{ "abstract": "We present JWST Cycle 2 NIRCam and NIRSpec observations of a quasar field J0226+0302 at z = 6.5412 to probe the direct connections between the intergalactic medium (IGM), galaxies, and active galactic nuclei (AGN) during reionization. This field was previously observed by the JWST ASPIRE program, detecting eight [O III ]-emitting galaxies at 5.3 < z < 6.4 with a single NIRCam pointing. Using new NIRCam and NIRSpec observations, we identify 65 additional line-emitting galaxies at 5.3 < z < 6.4. The IGM–galaxy cross-correlation function shows an ∼2 σ excess IGM transmission at ∼10–40 cMpc from galaxies, suggesting a significant contribution from regions traced by star-forming galaxies to the local ionizing background. The IGM–galaxy cross-correlation function in this field is consistent with THESAN simulations for an IGM neutral fraction of 5%–7% and an average galaxy ionizing escape fraction f esc of 6%, although a single field is subject to substantial cosmic variance and cannot constrain these quantities independently. Among 49 line-emitting galaxies observed by NIRSpec, we identify four AGN with broad H α emission lines, resulting in an AGN fraction of 8% ± 4%. From the IGM effective optical depth and the IGM–AGN cross-correlation function, we find that the IGM transmission is higher within 5 h ⁻¹ cMpc of four AGN than around the majority of [O iii ] emitters. We interpret the excess transmission as resulting from the local radiation enhancement by the AGN, and estimate AGN f esc ∼ 50%–100%, based on our illustrative model for the IGM–AGN cross-correlation function. Future JWST/NIRSpec observations of quasar fields will yield a more constraining IGM–AGN cross-correlation function, providing further insights into the roles of galaxies and AGN in reionization.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "University of Michigan", "University of Arizona", "University of Copenhagen", "The University of Tokyo", "University of California", "University of Alberta", "INAF—Osservatorio Astronomico", "IFPU - Institute for Fundamental Physics of the Universe", "Department of Physics", "MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research", "Northwestern College", "Korea Institute for Advanced Study", "Tsinghua University", "The Pennsylvania State University", "Huazhong University of Science and Technology", "Chinese Academy of Sciences South America Center for Astronomy", "Universidad de Chile" ], "article_type": null, "arxiv": null, "author_total": 22, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0, 1 ], "name": "Xiangyu Jin", "orcid": "0000-0002-5768-738X" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Jinyi Yang", "orcid": "0000-0001-5287-4242" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Feige Wang", "orcid": "0000-0002-7633-431X" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Koki Kakiichi", "orcid": "0000-0001-6874-1321" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Xiaohui Fan", "orcid": "0000-0003-3310-0131" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "Enrico Garaldi", "orcid": "0000-0002-6021-7020" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Jaclyn B. Champagne", "orcid": "0000-0002-6184-9097" }, { "affs": [ 4 ], "name": "George D. Becker", "orcid": "0000-0003-2344-263X" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Yongda Zhu", "orcid": "0000-0003-3307-7525" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "Yunjing Wu", "orcid": "0000-0003-0111-8249" }, { "affs": [ 1, 2 ], "name": "Marianne Vestergaard", "orcid": "0000-0001-9191-9837" }, { "affs": [ 5 ], "name": "Huanqing Chen", "orcid": "0000-0002-3211-9642" }, { "affs": [ 6, 7 ], "name": "Valentina D’Odorico", "orcid": "0000-0003-3693-3091" }, { "affs": [ 8, 9 ], "name": "Anna-Christina Eilers", "orcid": "0000-0003-2895-6218" }, { "affs": [ 4 ], "name": "Jiamu Huang", "orcid": "0000-0002-5721-0709" }, { "affs": [ 10, 11 ], "name": "Hyunsung D. Jun", "orcid": "0000-0003-1470-5901" }, { "affs": [ 12 ], "name": "Mingyu Li", "orcid": "0000-0001-6251-649X" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Maria Pudoka", "orcid": "0000-0003-4924-5941" }, { "affs": [ 13 ], "name": "Wei Leong Tee", "orcid": "0000-0003-0747-1780" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Minghao Yue", "orcid": "0000-0002-5367-8021" }, { "affs": [ 14 ], "name": "Huanian Zhang", "orcid": "0000-0002-0123-9246" }, { "affs": [ 15, 16 ], "name": "Siwei Zou", "orcid": "0000-0002-3983-6484" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/c4zg78pqa7fpk.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.3847/1538-4357/aea55d", "fulltext_url": null, "id": "c4zg78pqa7fpk", "issns": [ "0004-637X", "1538-4357" ], "landing_url": "https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/aea55d", "language": null, "licence": "CC-BY-4.0", "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0", "licence_source": "article", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "openalex", "3103|Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena" ] ], "openalex": "W7223093564", "pdf_url": "https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/aea55d/pdf", "pmcid": null, "pmid": null, "published": "2026-10-21", "publisher": "American Astronomical Society", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/c4zg78pqa7fpk.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:11Z", "native_id": "10.3847/1538-4357/aea55d", "source": "crossref", "url": "https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/aea55d" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "astronomy", "origin": "openalex:3103|Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena", "subfield": "galaxies" } ], "title": "Probing Direct Contributions of Galaxies and Active Galactic Nuclei to Cosmic Reionization in a Quasar Field J0226+0302 with JWST/NIRCam and NIRSpec", "title_text": "Probing Direct Contributions of Galaxies and Active Galactic Nuclei to Cosmic Reionization in a Quasar Field J0226+0302 with JWST/NIRCam and NIRSpec", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:11Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/c4zg78pqa7fpk", "venue": "The Astrophysical Journal", "versions": [] }