LBG properties from z~3 to z~6

TL;DR

This study analyzes the spectral energy distributions of high-redshift galaxy samples to determine their physical properties and explores how broad-band SED fitting can constrain Lyα emission, revealing insights into galaxy evolution.

Contribution

It introduces an SED fitting approach that includes nebular emission and various star formation histories to better estimate galaxy properties at z~3 to z~6.

Findings

Nebular emission improves SED fit quality.

Exponentially decreasing SFHs are preferred.

Lyα properties from SED fits agree with spectroscopy.

Abstract

We analyse the spectral energy distribution (SED) of U, B, V and i-dropout samples from GOODS-MUSIC and we determine their physical properties, such as stellar age and mass, dust attenuation and star formation rate (SFR). Furthermore, we examine how the strength of Ly{\alpha} emission can be constrained from broad-band SED fits instead of relying in spectroscopy. We use our SED fitting tool including the effects of nebular emission and we explore different star formation histories (SFHs). We find that SEDs are statistically better fitted with nebular emission and exponentially decreasing star formation. Considering this result, stellar mass and star formation rate (SFR) estimations modify the specific SFR (SFR/Mstar) - redshift relation, in comparison to previous studies. Finally, our inferred Ly{\alpha} properties are in good agreement with the available spectroscopic observations.