TY - JOUR
T1 - A Systematic Search for Galaxies with Extended Emission Lines and Potential Outflows in JADES Medium-band Images
AU - Zhu, Yongda
AU - Rieke, Marcia J.
AU - Ji, Zhiyuan
AU - Simmonds, Charlotte
AU - Sun, Fengwu
AU - Sun, Yang
AU - Alberts, Stacey
AU - Bhatawdekar, Rachana
AU - Bunker, Andrew J.
AU - Cargile, Phillip A.
AU - Carniani, Stefano
AU - de Graaff, Anna
AU - Hainline, Kevin
AU - Helton, Jakob M.
AU - Jones, Gareth C.
AU - Lyu, Jianwei
AU - Rieke, George H.
AU - Rinaldi, Pierluigi
AU - Robertson, Brant
AU - Scholtz, Jan
AU - Übler, Hannah
AU - Williams, Christina C.
AU - Willmer, Christopher N.A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.
PY - 2025/6/20
Y1 - 2025/6/20
N2 - For the first time, we present a systematic search for galaxies with extended emission lines and potential outflow features using JWST medium-band images in the GOODS South field. This is done by comparing the morphology in medium-band images to adjacent continuum and UV bands. We look for galaxies that have a maximum extent 50% larger, an excess area 30% greater, or an axis ratio difference of more than 0.3 in the medium band compared to the reference bands. After visual inspection, we find 326 candidate galaxies at 1.4 < z < 8.4, with a peak in the population near cosmic noon, benefiting from the good coverage of the medium-band filters. By fitting their spectral energy distributions, we find that the candidate galaxies are at least 20% more bursty in their star-forming activity and have 50% more young stellar populations compared to a control sample selected based on the continuum band flux. Additionally, these candidates exhibit a significantly higher production rate of ionizing photons. We further find that candidates hosting known active galactic nuclei (AGN) produce extended emission that is more anisotropic compared to non-AGN candidates. A few of our candidates have been spectroscopically confirmed to have prominent outflow signatures through NIRSpec observations, showcasing the robustness of the photometric selection. Future spectroscopic follow-up will better help verify and characterize the kinematics and chemical properties of these systems.
AB - For the first time, we present a systematic search for galaxies with extended emission lines and potential outflow features using JWST medium-band images in the GOODS South field. This is done by comparing the morphology in medium-band images to adjacent continuum and UV bands. We look for galaxies that have a maximum extent 50% larger, an excess area 30% greater, or an axis ratio difference of more than 0.3 in the medium band compared to the reference bands. After visual inspection, we find 326 candidate galaxies at 1.4 < z < 8.4, with a peak in the population near cosmic noon, benefiting from the good coverage of the medium-band filters. By fitting their spectral energy distributions, we find that the candidate galaxies are at least 20% more bursty in their star-forming activity and have 50% more young stellar populations compared to a control sample selected based on the continuum band flux. Additionally, these candidates exhibit a significantly higher production rate of ionizing photons. We further find that candidates hosting known active galactic nuclei (AGN) produce extended emission that is more anisotropic compared to non-AGN candidates. A few of our candidates have been spectroscopically confirmed to have prominent outflow signatures through NIRSpec observations, showcasing the robustness of the photometric selection. Future spectroscopic follow-up will better help verify and characterize the kinematics and chemical properties of these systems.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105009077357
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105009077357#tab=citedBy
U2 - 10.3847/1538-4357/add2f4
DO - 10.3847/1538-4357/add2f4
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105009077357
SN - 0004-637X
VL - 986
JO - Astrophysical Journal
JF - Astrophysical Journal
IS - 2
M1 - 162
ER -