| 1. |
- Caruana, Joseph, et al.
(author)
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The MUSE-Wide survey : a measurement of the Ly alpha emitting fraction among z > 3 galaxies
- 2018
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In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 473:1, s. 30-37
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present a measurement of the fraction of Lyman α (Ly α) emitters (XLy α) amongst HST continuum-selected galaxies at 3 < z < 6 with the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on the VLT. Making use of the first 24 MUSE-Wide pointings in GOODS-South, each having an integration time of 1 h, we detect 100 Ly α emitters and find XLy α ≳ 0.5 for most of the redshift range covered, with 29 per cent of the Ly α sample exhibiting rest equivalent widths (rest-EWs) ≤ 15 Å. Adopting a range of rest-EW cuts (0–75 Å), we find no evidence of a dependence of XLy α on either redshift or ultraviolet luminosity.
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| 2. |
- Johnson, Sean D., et al.
(author)
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Galaxy and Quasar Fueling Caught in the Act from the Intragroup to the Interstellar Medium
- 2018
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In: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : American Astronomical Society. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 869:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report the discovery of six spatially extended (10-100 kpc) line-emitting nebulae in the z approximate to 0.57 galaxy group hosting PKS 0405-123, one of the most luminous quasars at z < 1. The discovery is enabled by the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer and provides tantalizing evidence connecting large-scale gas streams with nuclear activity on scales of <10 proper kpc (pkpc). One of the nebulae exhibits a narrow, filamentary morphology extending over 50 pkpc toward the quasar with narrow internal velocity dispersion (50 km s(-1)) and is not associated with any detected galaxies, consistent with a cool intragroup medium filament. Two of the nebulae are 10 pkpc north and south of the quasar with tidal-arm-like morphologies. These two nebulae, along with a continuum-emitting arm extending 60 pkpc from the quasar, are signatures of interactions that are expected to redistribute angular momentum in the host interstellar medium (ISM) to facilitate star formation and quasar fueling in the nucleus. The three remaining nebulae are among the largest and most luminous [O III] emitting blobs known (1400-2400 pkpc(2)) and correspond both kinematically and morphologically to interacting galaxy pairs in the quasar host group, consistent with arising from stripped ISM rather than large-scale quasar outflows. The presence of these large- and small-scale nebulae in the vicinity of a luminous quasar bears significantly on the effect of large-scale environment on galaxy and black hole fueling, providing a natural explanation for the previously known correlation between quasar luminosity and cool circumgalactic medium.
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| 3. |
- Leclercq, Floriane, et al.
(author)
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The MUSE &ITHubble&IT Ultra Deep Field Survey VIII. Extended Lyman-alpha haloes around high-&ITz&IT star-forming galaxies
- 2017
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 608
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report the detection of extended Ly alpha haloes around 145 individual star-forming galaxies at redshifts 3 <= z <= 6 in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field observed with the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) at ESO-VLT. Our sample consists of continuum-faint (-15 >= M-UV >= -22) Ly alpha emitters (LAEs). Using a 2D, two-component (continuum-like and halo) decomposition of Ly alpha emission assuming circular exponential distributions, we measure scale lengths and luminosities of Ly alpha haloes. We find that 80% of our objects having reliable Ly alpha halo measurements show Ly alpha emission that is significantly more extended than the UV continuum detected by HST (by a factor approximate to 4 to >20). The median exponential scale length of the Ly alpha haloes in our sample is approximate to 4.5 kpc with a few haloes exceeding 10 kpc. By comparing the maximal detected extent of the Ly alpha emission with the predicted dark matter halo virial radii of simulated galaxies, we show that the detected Ly alpha emission of our selected sample of Ly alpha emitters probes a significant portion of the cold circum-galactic medium of these galaxies (>50% in average). This result therefore shows that there must be significant HI reservoirs in the circum-galactic medium and reinforces the idea that Ly alpha haloes are ubiquitous around high-redshift Ly alpha emitting galaxies. Our characterization of the Ly alpha haloes indicates that the majority of the Ly alpha flux comes from the halo (approximate to 65%) and that their scale lengths seem to be linked to the UV properties of the galaxies (sizes and magnitudes). We do not observe a significant Ly alpha halo size evolution with redshift, although our sample for z > 5 is very small. We also explore the diversity of the Ly alpha line profiles in our sample and we find that the Ly alpha lines cover a large range of full width at half maximum (FWHM) from 118 to 512 km s(-1). While the FWHM does not seem to be correlated to the Ly alpha scale length, most compact Ly alpha haloes and those that are not detected with high significance tend to have narrower Ly alpha profiles (<350 km s(-1)). Finally, we investigate the origin of the extended Ly alpha emission but we conclude that our data do not allow us to disentangle the possible processes, i.e. scattering from star-forming regions, fluorescence, cooling radiation from cold gas accretion, and emission from satellite galaxies.
