Cullen, F.F.CullenMcLure, R. J.R. J.McLureKhochfar, S.S.KhochfarDunlop, J. S.J. S.DunlopDalla Vecchia, C.C.Dalla VecchiaCarnall, A. C.A. C.CarnallBourne, N.N.BourneCASTELLANO, MARCOMARCOCASTELLANOCimatti, A.A.CimattiCirasuolo, M.M.CirasuoloElbaz, D.D.ElbazFynbo, J. P. U.J. P. U.FynboGARILLI, BIANCA MARIA ROSABIANCA MARIA ROSAGARILLIKoekemoer, A.A.KoekemoerMARCHI, FRANCESCAFRANCESCAMARCHIPENTERICCI, LauraLauraPENTERICCITalia, M.M.TaliaZamorani, G.G.Zamorani2021-01-252021-01-2520180035-8711http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12386/29989We present the results of a new study of dust attenuation at redshifts 3 < z < 4 based on a sample of 236 star-forming galaxies from the VANDELS spectroscopic survey. Motivated by results from the First Billion Years (FiBY) simulation project, we argue that the intrinsic spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of star-forming galaxies at these redshifts have a self-similar shape across the mass range 8.2 ≤ log (M<SUB>⋆</SUB>/M<SUB>☉</SUB>) ≤ 10.6 probed by our sample. Using FiBY data, we construct a set of intrinsic SED templates which incorporate both detailed star formation and chemical abundance histories, and a variety of stellar population synthesis (SPS) model assumptions. With this set of intrinsic SEDs, we present a novel approach for directly recovering the shape and normalization of the dust attenuation curve. We find, across all of the intrinsic templates considered, that the average attenuation curve for star-forming galaxies at z ≃ 3.5 is similar in shape to the commonly adopted Calzetti starburst law, with an average total-to-selective attenuation ratio of R<SUB>V</SUB> = 4.18 ± 0.29. In contrast, we find that an average attenuation curve as steep as the SMC extinction law is strongly disfavoured. We show that the optical attenuation (A<SUB>V</SUB>) versus stellar mass (M<SUB>⋆</SUB>) relation predicted using our method is consistent with recent ALMA observations of galaxies at 2 < z < 3 in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF), as well as empirical A<SUB>V</SUB> - M<SUB>⋆</SUB> relations predicted by a Calzetti-like law. In fact, our results, combined with other literature data, suggest that the A<SUB>V</SUB>-M<SUB>⋆</SUB> relation does not evolve over the redshift range 0 < z < 5, at least for galaxies with log(M<SUB>⋆</SUB>/M<SUB>☉</SUB>) ≳ 9.5. Finally, we present tentative evidence which suggests that the attenuation curve may become steeper at lower masses log(M<SUB>⋆</SUB>/M<SUB>☉</SUB>) ≲ 9.0.STAMPAenArticle10.1093/mnras/sty4692-s2.0-85051498587000430944100026https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article-abstract/476/3/3218/48980752018MNRAS.476.3218CFIS/05 - ASTRONOMIA E ASTROFISICAERC sectors::Physical Sciences and Engineering::PE9 Universe sciences: astro-physics/chemistry/biology; solar systems; stellar, galactic and extragalactic astronomy, planetary systems, cosmology, space science, instrumentation::PE9_6 Stars and stellar systems