Published March 1, 2021 | Version v1
Journal article

SuperBoRG: Search for the Brightest of Reionizing Galaxies and Quasars in HST Parallel Imaging Data

Creators

  • 1. Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)

Description

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has been providing tremendous survey efficiency via its pure-parallel mode by observing another field in parallel with the primary instrument in operation for the primary observation. In this study, we present a new archival project, SuperBoRG, which aims at compiling data taken in extragalactic parallel programs of HST with the Wide Field Camera 3 in the past decade, including pure-parallel (BoRG, HIPPIES, and COS-GTO) and coordinated-parallel (CLASH and RELICS) programs. The total effective area reaches ∼0.41 deg2 from 4.1 Ms, or 47 days, of observing time, which is the largest collection of optical-to-near-infrared imaging data of HST for extragalactic science. We reduce all data in a consistent manner with an updated version of our data reduction pipeline, including a new sky background subtraction step. When available, imaging data from the Spitzer Space Telescope are also included in photometric analyses. The data set consists of 316 independent sight lines and is highly effective for identification of high-z luminous sources (M UV ≲ −20 mag) at z ∼ 7–12, helping to minimize the effects of cosmic variance. As a demonstration, we present three new z ≳ 7 source candidates, including one luminous galaxy candidate at z phot ∼ 10.4 with M UV ∼ −21.9 mag; the best-fit spectral energy distribution implies a large amount of stellar mass ( l o g M / M ∼ 10) and moderate dust attenuation (A V ∼ 1.4 mag), though the possibility of it being a low-z interloper cannot be completely rejected (∼23%) with the current data set. The data set presented in this study is also suited for intermediate- and low-z science cases.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4365/abce67

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Astrophysical Journal. Supplement Series
Journal Volume
253
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
[21 p.]
ISSN
0067-0049
CODEN
APJSA2

INIS

Country of Publication
United Kingdom
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
53081682
Subject category
S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; S47: OTHER INSTRUMENTATION;
Descriptors DEI
EFFICIENCY; ENERGY SPECTRA; GALAXIES; OPERATION; QUASARS; REDUCTION; TELESCOPES
Descriptors DEC
CHEMICAL REACTIONS; COSMIC RADIO SOURCES; SPECTRA