A solar metallicity galaxy at z > 7? Possible detection of the [N II] 122 mu m and [O III] 52 mu m lines
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A solar metallicity galaxy at z > 7? Possible detection of the [N II] 122 mu m and [O III] 52 mu m lines. / Killi, Meghana; Watson, Darach; Fujimoto, Seiji; Akins, Hollis; Knudsen, Kirsten; Richard, Johan; Harikane, Yuichi; Rigopoulou, Dimitra; Rizzo, Francesca; Ginolfi, Michele; Popping, Gergo; Kokorev, Vasilii.
In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 521, No. 2, 14.03.2023, p. 2526-2534.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - A solar metallicity galaxy at z > 7? Possible detection of the [N II] 122 mu m and [O III] 52 mu m lines
AU - Killi, Meghana
AU - Watson, Darach
AU - Fujimoto, Seiji
AU - Akins, Hollis
AU - Knudsen, Kirsten
AU - Richard, Johan
AU - Harikane, Yuichi
AU - Rigopoulou, Dimitra
AU - Rizzo, Francesca
AU - Ginolfi, Michele
AU - Popping, Gergo
AU - Kokorev, Vasilii
PY - 2023/3/14
Y1 - 2023/3/14
N2 - We present the first detection of the [NII] 122 mu m and [O III ] 52 mu m lines for a reionization-epoch galaxy. Based on these lines and previous [C II ] 158 mu m and [O III ] 88 mu m measurements, using two different radiati ve transfer models of the interstellar medium, we estimate an upper limit on electron density of < 500 cm(-3) and an approximate gas-phase metallicity of Z/Z(circle dot) similar to 1.1 +/- 0.2 for A1689-zD1, a gravitationally lensed dusty galaxy at z = 7.133. Other measurements or indicators of metallicity so far in galaxy interstellar media at z greater than or similar to 6 are typically an order of magnitude lower than this. The unusually high metallicity makes A1689-zD1 inconsistent with the fundamental metallicity relation, although there is likely significant dust obscuration of the stellar mass, which may partly resolve the inconsistency. Given a solar metallicity, the dust-to-metals ratio is a factor of several lower than expected, hinting that galaxies be yond z similar to 7 may hav e lower dust formation efficiency . Finally , the inferred nitrogen enrichment compared to oxygen, on which the metallicity measurement depends, indicates that star formation in the system is older than about 250 Myr, pushing the beginnings of this galaxy to z > 10.
AB - We present the first detection of the [NII] 122 mu m and [O III ] 52 mu m lines for a reionization-epoch galaxy. Based on these lines and previous [C II ] 158 mu m and [O III ] 88 mu m measurements, using two different radiati ve transfer models of the interstellar medium, we estimate an upper limit on electron density of < 500 cm(-3) and an approximate gas-phase metallicity of Z/Z(circle dot) similar to 1.1 +/- 0.2 for A1689-zD1, a gravitationally lensed dusty galaxy at z = 7.133. Other measurements or indicators of metallicity so far in galaxy interstellar media at z greater than or similar to 6 are typically an order of magnitude lower than this. The unusually high metallicity makes A1689-zD1 inconsistent with the fundamental metallicity relation, although there is likely significant dust obscuration of the stellar mass, which may partly resolve the inconsistency. Given a solar metallicity, the dust-to-metals ratio is a factor of several lower than expected, hinting that galaxies be yond z similar to 7 may hav e lower dust formation efficiency . Finally , the inferred nitrogen enrichment compared to oxygen, on which the metallicity measurement depends, indicates that star formation in the system is older than about 250 Myr, pushing the beginnings of this galaxy to z > 10.
KW - ISM:abundances
KW - galaxies:high-redshift
KW - galaxies:individual:(A1689-zD1)
KW - galaxies:ISM
KW - submillimetre:galaxies
KW - N/O ABUNDANCE RATIOS
KW - LYMAN-BREAK GALAXY
KW - BIG 3 DRAGONS
KW - MASS-METALLICITY
KW - STAR-FORMATION
KW - INTERSTELLAR-MEDIUM
KW - DUST-CONTINUUM
KW - PHYSICAL CONDITIONS
KW - OIII 88-MU-M
KW - ALMA
U2 - 10.1093/mnras/stad687
DO - 10.1093/mnras/stad687
M3 - Journal article
VL - 521
SP - 2526
EP - 2534
JO - Royal Astronomical Society. Monthly Notices
JF - Royal Astronomical Society. Monthly Notices
SN - 0035-8711
IS - 2
ER -
ID: 345315200