Principal Investigator: Eric Murphy
PI Institution: Associated Universities, Inc.
Investigators
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Title: Enhancing the Frontier Field Legacy by Combining the Power of HST and the Jansky VLA
Cycle: 23
Abstract
Deep HST and Spitzer imaging of the Frontier Fields provides unprecedented constraints on the fundamental properties of galaxies out to very high redshifts (z > 8) by leveraging massive clusters that can be used to magnify extremely faint systems. We propose to enrich this legacy by providing unique measurements derived from deep 3 and 6 GHz images obtained as part of our ongoing Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) Frontier Fields Legacy Program. These radio images each have a depth of 1 uJy and reach a resolution of 0.3 arcsec (similar to WFC3) at 6 GHz. Consequently, these data will provide unobscured, integrated star formation rates out to z~8; radio morphologies of L* galaxies out to z~3; sub-kpc resolution for highly magnified sources at z > 1; and AGN diagnostics via polarization maps and radio spectral indices. Together with the HST and Spitzer data, these new radio images will inform a variety of extragalactic topics, including the importance of dusty star-forming galaxies at high redshift; the evolution of supermassive black holes; the nature of starburst galaxies out to z~3; and the rapid evolution of galaxies in the lensing clusters themselves. To ensure that the legacy of this combined data set is realized, we will publicly distribute radio maps, radio source catalogs, band-merged catalogs, a morphological analysis of the multi-wavelength HST images for all radio sources, and multi-band cutouts centered on the radio detections.