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Arxiv: Exploring the faintest end of mid-infrared luminosity functions up to z\simeq 5 with the JWST CEERS survey Published: 2/8/2024 5:52:48 AM Updated: 2/8/2024 5:52:48 AM

Paper abstract: Mid-infrared (MIR) light from galaxies is sensitive to dust-obscuredstar-formation activities because it traces the characteristic emission of dustheated by young, massive stars. By constructing the MIR luminosity functions(LFs), we are able to quantify the overall dusty star formation history and theevolution of galaxies over cosmic time. In this work, we report the firstrest-frame MIR LFs at 7.7, 10, 12.8, 15, 18, and 21 \mum as well as the totalIR LF from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Cosmic Evolution Early ReleaseScience (CEERS) survey. We identify 506 galaxies at z=0-5.1 in the CEERSsurvey that also have optical photometry from the Hubble Space Telescope. Withthe unprecedented sensitivity of the JWST, we probe the faintest end of the LFsat z=0-1 down to L^* ~ 10^7 L_\odot, ~ 2 orders of magnitudefainter than those from the previous generation of IR space telescopes. Ourfindings connect well with and continue the faint end of the MIR LFs from thedeepest observations in past works. As a proxy of star formation history, wepresent the MIR-based luminosity density up to z~eq4.0, marking the firstprobe of the early Universe by JWST MIRI.