Abstract
We utilised the unprecedented depth and resolution of recent early-release science (ERS) JWST observations to define the near-infrared counterparts of sub-millimetre galaxies (SMGs). We identified 45 SCUBA-2 SMG positions within the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) survey JWST/NIRCam fields. Through an analysis of multi-wavelength p-values, NIRCam colours and predicted SCUBA-2 fluxes, we define 43 JWST/NIRCam counterparts to the SCUBA-2 SMGs, finding a 63 per cent agreement with those identified in prior HST studies. Using EaZy-py, we fitted the available HST and JWST observations to quantify the photometric redshifts of the NIRCam-SMGs, establishing a broad range of redshift from z ≈ 0.2–5.4 with a median of z ≈ 2.29, in agreement with other studies of SMGs. We identified significant variations in the morphology of the NIRCam-SMGs from isolated discs and spheroidal galaxies to irregular interacting systems. We analysed their rest-frame optical and near-infrared morphological properties (e.g. effective radius (Re), Sérsic index (n), concentration (C), asymmetry (A), clumpiness (S), as well as the Gini and M20 parameters), finding, on average, late-type disc-like morphologies with large scatter into the intermediate and merger regions of the non-parametric parameter space. For the non-merging galaxies, we find a median rest-frame optical size and Sérsic index (and 1σ scatter) of Re = 3.10 ± 1.67 kpc and n = 0.96 ± 0.66. Whilst in the rest-frame near-infrared, we establish more compact, higher Sérsic index morphologies (Re = 1.64 ± 0.97, n = 1.85 ± 0.63). We further establish that both the rest-frame optical and near-infrared effective radii correlate negatively (at a 2σ level) with redshift, whilst the Sérsic index remains constant with cosmic time. Our results are consistent with the picture of inside-out galaxy evolution, with more centrally concentrated older stellar populations, and more extended, younger star-forming regions whose stellar emission is heavily attenuated in the central regions.
Funder
Danish National Research Foundation
Carlsberg Foundation Research
Villum Fonden
European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme
Dutch Research Council
Subject
Space and Planetary Science,Astronomy and Astrophysics
Cited by
11 articles.
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