학술논문
Early results from GLASS-JWST. XI: Stellar masses and mass-to-light ratio of z>7 galaxies
Document Type
Working Paper
Author
Santini, P.; Fontana, A.; Castellano, M.; Leethochawalit, N.; Trenti, M.; Treu, T.; Belfiori, D.; Birrer, S.; Bonchi, A.; Merlin, E.; Mason, C.; Morishita, T.; Nonino, M.; Paris, D.; Polenta, G.; Rosati, P.; Yang, L.; Bradac, M.; Calabrò, A.; Dressler, A.; Glazebrook, K.; Marchesini, D.; Mascia, S.; Nanayakkara, T.; Pentericci, L.; Roberts-Borsani, G.; Scarlata, C.; Vulcani, B.; Wang, Xin
Source
Subject
Language
Abstract
We exploit James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) NIRCam observations from the GLASS-JWST-Early Release Science program to investigate galaxy stellar masses at z>7. We first show that JWST observations reduce the uncertainties on the stellar mass by a factor of at least 5-10, when compared with the highest quality data sets available to date. We then study the UV mass-to-light ratio, finding that galaxies exhibit a two orders of magnitude range of M/L_UV values for a given luminosity, indicative of a broad variety of physical conditions and star formation histories. As a consequence, previous estimates of the cosmic star stellar mass density - based on an average correlation between UV luminosity and stellar mass - can be biased by as much as a factor of ~6. Our first exploration demonstrates that JWST represents a new era in our understanding of stellar masses at z>7, and therefore of the growth of galaxies prior to cosmic reionization.
Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJL. Revised analysis with updated NIRCam calibrations (minor changes, conclusions unaffected)
Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJL. Revised analysis with updated NIRCam calibrations (minor changes, conclusions unaffected)