The VIMOS Ultra-Deep Survey (VUDS): IGM transmission towards galaxies with 2.5<z<5.5 and the colour selection of high redshift galaxies

TL;DR

This study analyzes the evolution and variability of intergalactic medium transmission towards galaxies at redshifts 2.5 to 5.5 using VUDS spectra, revealing significant dispersion and implications for high-redshift galaxy selection.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed measurement of IGM transmission towards galaxies across 2.5<z<5.5, comparing results with quasar lines of sight and highlighting the importance of transmission variability.

Findings

IGM transmission decreases from 79% at z~2.75 to 46% at z~4.77.

Transmission dispersion is large, with 68% within 10-17% of the median.

Potential higher IGM transmission at z≥4 compared to quasars, but limited by dust extinction degeneracy.

Abstract

(arXiv abridged abstract) The observed UV rest-frame spectra of distant galaxies are the result of their intrinsic emission combined with absorption along the line of sight produced by the inter-galactic medium (IGM). Here we analyse the evolution of the mean IGM transmission Tr(Ly_alpha) and its dispersion along the line of sight for 2127 galaxies with 2.5<z<5.5 in the VIMOS Ultra Deep Survey (VUDS). We fit model spectra combined with a range of IGM transmission to the galaxy spectra using the spectral fitting algorithm GOSSIP+. We use these fits to derive the mean IGM transmission towards each galaxy for several redshift slices from z=2.5 to z=5.5. We find that the mean IGM transmission defined as Tr(Ly_alpha)=e^{-tau} (with tau the HI optical depth) is 79%, 69%, 59%, 55% and 46% at redshifts 2.75, 3,22, 3.70, 4.23, 4.77, respectively. We compare these results to measurements obtained from quasars lines of sight and find that the IGM transmission towards galaxies is in excellent agreement with quasar values up to redshift z~4. We find tentative evidence for a higher IGM transmission at z>= 4 compared to results from QSOs, but a degeneracy between dust extinction and IGM prevents to draw firm conclusions if the internal dust extinction for star-forming galaxies at z>4 takes a mean value significantly in excess of E(B-V)>0.15. Most importantly, we find a large dispersion of IGM transmission along the lines of sight towards distant galaxies with 68% of the distribution within 10 to 17% of the median value in delta z=0.5 bins, similar to what is found on the LOS towards QSOs. We demonstrate the importance of taking into account this large range of IGM transmission when selecting high redshift galaxies based on their colour properties (e.g. LBG or photometric redshift selection) or otherwise face a significant incompleteness in selecting high redshift galaxy populations.