Abstract
We present JWST/NIRCam imaging of dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs)
detected by the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) in
the Spiderweb protocluster at z = 2.16. We identified 22 DSFGs
detected by both ALMA and JWST, ten of which are spectroscopically
confirmed as protocluster members. This is the first systematic analysis
of a statistical DSFG sample in z ∼ 2 protocluster environments
using JWST/NIRCam data. Most of the DSFG members exhibit red colours and
reside in the dusty star-forming region of the rest-frame UVJ diagram, indicating strong dust obscuration. The Gini-M20
diagram suggests that most DSFGs in this protocluster are late-type
disks, with a significant fraction displaying clumpy and disturbed
rest-frame UV/optical morphologies, but few showing clear merger
signatures. The DSFG members exhibit relatively large stellar disks and
effective radii with a median stellar mass of log(M/M⊙)
= 10.8 ± 0.3, placing them above coeval field DSFGs and typical
protocluster galaxies in the size–mass relation at both rest-frame
optical and near-infrared wavelengths. These sizes are comparable to
those of more evolved field DSFGs at z ∼ 1 − 2, indicating
accelerated structural growth in dense environments. Moreover, these
DSFG members show a decreasing trend in stellar size from shorter to
longer wavelengths, with a moderately steep slope comparable to coeval
field DSFGs. These results may support an inside-out growth scenario for
protocluster evolution, in which massive galaxies near the centre are
more evolved and more strongly affected by active galactic nucleus
feedback and environmental effects, for example, ram-pressure stripping.
We propose that the cold gas accretion at the protocluster outskirts
drives intense star formation and stellar disk growth in ALMA-detected
DSFGs, which are expected to evolve into massive elliptical galaxies at
later stages.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | A9 |
| Journal | Astronomy and Astrophysics |
| Volume | 706 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| ISSN | 0004-6361 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2026 |
Keywords
- Galaxies: clusters: individual: Spiderweb
- Galaxies: evolution
- Galaxies: formation
- Galaxies: high-redshift
- Galaxies: starburst
- Submillimeter: galaxies
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