| 1. |
- Fynbo, J. P. U., et al.
(författare)
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Galaxy counterparts of metal-rich damped Ly alpha absorbers - II. A solar-metallicity and dusty DLA at z(abs)=2.58
- 2011
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 413:4, s. 2481-2488
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This is the second paper of a series reporting on the results from a survey conducted with the ESO VLT/X-shooter spectrograph. We target high-metallicity damped Lyman alpha absorbers (DLAs) with the aim of investigating the relation between galaxies detected in emission and those detected in absorption. Here, we report on the discovery of the galaxy counterpart of the z(abs) = 2.58 DLA on the line-of-sight to the z = 3.07 quasar SDSS J 091826.16+163609.0 (hereafter Q 0918+1636). The galaxy counterpart of the DLA is detected in the [O iii] lambda 5007 and [O ii] lambda lambda 3726, 3729 emission lines redshifted into the NIR at an impact parameter of 2.0 arcsec (16 kpc at z = 2.58). Ly alpha emission is not detected down to a 3 Sigma detection limit of 5 x 10-18 erg s-1 cm-2, which, compared to the strength of the oxygen lines, implies that Ly alpha emission from this galaxy is suppressed by more than an order of magnitude. The DLA has one of the highest metallicities measured so far at comparable redshifts. We find evidence for substantial depletion of refractory elements on to dust grains. Fitting the main metal line component of the DLA, which is located at z(abs) = 2.5832, we measure the metal abundances from Zn ii, S ii, Si ii, Cr ii, Mn ii, Fe ii and Ni ii to be -0.12 +/- 0.05, -0.26 +/- 0.05, -0.46 +/- 0.05, -0.88 +/- 0.05, -0.92 +/- 0.05, -1.03 +/- 0.05 and -0.78 +/- 0.05, respectively. In addition, we detect absorption in the Lyman and Werner bands of molecular hydrogen (H(2)), which represents the first detection of H(2) molecules with X-shooter. The background quasar Q 0918+1636 is amongst the reddest QSOs at redshifts 3.02 < z < 3.12 from the SDSS catalogue. Its UV to NIR spectrum is well fitted by a composite QSO spectrum reddened by SMC-/LMC-like extinction curves at z(abs) = 2.58 with a significant amount of extinction given by A(V) approximate to 0.2 mag. This supports previous claims that there may be more metal-rich DLAs missing from current samples due to dust reddening of the background QSOs. The fact that there is evidence for dust both in the central emitting regions of the galaxy (as evidenced by the lack of Ly alpha emission) and at an impact parameter of 16 kpc (as probed by the DLA) suggests that dust is widespread in this system.
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| 2. |
- Fynbo, J. P. U., et al.
(författare)
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Galaxy counterparts of metal-rich damped Lyman-alpha absorbers - II. A solar-metallicity and dusty DLA at z_abs=2.58
- 2010
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Annan publikation (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- [Abridged]. Here, we report on the discovery of the galaxy counterpart of the z_abs=2.58 DLA on the line-of-sight to the z=3.07 quasar SDSS J091826.16+163609.0. The galaxy counterpart of the DLA is detected in the OIII 5007 and OII 3726,3729 emission lines redshifted into the NIR at an impact parameter of 16 kpc. Ly-alpha emission is not detected. The upper limit implies that Ly-alpha emission from this galaxy is suppressed by more than an order of magnitude. The DLA is amongst the most metal-rich DLAs studied so far at comparable redshifts. We find evidence for substantial depletion of refractory elements onto dust grains. Fitting the main metal line component of the DLA, which is located at z_abs=2.5832 and accounts for at least 85% of the total column density of low-ionisation species, we measure metal abundances from ZnII, SII, SiII, CrII, MnII, FeII and NiII of -0.12, -0.26, -0.46, -0.88, -0.92, -1.03 and -0.78, respectively. In addition, we detect absorption in the Lyman and Werner bands of hydrogen, which represents the first detection of H_2 molecules with X-shooter. The background quasar Q0918+1636 is amongst the reddest QSOs at redshifts 3.02<3.12 from the SDSS catalogue. Its UV to NIR spectrum is well fitted by a composite QSO spectrum reddened by SMC/LMC-like extinction curves at z_abs=2.58 with a significant amount of extinction given by A_V = 0.2 mag. This supports previous claims that there may be more metal-rich DLAs missing from current samples due to dust reddening of the background QSOs. The fact that there is evidence for dust both in the central emitting regions of the galaxy (as evidenced by the lack of Ly-alpha emission) and at an impact parameter of 16 kpc (as probed by the DLA) suggests that dust is widespread in this system.
