ALMA Imaging of Gas and Dust in a Galaxy Protocluster at Redshift 5.3: [CII] Emission in "Typical" Galaxies and Dusty Starbursts ~1 Billion Years after the Big Bang

TL;DR

This study uses ALMA to image gas and dust in a galaxy protocluster at z=5.3, revealing properties of typical early galaxies and starbursts, including star formation rates, outflows, and galaxy characteristics.

Contribution

First ALMA imaging of [CII] and OH in a z=5.3 protocluster, revealing detailed gas, dust, and star formation properties of early galaxies and starbursts.

Findings

Detected [CII], OH, and continuum emission in a z=5.3 protocluster.

Star formation rate surface density approaches the Eddington limit.

Identified young, metal-enriched, normal star-forming galaxies at high redshift.

Abstract

We report interferometric imaging of [CII] and OH emission toward the center of the galaxy protocluster associated with the z=5.3 submillimeter galaxy (SMG) AzTEC-3, using the Atacama Large (sub)Millimeter Array (ALMA). We detect strong [CII], OH, and rest-frame 157.7 um continuum emission toward the SMG. The [CII] emission is distributed over a scale of 3.9 kpc, implying a dynamical mass of 9.7 x 10^10 Msun, and a star formation rate (SFR) surface density of Sigma_SFR = 530 Msun/yr/kpc2. This suggests that AzTEC-3 forms stars at Sigma_SFR approaching the Eddington limit for radiation pressure supported disks. We find that the OH emission is slightly blueshifted relative to the [CII] line, which may indicate a molecular outflow associated with the peak phase of the starburst. We also detect and dynamically resolve [CII] emission over a scale of 7.5 kpc toward a triplet of Lyman-break galaxies with moderate UV-based SFRs in the protocluster at ~95kpc projected distance from the SMG. These galaxies are not detected in the continuum, suggesting far-infrared SFRs of <18-54 Msun/yr, consistent with a UV-based estimate of 22 Msun/yr. The spectral energy distribution of these galaxies is inconsistent with nearby spiral and starburst galaxies, but resembles those of dwarf galaxies. This is consistent with expectations for young starbursts without significant older stellar populations. This suggests that these galaxies are significantly metal-enriched, but not heavily dust-obscured, "normal" star-forming galaxies at z>5, showing that ALMA can detect the interstellar medium in "typical" galaxies in the very early universe.