%0 Generic %1 schaerer2016ionizing %A Schaerer, D. %A Izotov, Y. I. %A Verhamme, A. %A Orlitova, I. %A Thuan, T. X. %A Worseck, G. %A Guseva, N. %D 2016 %K Lyman continuum escape fraction %T The ionizing photon production efficiency of compact z~0.3 Lyman continuum leakers and comparison with high redshift galaxies %U http://arxiv.org/abs/1606.00053 %X We have recently discovered five Lyman continuum leaking galaxies at z~0.3, selected for their compactness, intense star-formation, and high OIII/OII ratio (Izotov et al. 2016ab). Here we derive their ionizing photon production efficiency, a fundamental quantity for inferring the number of photons available to reionize the Universe, for the first time for galaxies with confirmed strong Lyman continuum escape (fesc~6-13%). We find an ionizing photon production per unit UV luminosity, which is a factor 2-6 times higher than the canonical value when reported to their observed UV luminosity. After correction for extinction this value is close to the canonical value. The properties of our five Lyman continuum leakers are found to be very similar to those of the confirmed z=3.218 leaker Ion2 from de Barros et al. (2016) and very similar to those of typical star-forming galaxies at z>~6. Our results suggest that UV bright galaxies at high-z such as Lyman break galaxies can be Lyman continuum leakers and that their contribution to cosmic reionization may be underestimated.

@misc{schaerer2016ionizing, abstract = {We have recently discovered five Lyman continuum leaking galaxies at z~0.3, selected for their compactness, intense star-formation, and high [OIII]/[OII] ratio (Izotov et al. 2016ab). Here we derive their ionizing photon production efficiency, a fundamental quantity for inferring the number of photons available to reionize the Universe, for the first time for galaxies with confirmed strong Lyman continuum escape (fesc~6-13%). We find an ionizing photon production per unit UV luminosity, which is a factor 2-6 times higher than the canonical value when reported to their observed UV luminosity. After correction for extinction this value is close to the canonical value. The properties of our five Lyman continuum leakers are found to be very similar to those of the confirmed z=3.218 leaker Ion2 from de Barros et al. (2016) and very similar to those of typical star-forming galaxies at z>~6. Our results suggest that UV bright galaxies at high-z such as Lyman break galaxies can be Lyman continuum leakers and that their contribution to cosmic reionization may be underestimated.}, added-at = {2016-06-02T09:55:14.000+0200}, author = {Schaerer, D. and Izotov, Y. I. and Verhamme, A. and Orlitova, I. and Thuan, T. X. and Worseck, G. and Guseva, N.}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2f4424d2a0bbe86831fc111863e7f09cf/miki}, description = {[1606.00053] The ionizing photon production efficiency of compact z~0.3 Lyman continuum leakers and comparison with high redshift galaxies}, interhash = {8955347f25270967ac96e42cd2f18093}, intrahash = {f4424d2a0bbe86831fc111863e7f09cf}, keywords = {Lyman continuum escape fraction}, note = {cite arxiv:1606.00053Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A Letters}, timestamp = {2016-06-02T09:55:14.000+0200}, title = {The ionizing photon production efficiency of compact z~0.3 Lyman continuum leakers and comparison with high redshift galaxies}, url = {http://arxiv.org/abs/1606.00053}, year = 2016 }