Poster abstract details
Probing the faint end of the LAE Luminosity Function in lensing clusters with MUSE
Abstract
In our current understanding of the reionization era, the sources responsible for the transition of the universe from a neutral state to an ionized state are likely faint, low mass and star-forming galaxies. One way to study this galaxy population is to study the Luminosity Function (LF) of Lyman-alpha emitters. However the current studies are limited by the depth of the surveys, and the faint end of the LF remains poorly constrained, leaving a large uncertainty on the contribution of the LAE population to reionization.
In an attempt to reach more definitive conclusions, we are working in lensing clusters with MUSE, a large field of view Integral Field Unit (IFU) at the VLT. This instrument is ideal to work on the LF, as it allows a complete LAE selection in a wide redshift range ($2.9 < z < 6.9$), without any photometric prior. To the cost of a significant increase in complexity and a lower volume of universe explored, we are able to select a large population of LAE ($~160$) that are typically 10 - 100 fainter than in blank field surveys.
For this work, we developed new methods to precisely measure volumes in spectroscopic cubes behind lensing cluster and to do a completeness estimation of the sample using the real source profile. This poster will present the methods we used, the results obtained on the study of the LAE LF and a discussion on the possible implications for reionization.
In an attempt to reach more definitive conclusions, we are working in lensing clusters with MUSE, a large field of view Integral Field Unit (IFU) at the VLT. This instrument is ideal to work on the LF, as it allows a complete LAE selection in a wide redshift range ($2.9 < z < 6.9$), without any photometric prior. To the cost of a significant increase in complexity and a lower volume of universe explored, we are able to select a large population of LAE ($~160$) that are typically 10 - 100 fainter than in blank field surveys.
For this work, we developed new methods to precisely measure volumes in spectroscopic cubes behind lensing cluster and to do a completeness estimation of the sample using the real source profile. This poster will present the methods we used, the results obtained on the study of the LAE LF and a discussion on the possible implications for reionization.