No Arabic abstract
We present Keck/OSIRIS infrared IFU observations of the $z = $ 3.153 sub-DLA DLA2233+131, previously detected in absorption to a background quasar and studied with single slit spectroscopy and PMAS integral field spectroscopy (IFU). We used the Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics (LGSAO) and OSIRIS IFU to reduce the point-spread function of the background quasar to FWHM$sim$0.15 arcseconds and marginally resolve extended, foreground DLA emission. We detect [OIII]$lambda$5007 emission with a flux F$^{[OIII]lambda5007}$ = $(2.4pm0.5)times10^{-17}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$, as well as unresolved [OIII]$lambda$4959 and H$betalambda$4861 emission. Using a composite spectrum over the emission region, we measure dynamical mass $sim$ $3.1times10^9$ M$_{odot}$. We make several estimates of star formation rate using [OIII]$lambda$5007 and H$betalambda$4861 emission, and measure a star formation rate of $sim$ $7.1- 13.6$ M$_{odot}$ yr$^{-1}$. We map [OIII]$lambda$5007 and H$betalambda$4861 emission and the corresponding velocity fields to search for signs of kinematic structure. These maps allow for a more detailed kinematic analysis than previously possible for this galaxy. While some regions show slightly red and blue-shifted emission indicative of potential edge-on disk rotation, the data are insufficient to support this interpretation.
We report the detection of the host galaxy of a damped Ly$alpha$ system (DLA) with log N(HI) $ [rm cm^{-2}]$ = $21.0 pm 0.10$ at $z approx 3.0091$ towards the background quasar SDSS J011852+040644 using the Palomar Cosmic Web Imager (PCWI) at the Hale (P200) telescope. We detect Ly$alpha$ emission in the dark core of the DLA trough at a 3.3$sigma$ confidence level, with Ly$alpha$ luminosity of $L_{rm Lyalpha}$ $rm = (3.8 pm 0.8) times 10^{42} erg s^{-1}$, corresponding to a star formation rate of $gtrsim 2 rm M_{odot} yr^{-1}$ (considering a lower limit on Ly$alpha$ escape fraction $f_{esc}^{Ly{alpha}} sim 2%$) as typical for Lyman break galaxies at these redshifts. The Ly$alpha$ emission is blueshifted with respect to the systemic redshift derived from metal absorption lines by $281 pm 43$ km/s. The associated galaxy is at very small impact parameter of $lesssim 12 rm kpc$ from the background quasar, which is in line with the observed anticorrelation between column density and impact parameter in spectroscopic searches tracing the large-scale environments of DLA host galaxies.
We report on a sensitive search for redshifted H$alpha$ line-emission from three high-metallicity damped Ly$alpha$ absorbers (DLAs) at $z approx 2.4$ with the Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrometer (NIFS) on the Gemini-North telescope, assisted by the ALTtitude conjugate Adaptive optics for the InfraRed (ALTAIR) system with a laser guide star. Within the NIFS field-of-view, $approx 3.22 times 2.92$ corresponding to $approx 25$ kpc $ times 23$ kpc at $z=2.4$, we detect no statistically significant line-emission at the expected redshifted H$alpha$ wavelengths. The measured root-mean-square noise fluctuations in $0.4$ apertures are $1-3times10^{-18}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$. Our analysis of simulated, compact, line-emitting sources yields stringent limits on the star-formation rates (SFRs) of the three DLAs, $< 2.2$~M$_{odot}$ yr$^{-1}$ ($3sigma$) for two absorbers, and $< 11$~M$_{odot}$ yr$^{-1}$ ($3sigma$) for the third, at all impact parameters within $approx 12.5$~kpc to the quasar sightline at the DLA redshift. For the third absorber, the SFR limit is $< 4.4$~M$_odot$ yr$^{-1}$ for locations away from the quasar sightline. These results demonstrate the potential of adaptive optics-assisted, integral field unit searches for galaxies associated with high-$z$ DLAs.
We have completed spectroscopic observations using LRIS on the Keck 1 telescope of 30 very high redshift quasars, 11 selected for the presence of damped Ly-alpha absorption systems and 19 with redshifts z > 3.5 not previously surveyed for absorption systems. We have surveyed an additional 10 QSOs with the Lick 120 and the Anglo-Australian Telescope. We have combined these with previous data resulting in a statistical sample of 646 QSOs and 85 damped Ly-alpha absorbers with column densities N(HI) >= 2 x 10^20 atoms/cm^2 covering the redshift range 0.008 <= z <= 4.694. To make the data in our statistical sample more readily available for comparison with scenarios from various cosmological models, we provide tables that includes all 646 QSOs from our new survey and previously published surveys. They list the minimum and maximum redshift defining the redshift path along each line of sight, the QSO emission redshift, and when an absorber is detected, the absorption redshift and measured HI column density. [see the paper for the complete abstract]
We searched quasar spectra from the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) for the rare occurrences where a strong damped Lyman-alpha absorber (DLA) blocks the Broad Line Region emission from the quasar and acts as a natural coronagraph to reveal narrow Lyalpha emission from the host galaxy. We define a statistical sample of 31 DLAs in Data Release 9 (DR9) with log N(HI) > 21.3 cm^-2 located at less than 1500 km s^-1 from the quasar redshift. In 25% (8) of these DLAs, a strong narrow Lyalpha emission line is observed with flux ~25 x 10^-17 erg s^-1 cm^-2 on average. For DLAs without this feature in their troughs, the average 3-sigma upper limit is < 0.8 x 10^-17 erg s^-1 cm^-2. Our statistical sample is nearly 2.5 times larger than the anticipated number of intervening DLAs in DR9 within 1500 km s^-1 of the quasar redshift. We also define a sample of 26 DLAs from DR9 and DR10 with narrow Lyalpha emission detected and no limit on the HI column density to better characterize properties of the host galaxy emission. Analyzing the statistical sample, we do not find substantial differences in the kinematics, metals, or reddening for the two populations with and without emission detected. The highly symmetric narrow Lyalpha emission line profile centered in the HI trough indicates that the emitting region is separate from the absorber. The luminosity of the narrow Lyalpha emission peaks is intermediate between that of Lyman-alpha emitters and radio galaxies, implying that the Lyalpha emission is predominantly due to ionizing radiation from the AGN. Galaxies neighboring the quasar host are likely responsible for the majority (> 75%) of these DLAs, with only a minority (< 25%) arising from HI clouds located in the AGN host galaxy.
Analysis of the absorption lines in the afterglow spectrum of the gamma-ray burst GRB010222 indicates that its host galaxy (at a redshift of z=1.476) is the strongest damped Lyman-alpha (DLA) system known, having a very low metallicity and modest dust content. This conclusion is based on the detection of the red wing of Lyman-alpha plus a comparison of the equivalent widths of ultraviolet Mg I, Mg II, and Fe II lines with those in other DLAs. The column density of H I, deduced from a fit to the wing of Lyman-alpha, is (5 +/- 2) 10^22 cm^-2. The ratio of the column densities of Zn and Cr lines suggests that the dust content in our line of sight through the galaxy is low. This could be due to either dust destruction by the ultraviolet emission of the afterglow or to an initial dust composition different to that of the diffuse interstellar material, or a combination of both.