摘要：Context.To identify the galaxies responsible for the reionization of the Universe, we must rely on the investigation of the Lyman continuum (LyC) properties ofz≲ 5 star-forming galaxies, where we can still directly observe their ionizing radiation.Aims.The aim of this work is to explore the correlation between the LyC emission and some of the proposed indirect indicators of LyC radiation atz~ 4 such as a bright Lyαemission and a compact UV continuum size.Methods.We selected a sample of 201 star-forming galaxies from the Vimos Ultra Deep Survey (VUDS) at 3.5 ≤z≤ 4.3 in the COSMOS, ECDFS, and VVDS-2h fields, including only those with reliable spectroscopic redshifts, a clean spectrum in the LyC range and clearly not contaminated by bright nearby sources in the same slit. For all galaxies we measured the LyαEW, the Lyαvelocity shift with respect to the systemic redshift, the Lyαspatial extension and the UV continuum effective radius. We then selected different sub-samples according to the properties predicted to be good LyC emission indicators: in particular we created sub-samples of galaxies withEW(Lyα) ≥ 70 Å, Lyαext≤ 5.7 kpc,rUV≤ 0.30 kpc and |ΔvLyα|≤ 200 km s−1. We stacked all the galaxies in each sub-sample and measured the flux density ratio (fλ(895)∕fλ(1470)), that we considered to be a proxy for LyC emission. We then compared these ratios to those obtained for the complementary samples. Finally, to estimate the statistical contamination from lower redshift inter-lopers in our samples, we performed dedicated Monte Carlo simulations using an ultradeepU-band image of the ECDFS field.Results.We find that the stacks of galaxies which are UV compact (rUV≤ 0.30 kpc) and have bright Lyαemission (EW(Lyα) ≥ 70 Å), have much higher LyC fluxes compared to the rest of the galaxy population. These parameters appear to be good indicators of LyC radiation in agreement with theoretical studies and previous observational works. In addition we find that galaxies with a low Lyαspatial extent (Lyαext≤ 5.7 kpc) have higher LyC flux compared to the rest of the population. Such a correlation had never been analysed before and seems even stronger than the correlation with high EW(Lyα) and smallrUV. These results assume that the stacks from all sub-samples present the same statistical contamination from lower redshift interlopers. If we subtract a statistical contamination from low redshift interlopers obtained with the simulations from the flux density ratios (fλ(895)∕fλ(1470)) of the significant sub-samples we find that these samples contain real LyC leaking flux with a very high probability, although the true average escape fractions are very uncertain.Conclusions.Our work indicates that galaxies with very highEW(Lyα), small Lyαextand smallrUVare very likely the best candidates to show Lyman continuum radiation atz~ 4 and could therefore be the galaxies that have contributed most to reionisation.
