While the kinematics of galaxies up to z ∼ 3 have been characterized in detail, only a handful of galaxies at high redshift (z > 4) have been examined in such a way. The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Large Program to INvestigate [C ii] at Early times (ALPINE) survey observed a statistically significant sample of 118 star-forming main-sequence galaxies at z = 4.4–5.9 in [C ii]158 $\mu$m emission, increasing the number of such observations by nearly 10×. A preliminary qualitative classification of these sources revealed a diversity of kinematic types (i.e. rotators, mergers, and dispersion-dominated systems). In this work, we supplement the initial classification by applying quantitative analyses to the ALPINE data: a tilted ring model (TRM) fitting code (3Dbarolo), a morphological classification (Gini-M20), and a set of disc identification criteria. Of the 75 [C ii]-detected ALPINE galaxies, 29 are detected at sufficient significance and spatial resolution to allow for TRM fitting and the derivation of morphological and kinematic parameters. These 29 sources constitute a high-mass subset of the ALPINE sample ($M_*\gt 10^{9.5}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$). We robustly classify 14 of these sources (six rotators, five mergers, and three dispersion-dominated systems); the remaining sources showing complex behaviour. By exploring the G-M20 of z > 4 rest-frame far-infrared and [C ii] data for the first time, we find that our 1 arcsec ∼ 6 kpc resolution data alone are insufficient to separate galaxy types. We compare the rotation curves and dynamical mass profiles of the six ALPINE rotators to the two previously detected z ∼ 4–6 unlensed main-sequence rotators, finding high rotational velocities (∼50–250 km s−1) and a diversity of rotation curve shapes.

We report the detection of [C ii] λ158 um emission from a system of three closely separated sources in the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) field at z ∼ 4.56 , as part of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Large Program to INvestigate C ii at Early times (ALPINE). The two most luminous sources are closely associated, both spatially (1.6 arcsec ∼ 11 kpc) and in velocity (∼100 km s−1), while the third source is slightly more distant (2.8 arcsec ∼ 18 kpc, ∼300 km s−1).

We report the serendipitous discovery of a dust-obscured galaxy observed as part of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) Large Program to INvestigate [C ii] at Early times (ALPINE). While this galaxy is detected both in line and continuum emissions in ALMA Band 7, it is completely dark in the observed optical/near-infrared bands and only shows a significant detection in the UltraVISTA Ks band. We discuss the nature of the observed ALMA line, that is [C ii] at $z$ ∼ 4.6 or high-J CO transitions at $z$ ∼ 2.2. In the first case, we find a [C ii]/FIR luminosity ratio of $\mathrm{log}{(L_{[\mathrm{ C}\, \rm {\small {II}}]}/L_{\mathrm{ FIR}})} \sim -2.5$, consistent with the average value for local star-forming galaxies (SFGs). In the second case instead, the source would lie at larger CO luminosities than those expected for local SFGs and high-z submillimetre galaxies. At both redshifts, we derive the star formation rate (SFR) from the ALMA continuum and the physical parameters of the galaxy, such as the stellar mass (M*), by fitting its spectral energy distribution. Exploiting the results of this work, we believe that our source is a ‘main-sequence’, dusty SFG at $z$ = 4.6 (i.e. [C ii] emitter) with $\mathrm{log(SFR/M_{\odot }\, yr^{-1})}\sim 1.4$ and log(M*/M⊙) ∼ 9.9. As a support to this scenario our galaxy, if at this redshift, lies in a massive protocluster recently discovered at $z$ ∼ 4.57, at only ∼1 proper Mpc from its centre. This work underlines the crucial role of the ALPINE survey in making a census of this class of objects, in order to unveil their contribution to the global SFR density at the end of the Reionization epoch.