English

Finding bright $z \geq 6.6$ Lyman-$\alpha$ emitters with lensing: prospects for Euclid

Astrophysics of Galaxies 2017-08-02 v2

Abstract

We model the z6.6z \geq 6.6 Lyα\alpha luminosity function to estimate the number of lensed highz-z Lyα\alpha emitters that may be detected by the Euclid Deep Survey. To span the whole range of possible predictions we exploit two Lyα\alpha luminosity function models and two strong gravitational lensing models from the literature. We show that the planned Euclid Deep Survey observing 40 deg2^2 over the 920-1850 nm wavelength range down to a flux limit of Flim=5×1017F_{lim}=5\times10^{-17}\,erg s1^{-1}\,cm2^{-2} will enable us to find between 0.85\sim 0.85 and 1.82\sim 1.82 deg2^{-2} lensed Lyα\alpha emitters at z6.6z \geq 6.6 depending on the adopted Lyα\alpha luminosity function and strong gravitational lensing model. The obvious [OII], [OIII] and Hβ\beta contaminants of the Lyα\alpha lensed population will be identified with the help of Euclid's spectral resolving power, while the SKA will enable the identification of the interloper population of Hα\alpha emitters. By combining Euclid and the SKA, we will thus be able to identify, for the first time, a sample of 34\sim 34 to 73\sim 73 lensed Lyα\alpha emitters at z6.6z \geq 6.6.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1706.06543,
  title  = {Finding bright $z \geq 6.6$ Lyman-$\alpha$ emitters with lensing: prospects for Euclid},
  author = {Lucia Marchetti and Stephen Serjeant and Mattia Vaccari},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1706.06543},
  year   = {2017}
}

Comments

Accepted for publication in MNRAS on 20 June 2017. (NEW: Amended Latex)