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| 3. |
- Hartoog, O. E., et al.
(författare)
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VLT/X-Shooter spectroscopy of the afterglow of the Swift GRB 130606A Chemical abundances and reionisation at z similar to 6
- 2015
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 580
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context: The reionisation of the Universe is a process that is thought to have ended around z similar to 6, as inferred from spectroscopy of distant bright background sources, such as quasars (QSO) and gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows. Furthermore, spectroscopy of a GRB afterglow provides insight in its host galaxy, which is often too dim and distant to study otherwise.Aims: For the Swift GRB 130606A at z = 5.913 we have obtained a high S/N spectrum covering the full optical and near-IR wavelength region at intermediate spectral resolution with VLT/X-Shooter. We aim to measure the degree of ionisation of the intergalactic medium (IGM) between z = 5.02-5.84 and to study the chemical abundance pattern and dust content of its host galaxy.Methods: We estimated the UV continuum of the GRB afterglow using a power-law extrapolation, then measured the flux decrement due to absorption at Ly alpha,beta, and gamma wavelength regions. Furthermore, we fitted the shape of the red damping wing of Lya. The hydrogen and metal absorption lines formed in the host galaxy were fitted with Voigt profiles to obtain column densities. We investigated whether ionisation corrections needed to be applied.Results: Our measurements of the Ly alpha-forest optical depth are consistent with previous measurements of QSOs, but have a much smaller uncertainty. The analysis of the red damping wing yields a neutral fraction x(HI) < 0.05 (3 sigma). We obtain column density measurements of H, Al, Si, and Fe; for C, O, S and Ni we obtain limits. The ionisation due to the GRB is estimated to be negligible (corrections < 0.03 dex), but larger corrections may apply due to the pre-existing radiation field (up to 0.4 dex based on sub-DLA studies). Assuming that [Si/Fe] = +0.79 +/- 0.13 is due to dust depletion, the dust-to-metal ratio is similar to the Galactic value.Conclusions: Our measurements confirm that the Universe is already predominantly ionised over the redshift range probed in this work, but was slightly more neutral at z > 5.6. GRBs are useful probes of the ionisation state of the IGM in the early Universe, but because of internal scatter we need a larger statistical sample to draw robust conclusions. The high [Si/Fe] in the host can be due to dust depletion, a-element enhancement, or a combination of both. The very high value of [Al/Fe] = 2.40 +/- 0.78 might be due to a proton capture process and is probably connected to the stellar population history. We estimate the host metallicity to be -1.7 < [M/H] < -0.9 (2%-13% of solar).
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| 4. |
- Deka, P. P., et al.
(författare)
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The MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS) Data Release. I. Stokes I Image Catalogs at 1-1.4 GHz
- 2024
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series. - 1538-4365 .- 0067-0049. ; 270:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS) has observed 391 telescope pointings at the L band (900-1670 MHz) at delta less than or similar to +20 degrees. We present radio continuum images and a catalog of 495,325 (240,321) radio sources detected at a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) > 5 over an area of 2289 deg(2) (1132 deg(2)) at 1006 MHz (1381 MHz). Every MALS pointing contains a central bright radio source (S 1 GHz greater than or similar to 0.2 Jy). The median spatial resolution is 12 ''(8 ''). The median rms noise away from the pointing center is 25 mu Jy beam(-1) (22 mu Jy beam-1) and is within similar to 15% of the achievable theoretical sensitivity. The flux density scale ratio and astrometric accuracy deduced from multiply observed sources in MALS are <1% (8% scatter) and 1 '', respectively. Through comparisons with NVSS and FIRST at 1.4 GHz, we establish the catalog's accuracy in the flux density scale and astrometry to be better than 6% (15% scatter) and 0.'' 8, respectively. The median flux density offset is higher (9%) for an alternate beam model based on holographic measurements. The MALS radio source counts at 1.4 GHz are in agreement with literature. We estimate spectral indices (alpha) of a subset of 125,621 sources (S/N > 8), confirm the flattening of spectral indices with decreasing flux density, and identify 140 ultra-steep-spectrum (alpha < -1.3) sources as prospective high-z radio galaxies (z > 2). We have identified 1308 variable and 122 transient radio sources comprising primarily active galactic nuclei that demonstrate long-term (26 yr) variability in their observed flux densities. The MALS catalogs and images are publicly available at https://mals.iucaa.in.
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| 5. |
- Combes, F., et al.
