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ZEN2: a narrow J-band search for z∼ 9 Lyα emitting galaxies directed towards three lensing clusters

Willis, J. P. ; Courbin, F. ; Kneib, J.-P ; Minniti, D.

In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2008, vol. 384, no. 3, p. 1039-1044

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    Titre
    • ZEN2: a narrow J-band search for z∼ 9 Lyα emitting galaxies directed towards three lensing clusters
    Auteur
    • Willis, J. P.. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, Elliot Building, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 1A1, Canada
    • Courbin, F.. Laboratoire d'Astrophysique, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1290 Sauverny, Switzerland
    • Kneib, J.-P. Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Traverse du Siphon BP8, 13376 Marseille Cedex 12, France
    • Minniti, D.. Department of Astronomy, P. Universidad Católica, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Casilla 306, Santiago 22, Chile
    Type de document
    • Postprint
    Langue
    • Anglais
    Publié dans
    • Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2008, vol. 384, no. 3, p. 1039-1044. Blackwell Publishing Ltd
    Autre version électronique
    Identifiant OAI-PMH
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:295726
    Summary
    We present the results of a continuing survey to detect Lyα emitting galaxies at redshifts z∼ 9: the ‘z equals nine' (ZEN) survey. We have obtained deep VLT Infrared Spectrometer and Array Camera observations in the narrow J-band filter NB119 directed towards three massive lensing clusters: Abell clusters 1689, 1835 and 114. The foreground clusters provide a magnified view of the distant Universe and permit a sensitive test for the presence of very high redshift galaxies. We search for z∼ 9 Lyα emitting galaxies displaying a significant narrow-band excess relative to accompanying J-band observations that remain undetected in Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) optical images of each field. No sources consistent with this criterion are detected above the unlensed 90 per cent point-source flux limit of the narrow-band image, FNB= 3.7 × 10−18erg s−1cm−2. To date, the total coverage of the ZEN survey has sampled a volume at z∼ 9 of approximately 1700 comoving Mpc3 to a Lyα emission luminosity of 1043erg s−1. We conclude by considering the prospects for detecting z∼ 9 Lyα emitting galaxies in light of both observed galaxy properties at z < 7 and simulated populations at z > 7