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Scaling Relations for Galaxies Prior to Reionization

The first galaxies in the Universe are the building blocks of all observed galaxies. We present scaling relations for galaxies forming at redshifts $z \ge 15$ when reionization is just beginning. We utilize the ``Rarepeak' cosmological radiation hydrodynamics simulation that captures the complete star formation history in over 3,300 galaxies, starting with massive Population III stars that form in dark matter halos as small as ~$10^6 M_\odot$. We make various correlations between the bulk halo quantities, such as virial, gas, and stellar masses and metallicities and their respective accretion rates, quantifying a variety of properties of the first galaxies up to halo masses of $10^9 M_\odot$. Galaxy formation is not solely relegated to atomic cooling halos with virial temperatures greater than $10^4$ K, where we find a dichotomy in galaxy properties between halos above and below this critical mass scale. Halos below the atomic cooling limit have a stellar mass -- halo mass relationship $\log M_\star \simeq 3.5 + 1.3\log(M_{\rm vir} / 10^7 M_\odot)$. We find a non-monotonic relationship between metallicity and halo mass for the smallest galaxies. Their initial star formation events enrich the interstellar medium and subsequent star formation to a median of $10^{-2} Z_\odot$ and $10^{-1.5} Z_\odot$, respectively, in halos of total mass $10^7 M_\odot$ that is then diluted by metal-poor inflows, well beyond Population III pre-enrichment levels of $10^{-3.5} Z_\odot$. The scaling relations presented here can be employed in models of reionization, galaxy formation and chemical evolution in order to consider these galaxies forming prior to reionization.