PEARLS: Low Stellar Density Galaxies in the El Gordo Cluster Observed with JWST

TL;DR

This study uses JWST observations to identify low stellar density galaxies at moderate redshift, providing insights into their evolution and the formation mechanisms of ultra diffuse galaxies over cosmic time.

Contribution

First identification of high-redshift LDGs likely progenitors of local UDGs using deep JWST imaging, revealing differences in properties and formation processes.

Findings

LDGs are bluer and more extended at high-$z$ than at $z=0$

No deficit of LDGs in El Gordo's center at $z=0.87$

Slight overabundance of LDGs compared to expectations

Abstract

A full understanding of how unusually large "Ultra Diffuse Galaxies" (UDGs) fit into our conventional understanding of dwarf galaxies remains elusive, despite the large number of objects identified locally. A natural extension of UDG research is the study of similar galaxies at higher redshift to establish how their properties may evolve over time. However, this has been a challenging task given how severely systematic effects and cosmological surface brightness dimming inhibit our ability to study low-surface brightness galaxies at high-$z$. Here, we present an identification of low stellar surface density galaxies (LDGs), likely the progenitors of local UDGs, at moderate redshift with deep near-IR observations of the El Gordo cluster at $z = 0.87$ with JWST. By stacking 8 NIRCAM filters, we are able to achieve an apparent surface brightness sensitivity of $24.59$ mag arcsec$^{-2}$, faint enough to be complete to the bright end of the LDG population. Our analysis identifies significant differences between this population and local UDGs, such as their color and size distributions, which suggest that UDG progenitors are bluer and more extended at high-$z$ than at $z = 0$. This suggests that multiple mechanisms are responsible for UDG formation and that prolonged transformation of cluster dwarfs is not a primary UDG formation mechanism at high-$z$. Furthermore, we find a slight overabundance of LDGs in El Gordo, and, in contrast to findings in local clusters, our analysis does not show a deficit of LDGs in the center of El Gordo, implying that tidal destruction of LDGs is significant between $z = 0.87$ and $z = 0$.