Related papers: Observational Cosmology with the ELT and JWST
We analyse the photometric and spectroscopic properties of four galaxies in the epoch of reionisation (EoR) within the SMACS 0723 JWST Early Release Observations field. Given the known spectroscopic redshifts of these sources, we…
I endeavour to provide a thorough overview of our current knowledge of high-redshift galaxies and their evolution during the first billion years of cosmic time, corresponding to redshifts z > 5. After first summarizing progress with the…
I present written notes from three lectures given at the 54th Saas-Fee Advanced Course of the Swiss Society of Astrophysics and Astronomy in January 2025 entitled "Galaxies and Black Holes in the First Billion Years as seen by the JWST". I…
Using four different suites of cosmological simulations, we generate synthetic spectra for galaxies with different Lyman continuum escape fractions (fesc) at redshifts z=7-9, in the rest-frame wavelength range relevant for the James Webb…
In the first billion years after the Big Bang, sources of ultraviolet (UV) photons are believed to have ionized intergalactic hydrogen, rendering the Universe transparent to UV radiation. Galaxies brighter than the characteristic luminosity…
Lyman alpha emission presents a means of identifying very high redshift galaxies, provided such objects can be reliably distinguished from foreground emission-line galaxies. Here we report on a program of imaging and spectroscopic studies…
Prior to the epoch of full reionization, the intergalactic medium and gravitationally collapsed systems will be detectable in 21-cm radiation. Physical mechanisms that would produce a 21-cm signature are discussed. These include Lya…
The intrinsic Lyman-alpha emission lines of normal galaxies before reionization are much absorbed by the damping wing of the Gunn-Peterson trough, rendering their direct detection nearly impossible, if their intrinsic line widths are less…
The atomic hydrogen (HI) 21cm line measures the gas content within and around galaxies, traces the dark matter potential and probes volumes and objects that other surveys do not. Over the next decade, 21cm line science will exploit new…
Stellar halos around galaxies retain fundamental evidence of the processes which lead to their build up. Sophisticated models of galaxy formation in a cosmological context yield quantitative predictions about various observable…
The Hubble Deep Fields continue to be a valuable resource for studying the distant universe, particularly at z>2 where their comoving volume becomes large enough to encompass several hundred L* galaxies or their progenitors. Here I present…
A deep understanding of the life-cycle of galaxies, particularly those of high mass, requires clarifying the mechanisms that regulate star formation (SF) and its abrupt shutdown (quenching), often capable of stopping SF rates of hundreds of…
Distant luminous Lyman-alpha emitters are excellent targets for detailed observations of galaxies in the epoch of reionisation. Spatially resolved observations of these galaxies allow us to simultaneously probe the emission from young…
These notes present material from lectures given at the 54th Saas-Fee Advanced Course of the Swiss Society of Astrophysics and Astronomy in January 2025, entitled "Galaxies and Black Holes in the First Billion Years as seen by the JWST",…
I present a weak lensing sensitivity estimate for upcoming high redshift (epoch of reionization and beyond) 21cm surveys. Instruments such as PAST, LOFAR and SKA should be able to measure the weak lensing power spectrum to precisions far…
I update the SKA key science program (KSP) on first light and cosmic reionization. The KSP has two themes: (i) Using the 21cm line of neutral hydrogen as the most direct probe into the evolution of the neutral intergalactic medium during…
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), scheduled for launch in 2014, is expected to revolutionize our understanding of the high-redshift Universe. Even so, many of the most interesting sources that may be hiding at redshifts z~10…
(Abridged) We review recent observations that suggest the star formation rate density is declining over 3$<z<$7 and illustrate the challenges that this poses in explaining the assembled stellar mass in z$\sim$6 galaxies deduced from Spitzer…
It is thought that the Universe went through an early period known as the Dark Ages, during which primeval density fluctuations grew to form the first luminous objects, marking the beginning of Cosmic Dawn around 100 million years after the…
The nature of the first galaxies that reionized the universe during the Epoch of Reionization (EoR) remains unclear. Attempts to directly determine spectral properties of these early galaxies are affected by both limited photometric…