The star-formation rate density from z = 0-6

TL;DR

This study estimates the star-formation rate density from redshift 0 to 6 using Herschel and Spitzer data, revealing higher rates at z=3-6 than ultraviolet estimates suggest, highlighting uncertainties in dust-obscured star formation.

Contribution

First comprehensive measurement of star-formation rate density from z=0 to 6 using Herschel SPIRE data, extending previous infrared estimates and comparing with ultraviolet data.

Findings

Star-formation rates extend up to 20,000 Mo/yr.

Star-formation-rate density agrees with UV estimates at z<3.

Higher star-formation-rate densities are found at z=3-6 than UV estimates.

Abstract

We use 3035 Herschel-SPIRE 500$\mu$m sources from 20.3 sq deg of sky in the HerMES Lockman, ES1 and XMM-LSS areas to estimate the star-formation rate density at z = 1-6. 500 mu sources are associated first with 350 and 250 mu sources, and then with Spitzer 24 mu sources from the SWIRE photometric redshift catalogue. The infrared and submillimetre data are fitted with a set of radiative-transfer templates corresponding to cirrus (quiescent) and starburst galaxies. Lensing candidates are removed via a set of colour-colour and colour-redshift constraints. Star-formation rates are found to extend from < 1 to 20,000 Mo/yr. Such high values were also seen in the all-sky IRAS Faint Source Survey. Star-formation rate functions are derived in a series of redshift bins from 0-6, combined with earlier far-infrared estimates, where available, and fitted with a Saunders et al (1990) functional form. The star-formation-rate density as a function of redshift is derived and compared with other estimates. There is reasonable agreement with both infrared and ultraviolet estimates for z < 3, but we find higher star-formation-rate densities than ultraviolet estimates at z = 3-6. Given the considerable uncertainties in the submillimetre estimates, we can not rule out the possibility that the ultraviolet estimates are correct. But the possibility that the ultraviolet estimates have seriously underestimated the contribution of dust-shrouded star-formation can also not be excluded.