BEACON: JWST NIRCam Pure-parallel imaging survey : I. survey design and initial results

Morishita, Takahiro (avtor), Mason, Charlotte (avtor), Kreilgaard, Kimi C. (avtor), Bradač, Maruša (avtor)

We introduce the Bias-free Extragalactic Analysis for Cosmic Origins with NIRCam (BEACON) survey, a JWST Cycle 2 program allocated up to 600 pure-parallel hours of observations. BEACON explores high-latitude areas of the sky with JWST/NIRCam over ∼100 independent sight lines, totaling ∼0.3 deg2, reaching a median F444W depth of ≈28.2 AB mag (5σ). Based on existing JWST observations in legacy fields, we estimate that BEACON will photometrically identify 25–150 galaxies at z > 10 and 500–1000 at z ∼ 7–10 uniquely enabled by an efficient multiple filter configuration spanning 0.9–5.0 μm. The expected sample size of z > 10 galaxies will allow us to obtain robust number density estimates and to discriminate between different models of early star formation. In this paper, we present an overview of the survey design and initial results using the first 19 fields. We present 129 galaxy candidates at z ≳7 identified in those fields, including 11 galaxies at z ≳10 and several UV-luminous (MUV < ‑21 mag) galaxies at z ∼ 8. The number densities of z < 13 galaxies inferred from the initial fields are overall consistent with those in the literature. Despite reaching a considerably large volume (∼105 Mpc3), however, we find no galaxy candidates at z > 13, providing us with a complimentary insight into early galaxy evolution with minimal cosmic variance. We publish imaging and catalog data products for these initial fields. Upon survey completion, all BEACON data will be coherently processed and distributed to the community along with catalogs for redshift and other physical quantities.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: galaxies, high-redshift galaxies, reionization
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: FMF - Fakulteta za matematiko in fiziko
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Datum objave: 01.04.2025
• Leto izida: 2025
• Št. strani: 19 str.
• Številčenje: Vol. 983, id. 152
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-168991
• UDK: 524.8
• ISSN pri članku: 1538-4357
• DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/adbbdc
• COBISS.SI-ID: 234938883
• Datum objave v RUL: 06.05.2025

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: The Astrophysical journal
• Skrajšan naslov: Astrophys. j.
• Založnik: University of Chicago Press for the American Astronomical Society
• ISSN: 1538-4357
• COBISS.SI-ID: 515079705

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.