Bibcode
Marsan, Z. C.; Marchesini, Danilo; Brammer, Gabriel B.; Stefanon, Mauro; Muzzin, Adam; Fernández-Soto, Alberto; Geier, S.; Hainline, Kevin N.; Intema, Huib; Karim, Alexander; Labbé, Ivo; Toft, Sune; van Dokkum, Pieter G.
Bibliographical reference
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 801, Issue 2, article id. 133, 18 pp. (2015).
Advertised on:
3
2015
Journal
Citations
55
Refereed citations
52
Description
We present the first spectroscopic confirmation of an ultramassive
galaxy at redshift z\gt 3 using data from Keck-NIRSPEC, VLT-X-shooter,
and GTC-Osiris. We detect strong [O iii] and Lyα emission, and
weak [O ii], C iv, and He ii, placing C1-23152 at a spectroscopic
redshift of {{z}spec}=3.351. The modeling of the
emission-line-corrected spectral energy distribution (SED) results in a
best-fit stellar mass of
{{M}*}=3.1-0.7+0.6×
{{10}11} {{M}ȯ }, a star formation rate of
<7 {{M}ȯ } yr‑1, and negligible dust
extinction. The stars appear to have formed in a short intense burst
∼300–500 Myr prior to the observation epoch, setting the
formation redshift of this galaxy at z ∼ 4.1. From the analysis of
the line ratios and widths and the observed flux at 24 μm, we confirm
the presence of a luminous hidden active galactic nucleus (AGN), with
bolometric luminosity of ∼ {{10}46} erg
s‑1. Potential contamination of the observed SED from
the AGN continuum is constrained, placing a lower limit on the stellar
mass of 2× {{10}11} {{M}ȯ }. HST/WFC3
{{H}160} and ACS {{I}814} images are modeled,
resulting in an effective radius of {{r}e}∼ 1 kpc in the
{{H}160} band and a Sérsic index n∼ 4.4. This
object may be a prototype of the progenitors of local most massive
elliptical galaxies in the first 2 Gyr of cosmic history, having formed
most of its stars at z\gt 4 in a highly dissipative, intense, and short
burst of star formation. C1-23152 is completing its transition to a
post-starburst phase while hosting a powerful AGN, potentially
responsible for the quenching of the star formation activity.