Compact Size, High $\Sigma$SFR: Defining Morphological Features of Ly$\alpha$-Emitters

TL;DR

This study reveals that Ly$ extalpha$-emitters are extremely compact galaxies with high star formation surface densities, which likely facilitate Ly$ extalpha$ photon escape and are consistent across different redshifts, providing insights into galaxy evolution.

Contribution

We extend size analyses of Ly$ extalpha$-emitters to fainter galaxies using gravitational lensing, establishing their compact nature and relation to star formation surface density across redshifts.

Findings

LAEs are unusually small for their luminosity with a mean effective radius of 170 pc.

LAEs follow a size-luminosity relation similar to low-redshift Green Pea galaxies.

High star formation surface densities in LAEs suggest outflows facilitate Ly$ extalpha$ escape.

Abstract

The mechanisms of Ly$\alpha$ photon escape are key to understanding galaxy evolution and cosmic reionization, yet remain poorly understood. We investigate the UV-continuum sizes of 23 Ly$\alpha$ emitters (LAEs) at Cosmic Noon ($1.7 < z < 3.3$), extending previous size analyses to include fainter galaxies ($M_{\rm UV} \simeq -14$) using gravitational lensing. Our results show that these LAEs are unusually small for their luminosity, with a mean effective radius ($r_{\rm eff}$) of $170 \pm 140$ pc. They follow a distinct size-luminosity relation, with an intercept at $M_{\rm UV} = -21$ approximately three times smaller than typical star-forming galaxies (SFGs) at similar redshifts. This relation, however, is consistent with that of low-redshift Green Pea galaxies, suggesting that LAEs maintain compact sizes across redshifts. We also find that Ly$\alpha$ equivalent width (EW(Ly$\alpha$)) increases with decreasing $r_{\rm eff}$, confirming previous findings. The small sizes of LAEs lead to high star formation surface densities ($\Sigma$SFR $= 1-600 M_{\odot} \ \rm{yr}^{-1} \ \rm{kpc^{-2}}$), clearly separating them from typical SFGs in the $\Sigma$SFR vs. $r_{\rm eff}$ space. Given that high $\Sigma$SFR is linked to strong galactic outflows, our findings imply that compact morphology plays a key role in Ly$\alpha$ escape, likely facilitated by outflows that clear under-dense channels in the ISM. Thus, these results demonstrate that compact size and high $\Sigma$SFR can help identify Ly$\alpha$-emitters.