Determine the redshift evolution of scatter in the UV-magnitude–stellar-mass relation

Determine whether the evolution of the scatter in the UV-magnitude–stellar-mass relation reverses at redshifts higher than approximately 13.

Background

The paper studies how ultraviolet luminosity correlates with stellar mass and halo mass in the semi-analytic galaxy-formation model at redshifts from 6 to 17. The authors find that the scatter in the UV-magnitude–stellar-mass relation generally increases with redshift, particularly between redshifts 6 and 13 and around UV magnitudes of approximately −18 to −20.

At redshifts above approximately 13, the available model statistics become limited. Consequently, the authors cannot establish whether the previously observed increase in scatter continues or reverses at still higher redshift. Resolving this issue would clarify how stochastic star formation and instability-driven starbursts shape the connection between stellar mass and ultraviolet luminosity during cosmic dawn.

References

At higher redshifts, statistics become quite limited, and thus it is hard to assert whether there is a reversal or not of the evolution of the scatter.

— Bright star-forming galaxies naturally forming at z>10 in the Shark semi-analytic model  (2609.03537 - Lagos et al., 3 Sep 2026) in Section 3.3, “On the stochasticity of the UV–stellar and UV–halo mass relations”