RELICS: Properties of z>5.5 Galaxies Inferred from Spitzer and Hubble Imaging Including A Candidate z~6.8 Strong [OIII] Emitter

Abstract

We present constraints on the physical properties (including stellar mass, age, and star formation rate) of 207 $6\lesssim z\lesssim 8$ galaxy candidates from the Reionization Lensing Cluster Survey (RELICS) and companion Spitzer-RELICS surveys. We measure photometry using T-PHOT and perform spectral energy distribution fitting using EA$z$Y and BAGPIPES. Of the 207 candidates for which we could successfully measure Spitzer fluxes, 23 were demoted to likely low redshift ($z<4$). Among the remaining high redshift candidates, we find intrinsic stellar masses between $1\times 10^6{\mathrm{M}}_{\odot }$ and $4\times 10^9{\mathrm{M}}_{\odot }$, and rest-frame UV absolute magnitudes between $-22.6$ and $-14.5$ mag. While our sample is mostly comprised of $L_{UV}/L_{UV}^{\ast }<1$ galaxies, there are a number of brighter objects in the sample, extending to $L_{UV}/L_{UV}^{\ast }\sim 2$. The galaxies in our sample span approximately four orders of magnitude in stellar mass and star-formation rates, and exhibit ages ranging from maximally young to maximally old. We highlight 11 galaxies which have detections in Spitzer/IRAC imaging and redshift estimates $z\ge 6.5$, several of which show evidence for some combination of evolved stellar populations, large contributions of nebular emission lines, and/or dust. Among these is PLCKG287+32-2013, one of the brightest $z\sim 7$ candidates known (AB mag 24.9) with a Spitzer 3.6$\mu$m flux excess suggesting strong [OIII] + H-$\beta$ emission ($\sim$1000Å rest-frame equivalent width). We discuss the possible uses and limits of our sample and present a public catalog of Hubble 0.4--1.6$\mu$m + Spitzer 3.6$\mu$m and 4.5$\mu$m photometry along with physical property estimates for all 207 objects in the sample. Because of their apparent brightnesses, high redshifts, and variety of stellar populations, these objects are excellent targets for follow-up with James Webb Space Telescope.

20 pages, 9 figures

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