Early results from GLASS-JWST XV: properties of the faintest red sources in the NIRCAM deep fields

TL;DR

This study explores the properties of the faintest red sources detected in JWST deep fields, revealing a diverse population of high-redshift star-forming galaxies, low-mass quiescent galaxies, and other phenomena, expanding our understanding of the early universe.

Contribution

First comprehensive analysis of the faintest red sources in JWST data, identifying diverse galaxy populations and phenomena not detectable in previous surveys.

Findings

Most red sources are star-forming galaxies at 2<z<6 with low attenuation.

Detected sources include low-mass quiescent galaxies at z<1 and potential z>11 galaxies.

Identified a variety of phenomena such as brown dwarfs and extremely low-mass galaxies.

Abstract

We present a first look at the reddest 2-5$\mu\rm m$ sources found in deep images from the GLASS Early Release Science program. We undertake a general search, i.e. not looking for any particular spectral signatures, for sources detected only in bands redder than reachable with the Hubble Space Telescope, and which would likely not have been identified in pre-JWST surveys. We search for sources down to AB $\sim 27$ (corresponding to $>10\sigma$ detection threshold) in any of the F200W to F444W filters,with a $>1$ magnitude excess relative to F090W to F150W bands. Fainter than F444W$>25$ we find 56 such sources of which 37 have reasonably constrained spectral energy distributions to which we can fit photometric redshifts. We find the majority of this population ($\sim$ 65%) as $2<z<6$ star forming low-attenuation galaxies that are faint at rest-frame ultraviolet-optical wavelengths, have stellar masses $10^{8.5}$-$10^{9.5} $M$_\odot$, and have observed fluxes at $>$2$\mu \rm m$ boosted by a combination of the Balmer break and emission lines. The typical implied rest equivalent widths are $\sim200\unicode{0x212B}$ with some extreme objects up to $\sim 1000\unicode{0x212B}$. This is in contrast with brighter magnitudes where the red sources tend to be $z<3$ quiescent galaxies and dusty star forming objects. Our general selection criteria for red sources allow us to independently identify other phenomena as diverse as extremely low mass ($\sim 10^8$ M$_\odot$) quiescent galaxies at $z<1$, recover recently identified $z>11$ galaxies and a very cool brown dwarf.