MIRI/JWST observations reveal an extremely obscured starburst in the z=6.9 system SPT0311-58

Abstract

Using MIRI on-board JWST we present mid-infrared sub-arcsec imaging (MIRIM) and spectroscopy (MRS) of the hyperluminous infrared system SPT0311-58 at z=6.9. MIRI observations are compared with existing ALMA far-infrared continuum and [CII]158$\mu$m imaging. Even though the ALMA observations suggests very high star formation rates (SFR) in the eastern (E) and western (W) galaxies of the system, the H$\alpha$ line is not detected. This, together with the detection of the Pa$\alpha$ line, implies very high optical nebular extinction with lower limits of 4.2 (E) and 3.9 mag (W), and even larger 5.6 (E) and 10.0 (W) for SED derived values. The extinction-corrected Pa$\alpha$ SFRs are 383 and 230M${}_{\odot }$yr${}^{-1}$ for the E and W galaxies, respectively. This represents 50% of the SFRs derived from the [CII]158$\mu$m line and infrared light for the E galaxy and as low as 6% for the W galaxy. The MIRI observations reveal a clumpy stellar structure, with each clump having 3 to 5 $\times$10${}^9$M${}_{\odot }$, leading to a total stellar mass of 2.0 and 1.5$\times$10${}^{10}$M${}_{\odot }$ for the E and W galaxies, respectively. The specific SFR in the stellar clumps ranges from 25 to 59Gyr${}^{-1}$, which are 3 to 10 times larger than the values measured in galaxies of similar mass at redshifts 6 to 8. The overall gas mass fraction is $M_{\mathrm{gas}}$/$M_{\ast }\sim 3$, similar to that of z=4.5-6 star-forming galaxies. The observed properties of SPT0311-58 such as the clumpy distribution at sub(kpc) scales and the very high average extinction are similar to those observed in low- and intermediate-z LIRGs and ULIRGs, even though SPT0311-58 is observed only 800 Myr after the Big Bang. Massive, heavily obscured, clumpy starburst systems like SPT0311-58 likely represent the early phases in the formation of massive high-z bulge/spheroids and luminous quasars.

arXiv comment18 pages, 8 figures, final published version in A&A

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