Discovery of a $z\simeq 4.9$ Lyman-$\alpha$ Emitter Protocluster: Wavelength-Dependent Environmental Effects on Galaxy Structure

Abstract

We report the discovery of a Lyman-alpha emitter (LAE) protocluster at z = 4.90 in the COSMOS field, comprising four distinct overdensity peaks spanning ~65 x 36 cMpc${}^2$, with the primary concentration exhibiting a 4-fold surface density enhancement relative to the field within a 1.5 proper Mpc (pMpc) radius. Using SILVERRUSH narrowband survey data combined with JWST COSMOS-Web imaging, we perform a first systematic rest-frame optical and UV morphological comparison of protocluster versus field LAEs at this redshift using JWST NIRCam rest-frame UV (F150W, ~2540 Angstrom) and optical (F277W, ~4700 Angstrom) imaging. Sersic profile fitting for 16 protocluster members and 23 field LAEs reveals a size difference: protocluster LAEs are $\sim$40% larger in rest-optical (median $R_e=0.81_{-0.04}^{+0.26}$ kpc vs. $0.58_{-0.04}^{+0.11}$ kpc, $p=0.041$) with no significant difference in rest-UV ($p=0.51$) or Sersic index. At fixed stellar mass, protocluster LAEs are offset by $+0.12$~dex ($\simeq$31%) in rest-optical size from the field size-mass relation (68% CI: $[+0.08,+0.21]$; Mann-Whitney $p=0.033$), with 75% exhibiting positive size residuals compared to 44% of field LAEs. This wavelength-dependent environmental signature suggests that protocluster environments at $z\simeq 5$ preferentially affect extended stellar populations, possibly through tidal interactions, with no significant environmental difference detected in rest-UV sizes, providing observational evidence for environmental influences on the structure of LAEs during the early build-up phase of cosmic star formation.

12 pages, 4 figures, Accepted for publication in ApJL