The ALPINE-ALMA [C II] survey: a triple merger at z similar to 4.56

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  • slz154(1)

    Final published version, 1.58 MB, PDF document

  • G. C. Jones
  • M. Bethermin
  • Y. Fudamoto
  • M. Ginolfi
  • P. Capak
  • P. Cassata
  • A. Faisst
  • O. Le Fevre
  • D. Schaerer
  • J. Silverman
  • Lin Yan
  • S. Bardelli
  • M. Boquien
  • A. Cimatti
  • M. Dessauges-Zavadsky
  • M. Giavalisco
  • C. Gruppioni
  • E. Ibar
  • Y. Khusanova
  • A. M. Koekemoer
  • And 12 others
  • B. C. Lemaux
  • F. Loiacono
  • R. Maiolino
  • P. A. Oesch
  • F. Pozzi
  • D. Riechers
  • G. Rodighiero
  • M. Talia
  • L. Vallini
  • D. Vergani
  • G. Zamorani
  • E. Zucca

We report the detection of [C II] lambda 158 mu m emission from a system of three closely separated sources in the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) field at z similar to 4.56 , as part of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Large Program to INvestigate C II at Early times (ALPINE). The two most luminous sources are closely associated, both spatially (1.6 arcsec similar to 11 kpc) and in velocity (similar to 100 km s(-1)), while the third source is slightly more distant (2.8 arcsec similar to 18 kpc, similar to 300 km s(-1)). The second most luminous source features a slight velocity gradient, while no significant velocity gradient is seen in the other two sources. Using the observed [C II] luminosities, we derive a total log(10)(SFR[C II] [M-circle dot Yr(-1)]) = 2.8 +/- 0.2, which may be split into contributions of 59, 31, and 10 per cent from the central, east, and west sources, respectively. Comparison of these [C II] detections to recent zoom-in cosmological simulations suggests an ongoing major merger. We are thus witnessing a system in a major phase of mass build-up by merging, including an ongoing major merger and an upcoming minor merger, which is expected to end up in a single massive galaxy by z similar to 2.5.

Original languageEnglish
JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume491
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)L18-L23
Number of pages6
ISSN0035-8711
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2 Jan 2020

    Research areas

  • galaxies: evolution, galaxies: high-redshift, galaxies: interactions, galaxies: kinematics and dynamics, DUST CONTENT, GALAXIES, COSMOS, DEEP, KINEMATICS, REDSHIFTS, EVOLUTION, FIELD

ID: 258030003