CLASH-VLT: spectroscopic confirmation of a z=6.11 quintuply lensed galaxy in the Frontier Fields Cluster RXC J2248.7-4431

TL;DR

This study spectroscopically confirms a highly magnified, young, compact galaxy at z=6.11 in the Frontier Fields cluster, revealing its star formation and gas properties through VLT observations, and supports its classification as a sub-L* galaxy with significant gas content.

Contribution

First spectroscopic confirmation of a z=6.11 quintuply lensed galaxy in the Frontier Fields, providing detailed physical properties and supporting its classification as a young, compact galaxy.

Findings

Confirmed the galaxy's redshift as z=6.11 via Lyman-alpha emission.

Estimated star formation rate of ~11 solar masses per year after magnification correction.

Determined the galaxy's effective radius to be less than 0.4 kpc, indicating a compact structure.

Abstract

We present VIsible Multi-Object Spectrograph (VIMOS) observations of a z 6 galaxy quintuply imaged by the Frontier Fields galaxy cluster RXC J2248.7-4431 (z=0.348). This sub-L^*, high-z galaxy has been recently discovered by Monna et al. (2013) using dropout techniques with the 16-band HST photometry acquired as part of the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH). Obtained as part of the CLASH-VLT survey, the VIMOS medium-resolution spectra of this source show a very faint continuum between ~8700A and ~9300A and a prominent emission line at 8643A, which can be readily identified with Lyman-alpha at z=6.110. The emission line exhibits an asymmetric profile, with a more pronounced red wing. The rest-frame equivalent width of the line is EW=79+-10A. After correcting for magnification, the star-formation rate (SFR) estimated from the Lya line is SFR(Lya)=11 M_{sol}/yr and that estimated from the UV data is SFR(UV)=3 M_{sol}/yr. We estimate that the effective radius of the source is R_e<~0.4 kpc, which implies a star formation surface mass density Sigma_{SFR}>6 M_{sol}/yr/kpc^2 and, using the Kennicutt-Schmidt relation, a gas surface mass density Sigma_{gas}>10^3 M_{sol}/pc^2. Our results support the idea that this magnified, distant galaxy is a young and compact object with 0.4 L^* at z=6, with comparable amount of mass in gas and stars. Future follow-up observations with ALMA will provide valuable insight into the SFR and molecular gas content of this source. In the spirit of the Frontier Fields initiative, we also publish the redshifts of several multiply imaged sources and other background objects which will help improving the strong lensing model of this galaxy cluster.