HFF-DeepSpace Photometric Catalogs of the Twelve Hubble Frontier Fields, Clusters and Parallels: Photometry, Photometric Redshifts, and Stellar Masses

TL;DR

This paper provides comprehensive multi-wavelength photometric catalogs for the Hubble Frontier Fields, including photometry, redshifts, and stellar masses, to facilitate studies of galaxy formation and evolution.

Contribution

It introduces the first homogeneous, multi-wavelength photometric catalogs for all six Hubble Frontier Fields clusters and parallels, including deep infrared data and detailed processing steps.

Findings

Public release of multi-wavelength catalogs (0.2-8 microns).

Enhanced detection of high-redshift sources through improved data processing.

Robust photometric redshifts and stellar mass estimates for numerous galaxies.

Abstract

We present Hubble multi-wavelength photometric catalogs, including (up to) 17 filters with the Advanced Camera for Surveys and Wide Field Camera 3 from the ultra-violet to near-infrared for the Hubble Frontier Fields and associated parallels. We have constructed homogeneous photometric catalogs for all six clusters and their parallels. To further expand these data catalogs, we have added ultra-deep $K_{S}$-band imaging at 2.2~\micron\ from the Very Large Telescope HAWK-I and Keck-I MOSFIRE instruments. We also add post-cryogenic \spitzer\ imaging at 3.6~\micron\ and 4.5~\micron\ with the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC), as well as archival IRAC 5.8~\micron\ and 8.0~\micron\ imaging when available. We introduce the public release of the multi-wavelength (0.2--8~\micron) photometric catalogs, and we describe the unique steps applied for the construction of these catalogs. Particular emphasis is given to the source detection band, the contamination of light from the bright cluster galaxies and intra-cluster light. In addition to the photometric catalogs, we provide catalogs of photometric redshifts and stellar population properties. Furthermore, this includes all the images used in the construction of the catalogs, including the combined models of bright cluster galaxies and intra-cluster light, the residual images, segmentation maps and more. These catalogs are a robust data set of the Hubble Frontier Fields and will be an important aide in designing future surveys, as well as planning follow-up programs with current and future observatories to answer key questions remaining about first light, reionization, the assembly of galaxies and many more topics, most notably, by identifying high-redshift sources to target.