Overdensity around RUBIES-UDS-QG-z7

Investigate whether an overdensity of galaxies exists around the massive quiescent galaxy RUBIES-UDS-QG-z7 at z ≈ 7.3, and quantify its significance and implications for the galaxy’s assembly and quenching history.

Background

Reaching very high stellar mass by z ∼ 4–5 could require major mergers or growth within a dense environment. The paper notes that assessing a potential overdensity around RUBIES-UDS-QG-z7 is important for understanding its evolutionary path, but this analysis has not yet been carried out.