Ultradeep Near-Infrared Observations of GOODS 850-5

TL;DR

This study uses ultradeep near-infrared observations to analyze GOODS 850-5, revealing it as a highly red, massive galaxy at redshift greater than 6 with unusual properties challenging existing models.

Contribution

The paper provides the first ultradeep NIR constraints on GOODS 850-5, suggesting a massive, old stellar population at z>6 and highlighting its unique, extreme properties.

Findings

GOODS 850-5 is undetected even at ultradeep NIR depths.

Its spectral slope exceeds that of typical EROs by over 3 times.

It likely hosts a massive, old stellar population at z>6.

Abstract

GOODS 850-5 is a hyperluminous radio-faint submillimeter source in the GOODS-N. Although it is generally agreed that GOODS 850-5 is at a high redshift z>~4, its exact redshift is unknown. While its stellar SED suggests z~6, its radio/FIR SED suggests a lower redshift of z~4. To better constrain its stellar SED and redshift, we carried out nano-Jansky sensitivity ultradeep NIR observations between 1.2 and 2.1 um with the HST and the 8 m Subaru Telescope. Even with such great depths we did not detect GOODS 850-5, and the results show that it is an extremely curious source. Between the Ks and 3.6 um bands its spectral slope is >3x that of an ERO, and the flux ratio between the two bands is >8x that of Lyman breaks. It is quite challenging to explain this unusually red color without a Lyman break (which would imply z>17). It requires a large amount (M* ~ 10^11.5 Msun) of reddened old stars at z~6, coexisting with an even more extinguished violent ~2400-4400 Msun/yr starburst, which does not have any associated detectable rest-frame UV radiation. We discuss the discrepancy between the NIR and radio/FIR photometric redshifts. We conclude that GOODS 850-5 is at least at z>4 and is more likely at z>~6. We describe the unusual properties of GOODS 850-5, including its SED and formation history, and we discuss the implications of such massive z>6 galaxies.