-metallicity relation at z>~2

Dawn K. Erb
(
- Caltech and
- Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.
)
,
Alice E. Shapley
(
- UC, Berkeley, Astron. Dept. and
- Princeton U.
)
,
Max Pettini
(
- Cambridge U., Inst. of Astron.
)
,
Charles C. Steidel
(
- Caltech
)
,
Naveen A. Reddy
(
- Caltech
)

et al.

- Astrophys.J. 644 (2006) 813-828
•
e-Print:
- astro-ph/0602473
•
DOI:
- 10.1086/503623

The Stellar, Gas and Dynamical Masses of Star-Forming Galaxies at z 2

Dawn K. Erb
(
- Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.
)
,
Charles C. Steidel
(
- Caltech
)
,
Alice E. Shapley
(
- Princeton U.
)
,
Max Pettini
(
- Cambridge U., Inst. of Astron.
)
,
Naveen A. Reddy
(
- Caltech
)

et al.

- Astrophys.J. 646 (2006) 107-132
•
e-Print:
- astro-ph/0604041
•
DOI:
- 10.1086/504891

C. Esteban
,
J. García-Rojas
,
L. Carigi

- Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 443 (2014) 624

The 2013 Release of Cloudy

G.J. Ferland
(
- Kentucky U.
)
,
R.L. Porter
(
- Gori U.
)
,
P.A.M. van Hoof
(
- Royal Observ. of Belgium
)
,
R.J.R. Williams
(
- Honeywell, Aldermaston
)
,
N.P. Abel
(
- Cincinnati U.
)

et al.

- Rev.Mex.Astron.Astrofis. 49 (2013) 137
•
e-Print:
- 1302.4485

D.R. Garnett

- Astron.J. 103 (1992) 1330

The Rest Frame Ultraviolet Spectra of UV-Selected Active Galactic Nuclei at z ~ 2-3

- Astrophys.J. 733 (2011) 31
•
e-Print:
- 1012.0075
•
DOI:
- 10.1088/0004-637X/733/1/31

On the normalisation of the cosmic star formation history

Andrew M. Hopkins
(
- Sydney U.
)
,
John F. Beacom
(
- Ohio State U. and
- Ohio State U., Dept. Astron.
)

- Astrophys.J. 651 (2006) 142-154
•
e-Print:
- astro-ph/0601463
•
DOI:
- 10.1086/506610

A New Diagnostic of Active Galactic Nuclei: Revealing Highly-Absorbed Systems at Redshift>0.3

- Astrophys.J. 736 (2011) 104
•
e-Print:
- 1105.3194
•
DOI:
- 10.1088/0004-637X/736/2/104

AGN Emission Line Diagnostics and the Mass-Metallicity Relation up to Redshift z~2: the Impact of Selection Effects and Evolution

et al.

- Astrophys.J. 788 (2014) 88
•
e-Print:
- 1403.6832
•
DOI:
- 10.1088/0004-637X/788/1/88

D. Kashino
,
J.D. Silverman
,
D. Sanders

•
e-Print:
- 1604.06802

The host galaxies of AGN

SDSS

Collaboration

•

Guinevere Kauffmann

et al.

- Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 346 (2003) 1055
•
e-Print:
- astro-ph/0304239
•
DOI:
- 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2003.07154.x

Star formation in galaxies along the Hubble sequence

Robert C. Kennicutt, Jr.
(
- Arizona U., Astron. Dept. - Steward Observ.
)

- Ann.Rev.Astron.Astrophys. 36 (1998) 189-231
•
e-Print:
- astro-ph/9807187
•
DOI:
- 10.1146/annurev.astro.36.1.189

1-25 of 74
1
2
3
25 / page