The contribution of high redshift galaxies to the Near-Infrared Background

Understand

Several independent measurements have confirmed the existence of fluctuations ($\delta F_{\rm obs}\approx 0.1 \rm nW/m^{2}/sr$ at $3.6 \rm \mu m$) up to degree angular scales in the source-subtracted Near InfraRed Background (NIRB) whose origin is unknown.

• By combining high resolution cosmological N-body/hydrodynamical simulations with an analytical model, and by matching galaxy Luminosity Functions (LFs) and the constraints on reionization simultaneously, we predict the NIRB absolute flux and fluctuation amplitude produced by high-$z$ ($z > 5$) galaxies (some of which harboring Pop III stars, shown to provide a negligible contribution).
• This strategy also allows us to make an empirical determination of the evolution of ionizing photon escape fraction: we find $f_{\rm esc} = 1$ at $z \ge 11$, decreasing to $\approx 0.05$ at $z = 5$.
• In the wavelength range $1.0-4.5 \rm \mu m$, the predicted cumulative flux is $F =0.2-0.04 \rm nW/m^2/sr$.