JWST PEARLS. Prime Extragalactic Areas for Reionization and Lensing Science: Project Overview and First Results
Authors: Windhorst Rogier A. , Cohen Seth H. , Jansen Rolf A. , Summers Jake , Tompkins Scott , Conselice Christopher J. , Driver Simon P. , Yan Haojing , Coe Dan , Frye Brenda , Grogin Norman , Koekemoer Anton , Marshall Madeline A. , O’Brien Rosalia , Pirzkal Nor , Robotham Aaron , Ryan Russell E. , Willmer Christopher N. A. , Carleton Timothy , Diego Jose M. , Keel William C. , Porto Paolo , Redshaw Caleb , Scheller Sydney , Wilkins Stephen M. , Willner S. P. , Zitrin Adi , Adams Nathan J. , Austin Duncan , Arendt Richard G. , Beacom John F. , Bhatawdekar Rachana A. , Bradley Larry D. , Broadhurst Tom , Cheng Cheng , Civano Francesca , Dai Liang , Dole Hervé , D’Silva Jordan C. J. , Duncan Kenneth J. , Fazio Giovanni G. , Ferrami Giovanni , Ferreira Leonardo , Finkelstein Steven L. , Furtak Lukas J. , Gim Hansung B. , Griffiths Alex , Hammel Heidi B. , Harrington Kevin C. , Hathi Nimish P. , Holwerda Benne W. , Honor Rachel , Huang Jia-Sheng , Hyun Minhee , Im Myungshin , Joshi Bhavin A. , Kamieneski Patrick S. , Kelly Patrick , Larson Rebecca L. , Li Juno , Lim Jeremy , Ma Zhiyuan , Maksym Peter , Manzoni Giorgio , Meena Ashish Kumar , Milam Stefanie N. , Nonino Mario , Pascale Massimo , Petric Andreea , Pierel Justin D. R. , Carmen Polletta Maria del , Röttgering Huub J. A. , Rutkowski Michael J. , Smail Ian , Straughn Amber N. , Strolger Louis-Gregory , Swirbul Andi , Trussler James A. A. , Wang Lifan , Welch Brian , B. Wyithe J. Stuart , Yun Min , Zackrisson Erik , Zhang Jiashuo , Zhao Xiurui 
Published: December 2022

We give an overview and describe the rationale, methods, and first results from NIRCam images of the JWST “Prime Extragalactic Areas for Reionization and Lensing Science” (PEARLS) project. PEARLS uses up to eight NIRCam filters to survey several prime extragalactic survey areas: two fields at the North Ecliptic Pole (NEP); seven gravitationally lensing clusters; two high redshift protoclusters; and the iconic backlit VV 191 galaxy system to map its dust attenuation. PEARLS also includes NIRISS spectra for one of the NEP fields and NIRSpec spectra of two high-redshift quasars. The main goal of PEARLS is to study the epoch of galaxy assembly, active galactic nucleus (AGN) growth, and First Light. Five fields—the JWST NEP Time-Domain Field (TDF), IRAC Dark Field, and three lensing clusters—will be observed in up to four epochs over a year. The cadence and sensitivity of the imaging data are ideally suited to find faint variable objects such as weak AGN, high-redshift supernovae, and cluster caustic transits. Both NEP fields have sightlines through our Galaxy, providing significant numbers of very faint brown dwarfs whose proper motions can be studied. Observations from the first spoke in the NEP TDF are public. This paper presents our first PEARLS observations, their NIRCam data reduction and analysis, our first object catalogs, the 0.9–4.5 μm galaxy counts and Integrated Galaxy Light. We assess the JWST sky brightness in 13 NIRCam filters, yielding our first constraints to diffuse light at 0.9–4.5 μm. PEARLS is designed to be of lasting benefit to the community.