类星体Lα森林吸收线密度与发射红移相关性的再考察

继文[1]之后,本文利用15个中—高红移类星体的Lα森林构成统计样本,再度考察了Lα森林吸收线密度N(Z_(abs))与发射红移Z_(em)的相关性。本文的统计样本包含的红移范围比文[1]更大:类星体的发射红移值从1.715到3.750,Lα森林吸收线红移范围从1.501到3.780;统计方法亦与文[1]略有差异。统计结果再度表明,Lα森林吸收线密度N(Z_(abs))明显依赖于类星体自身的发射红移Z_(em),这不仅在于Z_(em)越大的类星体其全部吸收线的平均数密度N(Z_(abs))也越大,更重要的是,对于相同的吸收红移值Z_(abs)而言,N(Z_(abs))在统计意义上明显地随Z_(em)的增大而增大。文末对所得的结果作了讨论。     

与发射线区成协的类星体CIV吸收系统研究(Ⅱ)统计研究(1)

本文是系列文章的第二篇,我们在文(1)建立的均匀无偏的CIV吸收线样本的基础上,对该样本进行了统计检验和分析,结果支持成协系统的出现频率比非成协系统有明显的过超.而这种过超现象几乎和类星体的射电性质无关.但不同射电性质的类星体成协吸收出现频率随z_(em)的变化不尽相同.这种随z_(em)的变化可能反映了各种类星体,特别是射电类星体与环境相互作用的演化效应.但我们的样本中高红移射电类星体较少,因此非常需要获得更大的高红移射电类星体样本,以检验我们的结果.     

高红移类星体光谱中的L_α森林

在类星体光谱证认史上,“L_α森林”假说的提出与证实是继“发射红移”、“吸收红移、“多重红移”之后的又一座里程碑。L_α森林的概念形成于六、七十年代之交,八十年代初对它的研究逐渐进入高潮。研究L_α森林是了解星系际物质分布及其演化的重要途径,其潜在的宇宙学意义将是很深刻的.本文是继Sargent和Boksenberg之后有关L_α森林的第二篇专题评述,全文的要点是:L_α森林概念的形成和证实(第二、三节),吸收线密度的统计研究(第五节)、静止等值宽度(第六节)、吸收云的成团性(第七节)、吸收云的尺度(第八节)和其他物理参数(第九节)。其他有关论题可参阅文献[5]和另外几篇综述类星体吸收线的文章(参考文献[6,7,8]),以及为它们所引用的文献.     

类星体Lyα吸收线密度与其发射线红移的关系

本文利用７２个具有中等分辨率的类星体Ｌｙα线资料，研究了Ｌｙα吸收线数密度Ｎ（Ｚａｂｓ）与类星体发射红移Ｚｅｍ的变化关系，结果表明：对于Ｚｅｍ越大的类星体其全部Ｌｙα吸收线的平均数密度Ｎ（Ｚａｂｓ）也越大，但对于相同的吸收红移值而言，Ｎ（Ｚａｂｓ）在统计意义上与Ｚｅｍ并无关系。本文还将所得结果与其他的有关工作作了比较及讨论。     

跟类星体红移宇宙学解释相符合的证据

分析类星体吸收线红移和发射线红移的特征。我们从Hewitt和Burbidge ( 1 993 )的星表中选择了吸收线红移和发射线红移都同时提供的类星体 ,得到了包含 4 0 1个对象的样本。这是至今对类星体红移研究的最大样本。我们从吸收线红移和发射线红移之间的关系图发现绝大多数 ( 93 .6% )对象的吸收线红移都小于相应的发射线红移。这个结论人们在 2 0世纪 70年代已经从很小的类星体样本 (样本大小 50左右 )中得到。本文进一步支持了这个结论。它表明类星体红移确实是距离的指示器。这跟宇宙学对类星体红移的解释是一致的     

高红移类星体吸收线光谱的研究

作者用英-澳四米望远镜的RGo卡焦摄谱仪及其附属的IPCS系统获得了分辨率为2的四个高红移类星体的光谱,并利用这些光谱讨论了:(Ⅰ)由PKS0805 046和PKS1442 101的L_α/L_β对及L_α/L_γ对的强相关证实了,大量存在于高红移类星体L_α发射短波区的吸收线是氢云吸收的结果;(Ⅱ)吸收线分布和L_α/L_β对相关函数的分析反映了PKS0528-250可能是一个例外,需要进一步的观测来证实这种特殊性;(Ⅲ)由类星体抛射出来的物质的吸收,或与类星体成协的星系团或插入星系的吸收都可造成含有金属线的吸收线红移系统;(Ⅳ)由L_α/L_β对的生长曲线定出的柱密度和弥散速度的随机性,支持了纯Lα的吸收来自大爆炸宇宙早期原始氢云的假说;(Ⅴ)单位红移的氢云密度随红移的分布取决于Z>3的类星体的吸收线资料。     

与发射线区成协的类星体CIV吸收系统研究(Ⅱ)统计研究(2)

本文是系列文章Ⅱ的第2篇.根据前文的统计结果,我们确认了成协吸收系统的存在.本文在此基础上,对成协吸收系统出现频率与类星体红移、光学亮度、X射线波段和红外波段辐射性质的相关性进行了讨论.结果表明成协吸收系统与类星体X射线波段性质无关,而与类星体的红移和光学亮度有关,表现为低红移(z<2.0)低光度(M_v≥-27~m) 的类星体中成协系统的出现频率明显地比其它样本高得多.     

