The BLUETIDES mock image catalogue: simulated observations of high-redshift galaxies and predictions for JWST imaging surveys

We present a mock image catalogue of similar to 100000 M-UV similar or equal to -22.5 to -19.6 mag galaxies at z = 7-12 from the BLUETIDES cosmological simulation. We create mock images of each galaxy with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Hubble, Roman, and Euclid Space Telescopes, as well as Subaru, and VISTA, with a range of near- and mid-infrared filters. We perform photometry on the mock images to estimate the success of these instruments for detecting high-z galaxies. We predict that JWST will have unprecedented power in detecting high-z galaxies, with a 95 per cent completeness limit at least 2.5 mag fainter than VISTA and Subaru, 1.1 mag fainter than Hubble, and 0.9 mag fainter than Roman, for the same wavelength and exposure time. Focusing on JWST, we consider a range of exposure times and filters, and find that the NIRCam F356W and F277W filters will detect the faintest galaxies, with 95 per cent completeness at m similar or equal to 27.4 mag in 10-ks exposures. We also predict the number of high-z galaxies that will be discovered by upcoming JWST imaging surveys. We predict that the COSMOS-Web survey will detect similar to 1000 M-1500 angstrom < -20.1 mag galaxies at 6.5 < z < 7.5, by virtue of its large survey area. JADES-Medium will detect almost 100 per cent of M-1500 angstrom less than or similar to -20 mag galaxies at z < 8.5 due to its significant depth, however, with its smaller survey area it will detect only similar to 100 of these galaxies at 6.5 < z < 7.5. Cosmic variance results in a large range in the number of predicted galaxies each survey will detect, which is more evident in smaller surveys such as CEERS and the PEARLS NEP and GOODS-S fields.

Automated summary

We present a mock image catalogue of approximately 100,000 galaxies in the range of -22.5 to -19.6 mag at redshifts z = 7-12. We use various telescopes including the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to create mock images and perform photometry to evaluate the success of these instruments in detecting high-z galaxies. We predict that JWST will have unprecedented power and surpass other telescopes in detecting high-z galaxies.