SILVERRUSH. XIV. Lyα Luminosity Functions and Angular Correlation Functions from 20,000 Lyα Emitters at z ∼ 2.2–7.3 from up to 24 deg2 HSC-SSP and CHORUS Surveys: Linking the Postreionization Epoch to the Heart of Reionization

We present luminosity functions (LFs) and angular correlation functions (ACFs) derived from 18,960 Ly α emitters (LAEs) at z  = 2.2−7.3 over a wide survey area of ≲24 deg ^2 that are identified in the narrowband data of the HSC-SSP and CHORUS surveys. Confirming the large sample with 241 spectroscop...

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Main Authors: Hiroya Umeda, Masami Ouchi, Satoshi Kikuta, Yuichi Harikane, Yoshiaki Ono, Takatoshi Shibuya, Akio K. Inoue, Kazuhiro Shimasaku, Yongming Liang, Akinori Matsumoto, Shun Saito, Haruka Kusakabe, Yuta Kageura, Minami Nakane
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4365/adb1c0
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Summary:We present luminosity functions (LFs) and angular correlation functions (ACFs) derived from 18,960 Ly α emitters (LAEs) at z  = 2.2−7.3 over a wide survey area of ≲24 deg ^2 that are identified in the narrowband data of the HSC-SSP and CHORUS surveys. Confirming the large sample with 241 spectroscopically identified LAEs, we determine Ly α LFs and ACFs in the brighter luminosity range down to 0.5 L _⋆ , and confirm that our measurements are consistent with previous studies but offer significantly reduced statistical uncertainties. The improved precision of our ACFs allows us to clearly detect one-halo terms at some redshifts, and provides large-scale bias measurements that indicate host halo masses of ∼10 ^11 M _⊙ over z  ≃ 2−7. By comparing our Ly α LF (ACF) measurements with reionization models, we estimate the neutral hydrogen fractions in the intergalactic medium to be x _H _i  < 0.05 (= ${0.06}_{-0.03}^{+0.12}$ ) at z = 5.7 and x _H _i = $0.1{5}_{-0.08}^{+0.10}$ ( ${0.21}_{-0.14}^{+0.19}$ ), $0.1{8}_{-0.12}^{+0.14}$ , and $0.7{5}_{-0.13}^{+0.09}$ at z = 6.6, 7.0, and 7.3, respectively. Our findings suggest that the neutral hydrogen fraction remains relatively low, x _H _i  ≲ 0.2, at z  = 5−7, but increases sharply at z  > 7, reaching x _H _i  ∼ 0.9 by z  ≃ 8−9, as indicated by recent JWST studies. The combination of our results from LAE observations with recent JWST observations suggests that the major epoch of reionization occurred at z  ∼ 7−8, likely driven by the emergence of massive sources emitting significant ionizing photons.
ISSN:0067-0049