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| 4. |
- Runnholm, Axel, 1992-, et al.
(author)
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On the evolution of the size of Lyman alpha haloes across cosmic time : no change in the circumgalactic gas distribution when probed by line emission
- 2023
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In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 522:3, s. 4275-4293
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Lyman alpha (Ly alpha) is now routinely used as a tool for studying high-redshift galaxies, and its resonant nature means it can trace neutral hydrogen around star-forming galaxies. Integral field spectrograph measurements of high-redshift Ly alpha emitters indicate that significant extended Ly alpha halo emission is ubiquitous around such objects. We present a sample of redshift 0.23 to 0.31 galaxies observed with the Hubble Space Telescope selected to match the star formation properties of high-z samples while optimizing the observations for detection of low surface brightness Ly alpha emission. The Ly alpha escape fractions range between 0.7 and 37 per cent, and we detect extended Ly alpha emission around six out of seven targets. We find Ly alpha halo to UV scale length ratios around 6:1, which is marginally lower than high-redshift observations, and halo flux fractions between 60 and 85 per cent - consistent with high-redshift observations - when using comparable methods. However, our targets show additional extended stellar UV emission: we parametrize this with a new double exponential model. We find that this parametrization does not strongly affect the observed Ly alpha halo fractions. We find that deeper H alpha data would be required to firmly determine the origin of Ly alpha halo emission; however, there are indications that H alpha is more extended than the central FUV profile, potentially indicating conditions favourable for the escape of ionizing radiation. We discuss our results in the context of high-redshift galaxies, cosmological simulations, evolutionary studies of the circumgalactic medium in emission, and the emission of ionizing radiation.
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| 5. |
- Runnholm, Axel, et al.
(author)
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On the evolution of the size of Lyman alpha halos across cosmic time: no change in the circumgalactic gas distribution when probed by line emission
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Lyman ? (Ly?) is now routinely used as a tool for detecting high redshift galaxies and its resonant nature means it can trace neutral hydrogen around star-forming galaxies. Integral field spectrograph measurements of high-? Ly? emitters indicate that significant extended Ly? halo emission is ubiquitous around such objects. We present a sample of redshift 0.23 to 0.32 galaxies observed with the Hubble Space Telescope selected to match the star formation properties of high-? samples while optimizing the observations for detection of low surface brightness Ly? emission. All seven targets show Ly? emission, with total escape fractions between 0.7% and 37%, and extended Ly? emission. We find Ly? halo to UV scale length ratios around 10:1, and halo flux fractions between 60% and 85% —consistent with high redshift observations—when using comparable methods. However, our targets show additional extended stellar UV emission which we parametrize with a new three exponential component model for Ly? emission. Halo fractions become much smaller with this methodology and some become consistent with zero. Comparing UV and H? emission reveals that H? is also extended and can partially explain the origin of diffuse Ly?. We interpret this as evidence that the creation of Ly? halos cannot be attributed to one single process but rather a combination of in-situ recombination and spatial scattering or possibly collisional excitation. We discuss our results in the context of high-redshift galaxies, evolutionary studies of the circumgalactic medium in emission, and inferences concerning the emission of ionizing radiation.
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