Unusual spectral energy distribution of a galaxy previously reported to beat redshift 6.68

Citation
Hw. Chen et al., Unusual spectral energy distribution of a galaxy previously reported to beat redshift 6.68, NATURE, 408(6812), 2000, pp. 562-564
Citations number
6
Categorie Soggetti
Multidisciplinary,Multidisciplinary,Multidisciplinary
Journal title
NATURE
ISSN journal
00280836 → ACNP
Volume
408
Issue
6812
Year of publication
2000
Pages
562 - 564
Database
ISI
SICI code
0028-0836(20001130)408:6812<562:USEDOA>2.0.ZU;2-P
Abstract
Observations of distant galaxies are important both for understanding how g alaxies form and for probing the physical conditions of the Universe at ear ly times. It is, however, very difficult to identify galaxies at redshifts z> 5, because they are so faint and have few spectral characteristics. We p reviously reported(1) the probable identification of a galaxy at z = 6.68, based on one line and an apparent break in the spectrum just shortwards of that, which we interpreted as Lyman alpha emission and the Lyman alpha brea k, where photons with shorter wavelengths are absorbed by the intervening n eutral hydrogen gas. Here we present optical photometry that shows moderate detections of light in the B- and V-band images, which are inconsistent wi th the expected absence of flux shortwards of the Lyman alpha break for a g alaxy at z> 5, and inconsistent with the previous flux measurement. Moreove r, the spectral energy distribution for this object cannot readily be fitte d by any known galaxy spectral template at any redshift, so the redshift is undetermined.