CO in GN20: The Nature of a z=4 Submillimeter Galaxy

TL;DR

This study uses high-resolution CO imaging to explore the structure and gas dynamics of a z=4 proto-cluster galaxy, revealing detailed physical processes of early massive galaxy formation.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed molecular gas imaging at 1 kpc resolution of a z=4 galaxy, offering new insights into early galaxy formation processes.

Findings

Revealed rich structure and gas dynamics in GN20

Achieved 1 kpc resolution imaging of molecular gas at z=4

Provided new insights into early massive galaxy formation

Abstract

We present a study of the formation of clustered, massive galaxies at large look--back times, via high resolution spectroscopic imaging of CO in the unique GN20 proto-cluster. The data reveal evidence for rich structure and gas dynamics in unprecedented detail, allowing us to image the molecular gas with a resolution of only 1 kpc just 1.5 Gyr after the Big Bang. These state-of-the-art data give new insight into the detailed physical processes involved in early massive galaxy formation, and they provide a first glimpse of the morphological studies that will become feasible on a regular basis with ALMA.