Kavli Affiliate: Luis C. Ho
| First 5 Authors: Bingcheng Jin, Bingcheng Jin, , ,
| Summary:
We study the rest-frame ultraviolet-optical color gradients of 441 galaxies
at $4<z<8$ by characterizing the wavelength dependence of their structural
parameters derived from simultaneously fitting the seven-band NIRCam images
acquired with the James Webb Space Telescope. Distinct from trends observed at
lower redshifts, where most galaxies exhibit negative color gradients whereby
galaxy centers are redder than their outskirts, in high-redshift galaxies
positive color gradients are just as common as or even outnumber negative color
gradients. Varying stellar population, dust, and active galactic nuclei can
contribute to the observed color gradient. We show that for the majority of our
sample, the observed color gradients principally reflect radial variations in
stellar population, without strong contribution from dust reddening or
contamination from active galactic nuclei. The sign and magnitude of the color
profile depend systematically on the global properties of the galaxy: positive
color gradients, characteristic of centrally concentrated star formation or
outside-in growth, are found preferentially in galaxies of lower stellar mass,
smaller size, and bluer spectral energy distribution.
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