Van der Vlugt, D.Hodge, J.A.Algera, H.S.B.Smail, I.Leslie, S.K.Radcliffe, Jack FrederickRiechers, D.A.Rottgering, H.2023-04-262023-04-262022-12-10Van der Vlugt, D., Hodge, J.A., Algera, H.S.B. et al. 2022, 'An ultra-deep multiband very large array (VLA) survey of the faint radio sky (COSMOS-XS) : new constraints on the cosmic star formation history', The Astrophysical Journal, vol. 941, no. 10, pp. 1-26, doi : 10.3847/1538-4357/ac99db.0004-637X (print)1538-4357 (online)10.3847/1538-4357/ac99dbhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/90509We make use of ultra-deep 3 GHz Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) observations of the COSMOS field from the multiband COSMOS-XS survey to infer radio luminosity functions (LFs) of star-forming galaxies (SFGs). Using ∼1300 SFGs with redshifts out to z ∼ 4.6, and fixing the faint and bright end shape of the radio LF to the local values, we find a strong redshift trend that can be fitted by pure luminosity evolution with the luminosity parameter given by αL (3.40 0.11) − (0.48 0.06)z. We then combine the ultra-deep COSMOSXS data set with the shallower VLA-COSMOS 3 GHz large project data set over the wider COSMOS field in order to fit for joint density+luminosity evolution, finding evidence for significant density evolution. By comparing the radio LFs to the observed far-infrared and ultraviolet (UV) LFs, we find evidence of a significant underestimation of the UV LF by 22% 14% at high redshift (3.3 < z < 4.6, integrated down to = 0.03 L z 3). We derive the cosmic star formation rate density (SFRD) by integrating the fitted radio LFs and find that the SFRD rises up to z ∼ 1.8 and then declines more rapidly than previous radio-based estimates. A direct comparison between the radio SFRD and a recent UV-based SFRD, where we integrate both LFs down to a consistent limit ( = 0.038 L z 3), reveals that the discrepancy between the radio and UV LFs translates to a significant (∼1 dex) discrepancy in the derived SFRD at z > 3, even assuming the latest dust corrections and without accounting for optically dark sources.en© 2022. The Author(s). Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.COSMOSLuminosity functions (LFs)Star formation rate density (SFRD)Very large array (VLA)Star-forming galaxies (SFGs)Article