The first Frontier Fields cluster: 4.5μm excess in a z~8 galaxy candidate in Abell 2744

Abstract

We present in this letter the first analysis of a z~8 galaxy candidate found in the Hubble and Spitzer imaging data of Abell 2744, as part of the Hubble Frontier Fields legacy program. We applied the most commonly-used methods to select exceptionally high-z galaxies by combining non-detection and color-criteria using seven HST bands. We used GALFIT on IRAC images for fitting and subtracting contamination of bright nearby sources. The physical properties have been inferred from SED-fitting using templates with and without nebular emission. This letter is focussed on the brightest candidate we found (m${}_{F160W}$=26.2) over the 4.9 arcmin${}^2$ field of view covered by the WFC3. It shows a non-detection in the ACS bands and at 3.6μm whereas it is clearly detected at 4.5μm with rather similar depths. This break in the IRAC data could be explained by strong [OIII]+Hβ lines at z~8 which contribute to the 4.5μm photometry. The best photo-z is found at z~8.0${}_{-0.5}^{+0.2}$, although solutions at low-redshift (z~1.9) cannot be completely excluded, but they are strongly disfavoured by the SED-fitting work. The amplification factor is relatively small at μ=1.49$\pm$0.02. The Star Formation Rate in this object is ranging from 8 to 60 Mo/yr, the stellar mass is in the order of M${}_{\star }$=(2.5-10) x 10${}^9$Mo and the size is r~0.35$\pm$0.15 kpc. This object is one of the first z~8 LBG candidates showing a clear break between 3.6μm and 4.5μm which is consistent with the IRAC properties of the first spectroscopically confirmed galaxy at a similar redshift. Due to its brightness, the redshift of this object could potentially be confirmed by near infrared spectroscopy with current 8-10m telescopes. The nature of this candidate will be revealed in the coming months with the arrival of new ACS and Spitzer data, increasing the depth at optical and near-IR wavelengths.

4 pages, 2 figures, Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics Letters

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