Galaxy morphologies revealed with Subaru HSC and super-resolution techniques. I. Major merger fractions of LUV∼3-15 L∗UVdropout galaxies at z ∼4-7

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Takatoshi Shibuya
  • Noriaki Miura
  • Kenji Iwadate
  • Seiji Fujimoto
  • Yuichi Harikane
  • Yoshiki Toba
  • Takuya Umayahara
  • Yohito Ito

We perform a super-resolution analysis of the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) images to estimate the major merger fractions of z ∼4-7 dropout galaxies at the bright end of galaxy UV luminosity functions (LFs). Our super-resolution technique improves the spatial resolution of the ground-based HSC images, from ∼1″ to ≲ 0″1, which is comparable to that of the Hubble Space Telescope, allowing us to identify z ∼4-7 bright major mergers at a high completeness value of ≳. We apply the super-resolution technique to 6412, 16, 94, and 13 very bright dropout galaxies at z ∼4, 5, 6, and 7, respectively, in a UV luminosity range of LUV ∼3-15, LUV∗ corresponding to -24 ≲ MUV ≲ -22. The major merger fractions are estimated to be fmerger ∼ 10%-20% at z ∼4 and ∼ 50%-70% at z ∼5-7, which shows no fmerger difference compared to those of a control faint galaxy sample. Based on the fmerger estimates, we verify contributions of source blending effects and major mergers to the bright-end of double power-law (DPL) shape of z ∼4-7 galaxy UV LFs. While these two effects partly explain the DPL shape at LUV ∼3-10, LUV∗, the DPL shape cannot be explained at the very bright end of LUV ≳ 10 LUV∗, even after the AGN contribution is subtracted. The results support scenarios in which other additional mechanisms such as insignificant mass quenching and low dust obscuration contribute to the DPL shape of galaxy UV LFs.

Original languageEnglish
JournalPublications of the Astronomical Society of Japan
Volume74
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)73-91
Number of pages19
ISSN0004-6264
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Feb 2022

    Research areas

  • galaxies: evolution, galaxies: formation, galaxies: high-redshift, galaxies: structure

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