JADES NIRSpec Spectroscopy of GN-z11: Lyman-$α$ emission and possible enhanced nitrogen abundance in a $z=10.60$ luminous galaxy

We present JADES JWST/NIRSpec spectroscopy of GN-z11, the most luminous candidate $z>10$ Lyman break galaxy in the GOODS-North field with MUV=-21.5. We derive a redshift of $z=10.603$ (lower than previous determinations) based on multiple emission lines in our low and medium resolution spectra over $0.8-5.3 μ$m. We significantly detect the continuum and measure a blue rest-UV spectral slope of $β=-2.4$. Remarkably, we see spatially-extended Lyman-$α$ in emission (despite the highly-neutral IGM expected at this early epoch), offset 555 km s⁻¹ redward of the systemic redshift. From our measurements of collisionally-excited lines of both low- and high-ionization (including [O II]λ3727, [Ne III]$λ3869$ and C III]λ1909) we infer a high ionization parameter (log U~ -2). We detect the rarely-seen N IV]λ1486 and N III]λ1748 lines in both our low and medium resolution spectra, with other high ionization lines seen in the low resolution spectrum such as He II (blended with O III]) and C IV (with a possible P-Cygni profile). Based on the observed rest-UV line ratios, we cannot conclusively rule out photoionization from AGN, although the high C III]/He II and N III]/He II ratios are compatible with a star-formation explanation. If the observed emission lines are powered by star formation, then the strong N III]λ1748 observed may imply an unusually high $N/O$ abundance. Balmer emission lines (H$γ$, H$δ$) are also detected, and if powered by star formation rather than an AGN we infer a star formation rate of ~ 20-30 M_ yr⁻¹ (depending on the IMF) and low dust attenuation. Our NIRSpec spectroscopy confirms that GN-z11 is a remarkable galaxy with extreme properties seen 430 Myr after the Big Bang.