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Witnessing the onset of reionization through Lyman-α emission at redshift 13

Author

Listed:
  • Joris Witstok

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge
    Cosmic Dawn Center (DAWN)
    University of Copenhagen)

  • Peter Jakobsen

    (Cosmic Dawn Center (DAWN)
    University of Copenhagen)

  • Roberto Maiolino

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge
    University College London)

  • Jakob M. Helton

    (University of Arizona)

  • Benjamin D. Johnson

    (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian)

  • Brant E. Robertson

    (University of California, Santa Cruz)

  • Sandro Tacchella

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge)

  • Alex J. Cameron

    (University of Oxford)

  • Renske Smit

    (Liverpool John Moores University)

  • Andrew J. Bunker

    (University of Oxford)

  • Aayush Saxena

    (University College London
    University of Oxford)

  • Fengwu Sun

    (University of Arizona
    Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian)

  • Stacey Alberts

    (University of Arizona)

  • Santiago Arribas

    (CSIC-INTA)

  • William M. Baker

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge)

  • Rachana Bhatawdekar

    (European Space Agency (ESA))

  • Kristan Boyett

    (University of Oxford)

  • Phillip A. Cargile

    (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian)

  • Stefano Carniani

    (Scuola Normale Superiore)

  • Stéphane Charlot

    (Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR 7095)

  • Jacopo Chevallard

    (University of Oxford)

  • Mirko Curti

    (European Southern Observatory)

  • Emma Curtis-Lake

    (University of Hertfordshire)

  • Francesco D’Eugenio

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge
    INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera)

  • Daniel J. Eisenstein

    (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian)

  • Kevin N. Hainline

    (University of Arizona)

  • Gareth C. Jones

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge
    University of Oxford)

  • Nimisha Kumari

    (Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI))

  • Michael V. Maseda

    (University of Wisconsin–Madison)

  • Pablo G. Pérez-González

    (CSIC-INTA)

  • Pierluigi Rinaldi

    (University of Arizona)

  • Jan Scholtz

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge)

  • Hannah Übler

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge
    Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik)

  • Christina C. Williams

    (NSF’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab))

  • Christopher N. A. Willmer

    (University of Arizona)

  • Chris Willott

    (NRC Herzberg)

  • Yongda Zhu

    (University of Arizona)

Abstract

Cosmic reionization began when ultraviolet (UV) radiation produced in the first galaxies began illuminating the cold, neutral gas that filled the primordial Universe1,2. Recent James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observations have shown that surprisingly UV-bright galaxies were in place beyond redshift z = 14, when the Universe was less than 300 Myr old3–5. Smooth turnovers of their UV continua have been interpreted as damping-wing absorption of Lyman-α (Ly-α), the principal hydrogen transition6–9. However, spectral signatures encoding crucial properties of these sources, such as their emergent radiation field, largely remain elusive. Here we report spectroscopy from the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES10) of a galaxy at redshift z = 13.0 that reveals a singular, bright emission line unambiguously identified as Ly-α, as well as a smooth turnover. We observe an equivalent width of EWLy-α > 40 Å (rest frame), previously only seen at z

Suggested Citation

  • Joris Witstok & Peter Jakobsen & Roberto Maiolino & Jakob M. Helton & Benjamin D. Johnson & Brant E. Robertson & Sandro Tacchella & Alex J. Cameron & Renske Smit & Andrew J. Bunker & Aayush Saxena & F, 2025. "Witnessing the onset of reionization through Lyman-α emission at redshift 13," Nature, Nature, vol. 639(8056), pages 897-901, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:639:y:2025:i:8056:d:10.1038_s41586-025-08779-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08779-5
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