SKYSURF IX -- The Cosmic Optical and Infrared Background from Integrated Galaxy Light Measurements
Fuente:
arXiv
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1866912856544378880 |
|---|---|
| author | Tompkins, Scott A. Driver, Simon P. Robotham, Aaron S. G. Windhorst, Rogier A. Carter, Delondrae Carleton, Timothy Goisman, Zak Henningsen, Daniel Davies, Luke J. Bellstedt, Sabine D'Silva, Jordan C. J. Li, Juno Cohen, Seth H. Jansen, Rolf A. O'Brien, Rosalia Koekemoer, Anton M. Grogin, Norman MacKenty, John |
| author_facet | Tompkins, Scott A. Driver, Simon P. Robotham, Aaron S. G. Windhorst, Rogier A. Carter, Delondrae Carleton, Timothy Goisman, Zak Henningsen, Daniel Davies, Luke J. Bellstedt, Sabine D'Silva, Jordan C. J. Li, Juno Cohen, Seth H. Jansen, Rolf A. O'Brien, Rosalia Koekemoer, Anton M. Grogin, Norman MacKenty, John |
| contents | As part of the SKYSURF Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Legacy Archival program we present galaxy number counts which yield measurements of the extragalactic background light (EBL) at 15 different wavelengths. We have processed 82,752 HST images across 23 filters into 16,686 mosaics using the same software and processing pipeline throughout. Using 17/23 filters that give reliable galaxy counts, we constrain the integrated galaxy light (IGL) with a 1.5-9\% error between 0.3 and 1.6 $μ$m in combination with 8 bands from WAVES (Wide Area VISTA Extragalactic Survey) and DEVILS (Deep Extragalactic Visible Legacy Survey). While HST was never intended to undertake large area surveys, through extensive quality control and filtering, we were able to extract a reliable and representative sample of fields distributed across the sky. Our final catalogs cover a combined $\approx 19.6 °^2$, with individual filters covering areas ranging from $\approx 0.16-7.0 °^2$. The combination of numerous independent sight-lines and area coverage allows us to reduce cosmic variance uncertainties in deep number counts to 0.06\%-1.8\%. For the first time we are able to establish a measurement of the IGL, $\mathrm{9.07 \pm 0.35 nW m^{-2} sr^{-1}}$, at 0.59 $μ$m using HST data. We obtain a cosmic optical background value of $ 24.45 \pm 0.50 \mathrm{nW m^{-2} sr^{-1}}$. Different techniques used to measure the COB, both directly and indirectly, have recently converged indicating that the COB arises almost exclusively from processes within galaxies. This in combination with the recent values reported from New Horizons and very high energy (VHE) constraints leaves very little room for any diffuse emission coming from outside the Milky Way. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_03412 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | SKYSURF IX -- The Cosmic Optical and Infrared Background from Integrated Galaxy Light Measurements Tompkins, Scott A. Driver, Simon P. Robotham, Aaron S. G. Windhorst, Rogier A. Carter, Delondrae Carleton, Timothy Goisman, Zak Henningsen, Daniel Davies, Luke J. Bellstedt, Sabine D'Silva, Jordan C. J. Li, Juno Cohen, Seth H. Jansen, Rolf A. O'Brien, Rosalia Koekemoer, Anton M. Grogin, Norman MacKenty, John Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics Astrophysics of Galaxies As part of the SKYSURF Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Legacy Archival program we present galaxy number counts which yield measurements of the extragalactic background light (EBL) at 15 different wavelengths. We have processed 82,752 HST images across 23 filters into 16,686 mosaics using the same software and processing pipeline throughout. Using 17/23 filters that give reliable galaxy counts, we constrain the integrated galaxy light (IGL) with a 1.5-9\% error between 0.3 and 1.6 $μ$m in combination with 8 bands from WAVES (Wide Area VISTA Extragalactic Survey) and DEVILS (Deep Extragalactic Visible Legacy Survey). While HST was never intended to undertake large area surveys, through extensive quality control and filtering, we were able to extract a reliable and representative sample of fields distributed across the sky. Our final catalogs cover a combined $\approx 19.6 °^2$, with individual filters covering areas ranging from $\approx 0.16-7.0 °^2$. The combination of numerous independent sight-lines and area coverage allows us to reduce cosmic variance uncertainties in deep number counts to 0.06\%-1.8\%. For the first time we are able to establish a measurement of the IGL, $\mathrm{9.07 \pm 0.35 nW m^{-2} sr^{-1}}$, at 0.59 $μ$m using HST data. We obtain a cosmic optical background value of $ 24.45 \pm 0.50 \mathrm{nW m^{-2} sr^{-1}}$. Different techniques used to measure the COB, both directly and indirectly, have recently converged indicating that the COB arises almost exclusively from processes within galaxies. This in combination with the recent values reported from New Horizons and very high energy (VHE) constraints leaves very little room for any diffuse emission coming from outside the Milky Way. |
| title | SKYSURF IX -- The Cosmic Optical and Infrared Background from Integrated Galaxy Light Measurements |
| topic | Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics Astrophysics of Galaxies |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.03412 |