Early Results from GLASS-JWST. XI. Stellar Masses and Mass-to-light Ratio of z > 7 Galaxies

P. Santini; A. Fontana; M. Castellano; N. Leethochawalit; M. Trenti; T. Treu; D. Belfiori; S. Birrer; A. Bonchi; E. Merlin; C. Mason; T. Morishita; M. Nonino; D. Paris; G. Polenta; P. Rosati; L. Yang; K. Boyett; M. Bradac; A. Calabrò; A. Dressler; K. Glazebrook; D. Marchesini; S. Mascia; T. Nanayakkara; L. Pentericci; G. Roberts-Borsani; C. Scarlata; B. Vulcani; Xin Wang

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ac9586

Early Results from GLASS-JWST. XI. Stellar Masses and Mass-to-light Ratio of z > 7 Galaxies

P. Santini, A. Fontana, M. Castellano, N. Leethochawalit, M. Trenti, T. Treu, D. Belfiori, S. Birrer, A. Bonchi, E. Merlin, C. Mason, T. Morishita, M. Nonino, D. Paris, G. Polenta, P. Rosati, L. Yang, K. Boyett, M. Bradac, A. CalabròA. Dressler, K. Glazebrook, D. Marchesini, S. Mascia, T. Nanayakkara, L. Pentericci, G. Roberts-Borsani, C. Scarlata, B. Vulcani, Xin Wang

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Abstract

We exploit James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) NIRCam observations from the GLASS-JWST-Early Release Science program to investigate galaxy stellar masses at z > 7. We first show that JWST observations reduce the uncertainties on the stellar mass by a factor of at least 5-10, when compared with the highest-quality data sets available to date. We then study the UV mass-to-light ratio, finding that galaxies exhibit a a two orders of magnitude range of M/L _UV values for a given luminosity, indicative of a broad variety of physical conditions and star formation histories. As a consequence, previous estimates of the cosmic stellar-mass density—based on an average correlation between UV luminosity and stellar mass—can be biased by as much as a factor of ∼6. Our first exploration demonstrates that JWST represents a new era in our understanding of stellar masses at z > 7 and, therefore, of the growth of galaxies prior to cosmic reionization.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	L27
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	942
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ac9586
State	Published - Jan 1 2023
Externally published	Yes

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© 2023. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.

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Santini, P., Fontana, A., Castellano, M., Leethochawalit, N., Trenti, M., Treu, T., Belfiori, D., Birrer, S., Bonchi, A., Merlin, E., Mason, C., Morishita, T., Nonino, M., Paris, D., Polenta, G., Rosati, P., Yang, L., Boyett, K., Bradac, M., ... Wang, X. (2023). Early Results from GLASS-JWST. XI. Stellar Masses and Mass-to-light Ratio of z > 7 Galaxies. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 942(2), Article L27. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ac9586

Santini, P, Fontana, A, Castellano, M, Leethochawalit, N, Trenti, M, Treu, T, Belfiori, D, Birrer, S, Bonchi, A, Merlin, E, Mason, C, Morishita, T, Nonino, M, Paris, D, Polenta, G, Rosati, P, Yang, L, Boyett, K, Bradac, M, Calabrò, A, Dressler, A, Glazebrook, K, Marchesini, D, Mascia, S, Nanayakkara, T, Pentericci, L, Roberts-Borsani, G, Scarlata, C, Vulcani, B & Wang, X 2023, 'Early Results from GLASS-JWST. XI. Stellar Masses and Mass-to-light Ratio of z > 7 Galaxies', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 942, no. 2, L27. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ac9586

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abstract = "We exploit James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) NIRCam observations from the GLASS-JWST-Early Release Science program to investigate galaxy stellar masses at z > 7. We first show that JWST observations reduce the uncertainties on the stellar mass by a factor of at least 5-10, when compared with the highest-quality data sets available to date. We then study the UV mass-to-light ratio, finding that galaxies exhibit a a two orders of magnitude range of M/L UV values for a given luminosity, indicative of a broad variety of physical conditions and star formation histories. As a consequence, previous estimates of the cosmic stellar-mass density—based on an average correlation between UV luminosity and stellar mass—can be biased by as much as a factor of ∼6. Our first exploration demonstrates that JWST represents a new era in our understanding of stellar masses at z > 7 and, therefore, of the growth of galaxies prior to cosmic reionization.",

author = "P. Santini and A. Fontana and M. Castellano and N. Leethochawalit and M. Trenti and T. Treu and D. Belfiori and S. Birrer and A. Bonchi and E. Merlin and C. Mason and T. Morishita and M. Nonino and D. Paris and G. Polenta and P. Rosati and L. Yang and K. Boyett and M. Bradac and A. Calabr{\`o} and A. Dressler and K. Glazebrook and D. Marchesini and S. Mascia and T. Nanayakkara and L. Pentericci and G. Roberts-Borsani and C. Scarlata and B. Vulcani and Xin Wang",

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AU - Santini, P.

AU - Fontana, A.

AU - Castellano, M.

AU - Leethochawalit, N.

AU - Trenti, M.

AU - Treu, T.

AU - Belfiori, D.

AU - Birrer, S.

AU - Bonchi, A.

AU - Merlin, E.

AU - Mason, C.

AU - Morishita, T.

AU - Nonino, M.

AU - Paris, D.

AU - Polenta, G.

AU - Rosati, P.

AU - Yang, L.

AU - Boyett, K.

AU - Bradac, M.

AU - Calabrò, A.

AU - Dressler, A.

AU - Glazebrook, K.

AU - Marchesini, D.

AU - Mascia, S.

AU - Nanayakkara, T.

AU - Pentericci, L.

AU - Roberts-Borsani, G.

AU - Scarlata, C.

AU - Vulcani, B.

AU - Wang, Xin

PY - 2023/1/1

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N2 - We exploit James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) NIRCam observations from the GLASS-JWST-Early Release Science program to investigate galaxy stellar masses at z > 7. We first show that JWST observations reduce the uncertainties on the stellar mass by a factor of at least 5-10, when compared with the highest-quality data sets available to date. We then study the UV mass-to-light ratio, finding that galaxies exhibit a a two orders of magnitude range of M/L UV values for a given luminosity, indicative of a broad variety of physical conditions and star formation histories. As a consequence, previous estimates of the cosmic stellar-mass density—based on an average correlation between UV luminosity and stellar mass—can be biased by as much as a factor of ∼6. Our first exploration demonstrates that JWST represents a new era in our understanding of stellar masses at z > 7 and, therefore, of the growth of galaxies prior to cosmic reionization.

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Early Results from GLASS-JWST. XI. Stellar Masses and Mass-to-light Ratio of z > 7 Galaxies

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