16644

Pinning down the processes at work during the last phase-change of our universe - the epoch of reionization comma EoR - remains of paramount importance. While enormous progress has been made on many fronts comma we still do not know the nature of the population of objects that was responsible. Recent results suggest that the rapid conclusion of the EoR should have been driven by an ensemble of very compact star-forming galaxies. The major missing piece of this puzzle comma however comma is knowledge of their emergent ionizing luminosity comma and how this varies with galaxy type. How Lyman continuum radiation (LyC) escapes from galaxies presents an ongoing challenge that requires empirical confrontation. Recent surveys at low redshift comma where the ionizing flux can be measured comma have implicated feedback from star-formation in the emission of LyCdoublePoint winds are likely necessary to clear dense gas from the ISM. However no strong conclusions can currently be drawn comma due to a limited dynamic range in existing surveys. Here we propose to test this feedback-based hypothesis by stretching it to its absolute limit along one axis of the parameter spacedoublePoint we will observe the direct LyC output of galaxies undergoing the most extreme feedback. The proposed starbursts have star-formation densities and outflow velocities an order of magnitude higher than any currently surveyed in LyC. We expect that if there is any population that is stripping its own interstellar medium comma leaving channels clear for LyC escape comma then it is this one. We will use the results of this very efficient program (six galaxies in just 14 orbits) to empirically evaluate the role to similar compact starbursts in cosmic reionization.

搜集汇总

背景与挑战

背景概述

该数据集是欧洲航天局提供的哈勃太空望远镜观测数据，专注于研究极端反馈下星系的电离输出，包含ACS和ACS/SBC仪器的观测结果，时间跨度为2022年3月至2023年6月。