Connecting Faint End Slopes of the Lyman-α emitter and Lyman-break Galaxy Luminosity Functions
Gronke, Max · Dijkstra, Mark · Trenti, Michele · Wyithe, Stuart
Original · EN
We predict Lyman-α (Lyα) luminosity functions (LFs) of Lyα-selected galaxies (Lyα emitters, or LAEs) at z=3-6 using the phenomenological model of Dijkstra & Wyithe (2012). This model combines observed UV-LFs of Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs, or drop out galaxies), with constraints on their distribution of Lyα line strengths as a function of UV-luminosity and redshift. Our analysis shows that while Lyα LFs of LAEs are generally not Schechter functions, these provide a good description over the luminosity range of ₁₀(Lα/ erg s⁻¹)=41-44. Motivated by this result, we predict Schechter function parameters at z=3-6. Our analysis further shows that (i) the faint end slope of the Lyα LF is steeper than that of the UV-LF of Lyman-break galaxies, (with a median αLyα < -2.0 at z 4), and (ii) a turn-over in the Lyα LF of LAEs at Lyα luminosities 10⁴⁰ erg s⁻¹<Lα 10⁴¹ erg s⁻¹ may signal a flattening of UV-LF of Lyman-break galaxies at -12>M UV>-14. We discuss the implications of these results - which can be tested directly with upcoming surveys - for the Epoch of Reionization.
English translation
This paper has no Arabic translation yet. Be the first: it takes a few seconds, and the result is stored for every future reader.