A low escape fraction of ionizing photons of L>L* Lyman break galaxies at z=3.3

Details A low escape fraction of ionizing photons of L>L* Lyman break galaxies at z=3.3 A low escape fraction of ionizing photons of L>L* Lyman break galaxies at z=3.3

2011-04-27

arxiv.org/abs/1104.5237v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Galaxy Astrophysics

15 pages, 2 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in ApJ

Scientific paper

We present an upper limit for the relative escape fraction (f_{esc}^{rel}) of ionizing radiation at z~3.3 using a sample of 11 Lyman Break Galaxies (LBGs) with deep imaging in the U band obtained with the Large Binocular Camera, mounted on the prime focus of the Large Binocular Telescope. We selected 11 LBGs with secure redshift in the range 3.27=30.7(AB)mag at 1 sigma. We derive a 1 sigma upper limit of f_{esc}^{rel}~5%, which is one of the lowest values found in the literature so far at z~3.3. Assuming that the upper limit for the escape fraction that we derived from our sample holds for all galaxies at this redshift, the hydrogen ionization rate that we obtain (Gamma_{-12}<0.3 s^{-1}) is not enough to keep the IGM ionized and a substantial contribution to the UV background by faint AGNs is required. Since our sample is clearly still limited in size, larger z~3 LBG samples, at similar or even greater depths are necessary to confirm these results on a more firm statistical basis.

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