(författare)
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PKS 1830-211: OH and HI at z = 0.89 and the first MeerKAT UHF spectrum
- 2021
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 648
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Large Survey Project (LSP) "MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey"(MALS) is a blind H I 21 cm and OH 18 cm absorption line survey in the L- and UHF-bands, primarily designed to better determine the occurrence of atomic and molecular gas in the circumgalactic and intergalactic medium, and its redshift evolution. Here we present the first results using the UHF band obtained towards the strongly lensed radio source PKS 1830-211, revealing the detection of absorption produced by the lensing galaxy. With merely 90 min of data acquired on-source for science verification and processed using the Automated Radio Telescope Imaging Pipeline (ARTIP), we detect in absorption the known H I 21 cm and OH 18 cm main lines at z = 0.89 at an unprecedented signal-to-noise ratio (4000 in the continuum, in each 6 km s-1 wide channel). For the first time we report the detection of OH satellite lines at z = 0.89, which until now have not been detected at z > 0.25. We decompose the OH lines into a thermal and a stimulated contribution, where the 1612 and 1720 MHz lines are conjugate. The total OH 1720 MHz emission line luminosity is 6100 L⊙. This is the most luminous known 1720 MHz maser line and is also among the most luminous of the OH main line megamasers. The absorption components of the different images of the background source sample different light paths in the lensing galaxy, and their weights in the total absorption spectrum are expected to vary in time on daily and monthly time scales. We compare our normalized spectra with those obtained more than 20 years ago, and find no variation. We interpret the absorption spectra with the help of a lens galaxy model derived from an N-body hydrodynamical simulation, with a morphology similar to its optical HST image. The resulting absorption lines depend mainly on the background continuum and the radial distribution of the gas surface density for each atomic and molecular species. We show that it is possible to reproduce the observations assuming a realistic spiral galaxy disk without invoking any central gas outflows. However, there are distinct and faint high-velocity features in the ALMA millimeter absorption spectra that most likely originate from high-velocity clouds or tidal features. These clouds may contribute to broaden the H I and OH spectra.
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| 6. |
- Fynbo, J. P. U., et al.
(författare)
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The galaxy counterpart and environment of the dusty damped Lyman-α absorber at z = 2.226 towards Q 1218+0832
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 679
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report on further observations of the field of the quasar Q 1218+0832. Geier et al. (2019, A&A, 625, L9) presented the discovery of the quasar resulting from a search for quasars reddened and dimmed by dust in foreground damped Lyman-α absorbers (DLAs). The DLA is remarkable by having a very large H I column density close to 1022 cm−2. Its dust extinction curve shows the 2175 Å bump known from the Local Group. It also shows absorption from cold gas exemplified by C I and CO molecules. For this paper, we present narrow-band observations of the field of Q 1218+0832 and also use an archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image to search for the galaxy counterpart of the DLA. No emission from the DLA galaxy is found in either the narrow-band imaging or in the HST image. In the HST image, we could probe down to an impact parameter of 0.3 arcsec and a 3-σ detection limit of 26.8 mag per arcsec2. In the narrow-band image, we probed down to a 0 arcsec impact parameter and detected nothing down to a 3-σ detection limit of about 3 × 10−17 erg s−1 cm−2. We did detect a bright Lyman-α emitter 59 arcsec south of Q 1218+0832 with a flux of 3 × 10−16 erg s−1 cm−2. We conclude that the DLA galaxy must be located at a very small impact parameter (< 0.3 arcsec, 2.5 kpc) or it is optically dark. Also, the DLA galaxy most likely is part of a galaxy group.
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| 7. |
- Fynbo, J. P. U., et al.
(författare)
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On the two high-metallicity DLAs at z=2.412 and 2.583 towards Q 0918+1636
- 2013
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 436:1, s. 361-370
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The quasar Q0918+1636 (z = 3.07) has two intervening high-metallicity Damped Lyman a Absorbers (DLAs) along the line of sight, at redshifts of z = 2.412 and 2.583. The z = 2.583 DLA is located at a large impact parameter of 16.2 kpc, and despite this large impact parameter it has a very high metallicity (consistent with solar), a substantial fraction of H-2 molecules and it is dusty as inferred from the reddened spectrum of the background QSO. The z = 2.412 DLA has a metallicity of [M/H] = -0.6 (based on Zn II and Si II). In this paper we present new observations of this interesting sightline consisting of deep multiband imaging and further VLT spectroscopy. By fitting stellar population synthesis models to the photometric Spectral Energy Distribution we constrain the physical properties of the z = 2.583 DLA galaxy, and we infer its morphology by fitting a Sersic model to its surface brightness profile. We find it to be a relatively massive (M-* approximate to 10(10) M-circle dot), strongly star-forming (SFR approximate to 30 M-circle dot yr(-1)), dusty (E(B - V) = 0.4) galaxy with a disc-like morphology. We detect strong emission lines from the z = 2.583 DLA ([O II] lambda 3727, [O III] lambda lambda 4960, 5007, H beta and H alpha, albeit at low signal-to-noise ratio except for the [O III] lambda 5007 line). The metallicity derived from the emission lines is consistent with the absorption metallicity (12 + log (O/H) = 8.8 +/- 0.2). We also detect [O III] lambda 5007 emission from the galaxy counterpart of the z = 2.412 DLA at a small impact parameter (<2 kpc). Overall our findings are consistent with the emerging picture that high-metallicity DLAs are associated with relatively luminous and massive galaxy counterparts, compared to typical DLAs.
