Upper limits on the escape fraction of ionizing radiation from galaxies at $2\lesssim z < 6$

Abstract

In this work, we investigate upper limits on the global escape fraction of ionizing photons ($f_{\rm esc/global}^{\rm abs}$) from a sample of galaxies probed for Lyman-continuum (LyC) emission characterized as non-LyC and LyC leakers. We present a sample of 9 clean non-contaminated (by low redshift interlopers, CCD problems and internal reflections of the instrument) galaxies which do not show significant ($>$ $3\sigma$) LyC flux between 880\AA\ $<\lambda_{rest}<$ 910\AA. The 9 galaxy stacked spectrum reveals no significant LyC flux with an upper limit of $f_{\rm esc}^{\rm abs} \leq 0.06$. In the next step of our analysis, we join all estimates of $f_{\rm esc}^{\rm abs}$ upper limits derived from different samples of $2\lesssim z < 6$ galaxies from the literature reported in last $\sim$20 years and include the sample presented in this work. We find the $f_{\rm esc}^{\rm abs}$ upper limit $\leq$ 0.084 for the galaxies recognized as non-LyC leakers. After including all known detections from literature $f_{\rm esc/global}^{\rm abs}$ upper limit $\leq$ 0.088 for all galaxies examined for LyC flux. Furthermore, $f_{\rm esc}^{\rm abs}$ upper limits for different groups of galaxies indicate that the strongest LyC emitters could be galaxies classified as Lyman alpha emitters. We also discuss the possible existence of a correlation among the observed flux density ratio $(F_{\nu}^{LyC}/F_{\nu}^{UV})_{\rm obs}$ and Lyman alpha equivalent width EW(Ly$\alpha)$, where we confirm the existence of moderately significant correlation among galaxies classified as non-LyC leakers.