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| 8. |
- Wagenveld, Jonah D., et al.
(författare)
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The MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey: Homogeneous continuum catalogues towards a measurement of the cosmic radio dipole
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 673
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The number counts of homogeneous samples of radio sources are a tried and true method of probing the large-scale structure of the Universe, as most radio sources outside the Galactic plane are at cosmological distances. As such, they are expected to trace the cosmic radio dipole, an anisotropy analogous to the dipole seen in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Results have shown that although the cosmic radio dipole matches the direction of the CMB dipole, it has a significantly larger amplitude. This unexplained result challenges our assumption of the Universe being isotropic, which can have large repercussions for the current cosmological paradigm. Though significant measurements have been made, sensitivity to the radio dipole is generally hampered by systematic effects that can cause large biases in the measurement. Here we assess these systematics with data from the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS), a blind search for absorption lines with pointings centred on bright radio sources. With the sensitivity and field of view of MeerKAT, thousands of sources are observed in each pointing, allowing for the possibility of measuring the cosmic radio dipole given enough pointings. We present the analysis of ten MALS pointings, focusing on systematic effects that could lead to an inhomogeneous catalogue. We describe the calibration and creation of full band continuum images and catalogues, producing a combined catalogue containing 16 307 sources and covering 37.5 square degrees of sky down to a sensitivity of 10 μJy beam-1. We measure the completeness, purity, and flux recovery statistics for these catalogues using simulated data. We investigate different source populations in the catalogues by looking at flux densities and spectral indices and how they might influence source counts. Using the noise characteristics of the pointings, we find global measures that can be used to correct for the incompleteness of the catalogue, producing corrected number counts down to 100-200 μJy. We show that we can homogenise the catalogues and properly account for systematic effects. We determine that we can measure the dipole to 3significance with 100 MALS pointings.
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| 9. |
- Ranjan, A., et al.
(författare)
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Molecular gas and star formation in an absorption-selected galaxy : Hitting the bull's eye at z similar or equal to 2.46
- 2018
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 618
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present the detection and detailed analysis of a diffuse molecular cloud at z(abs) = 2.4636 towards the quasar SDSS J 1513+0352 (z(em) similar or equal to 2.68) observed with the X-shooter spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope. We measured very high column densities of atomic and molecular hydrogen with log N(H-I; H-2) similar or equal to 21.8; 21.3. This is the highest H-2 column density ever measured in an intervening damped Lyman-alpha system but we did not detect CO, implying log N(CO)/N(H-2) < -7.8, which could be due to a low metallicity of the cloud. From the metal absorption lines, we derived the metallicity to be Z similar or equal to 0.15 Z(circle dot) and determined the amount of dust by measuring the induced extinction of the background quasar light, A(V) similar or equal to 0.4. We simultaneously detected Lyman-alpha emission at the same redshift with a centroid located at a most probable impact parameter of only rho similar or equal to 1.4 kpc. We argue that the line of sight is therefore likely passing through the interstellar medium (ISM), as opposed to the circumgalactic medium (CGM), of a galaxy. The relation between the surface density of gas and that of star formation seems to follow the global empirical relation derived in the nearby Universe although our constraints on the star formation rate (SFR) and the galaxy extent remain too loose to be conclusive. We study the transition from atomic to molecular hydrogen using a theoretical description based on the microphysics of molecular hydrogen. We use the derived chemical properties of the cloud and physical conditions (T-k similar or equal to 90K and n similar or equal to 250 cm(3)) derived through the excitation of H-2 rotational levels and neutral carbon fine structure transitions to constrain the fundamental parameters that govern this transition. By comparing the theoretical and observed HI column densities, we are able to bring an independent constraint on the incident ultra-violet (UV) flux, which we find to be in agreement with that estimated from the observed SFR.
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| 10. |
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