类星体色指数随红移的变化

本文讨论了类星体各光谱特征对其色指数的影响以及色指数随红移的变化．随着红移的增加，位于Ｌｙα发射线短波方向的各种吸收特征进入了可见光区，内禀的幂律谱和发射线强度的分布对类星体色指数及其弥散的影响将是次要的，各种吸收系统的作用将改变类星体色指数随红移变化的趋势，其中，Ｌｙｍａｎ系限吸收系统的影响最大。利用ＩＵＥ观测的类星体光谱求得色指数随红移的变化，对上述结果进行了验证。     

类星体色指数随红移的变化

本文讨论了类星体各光谱特征对其色指数的影响以及色指数随红移的变化，随着红移的增加，位于Ｌｙａ发射线短波方向的各种吸收特征进入了可见光区，内禀的禀的幂律谱和发射线强度的分布对类星体色指数及其弥散的影响将是次要的，各种吸收系统的作用将改变类星体色指数随红移变化的趋势，其中，Ｌｙｍａｎ系限吸收系统的影响最大，利用ＩＵＥ观测的类星体光谱求得色指数随红移的变化，对上述结果进行了验证。     

跟类星体红移宇宙学解释相符合的证据

分析类星体吸收线红移和发射线红移的特征。我们从Hewitt和Burbidge（1993）的星表中选择了吸收线红称和发射线红移都同时提供的类星体，得到了包含401个对象的样本。这是至今对类星体红移研究的最大样本。我们从吸收线红移和发射线红移之间的关系图发现绝大多数（93．6％）对象的吸收线红移都小于相应的发射线红移。这个结论人们在20世纪70年代已经从很小的类星体样本（样本大小50左右）中得到。本文进一步支持了这个结论。它表明类星体红移确实是距离的指示器。这跟宇宙学对类星体红移的解释是一致的。     

The proximity effect in a close group of QSOs

We present an analysis of the proximity effect in a sample of 10 2-Å-resolution QSO spectra of the Ly α forest at     . Rather than investigating variations in the number density of individual absorption lines, we employ a novel technique that is based on the statistics of the transmitted flux itself. We confirm the existence of the proximity effect at the > 99 per cent confidence level. We derive a value for the mean intensity of the extragalactic background radiation at the Lyman limit of     . This value assumes that QSO redshifts measured from high-ionization lines differ from the true systemic redshifts by     . We find evidence at a level of 2.6 σ that the significance of the proximity effect is correlated with QSO Lyman limit luminosity. Allowing for known QSO variability, the significance of the correlation reduces to 2.1 σ .
The QSOs form a close group on the sky and the sample is thus well suited for an investigation of the foreground proximity effect, where the Ly α forest of a background QSO is influenced by the UV radiation from a nearby foreground QSO. From the complete sample we find no evidence for the existence of this effect, implying either that     or that QSOs emit at least a factor of 1.4 less ionizing radiation in the plane of the sky than along the line of sight to Earth. We do, however, find one counter-example. Our sample includes the fortunate constellation of a foreground QSO surrounded by four nearby background QSOs. These four spectra all show underdense absorption within ±3000 km s⁻¹ of the redshift of the foreground QSO.     

A Monte Carlo simulation of the intergalactic absorption and the detectability of the Lyman continuum from distant galaxies

We have made a Monte Carlo simulation of the intergalactic absorption in order to model the Lyman continuum absorption, which is required to estimate the escape fraction of the Lyman continuum from distant galaxies. To input into the simulation, we derive an empirical distribution function of the intergalactic absorbers which reproduces recent observational statistics of the Lyman α forest, Lyman limit systems (LLSs) and damped Lyman α systems (DLAs) simultaneously. In particular, we assume a common functional form of the number evolution along the redshift for all types of absorbers. The Lyman series transmissions in our simulation reproduce the observed redshift evolution of the transmissions excellently, and the Lyman continuum transmission also agrees with an observed estimation which is still quite rare in the literature. The probability distribution of the Lyman α opacity in our simulation is lognormal with a tail towards a large opacity. This tail is produced by DLAs. The probability distribution of the Lyman continuum opacity in our simulation also shows a broad tail towards a large opacity. This tail is produced by LLSs. Because of the rarity of LLSs, we have a chance to have a clean line of sight in the Lyman continuum even for   z ∼ 4  with a probability of about 20 per cent. Our simulation expects a good correlation between the Lyman continuum opacity and the Lyman α opacity, which may be useful to estimate the former from the latter for an individual line of sight.     

Intervening O vi Quasar Absorption Systems at Low Redshift: A Significant Baryon Reservoir

Far-UV echelle spectroscopy of the radio-quiet QSO H1821+643 (zem=0.297), obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) at approximately 7 km s-1 resolution, reveals four definite O vi absorption-line systems and one probable O vi absorber at 0.15相似文献   

The deuterium abundance in the z= 0.7 absorber towards QSO PG1718+4807

We report on a further analysis of the ratio of deuterium to hydrogen (D/H) using Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ) spectra of the   z = 0.701  Lyman limit system towards the quasi-stellar object (QSO) PG1718+481. Initial analyses of this absorber found it gave a high D/H value, 1.8–  3.1 × 10⁻⁴  , inconsistent with several higher redshift measurements. It is thus important to critically examine this measurement. By analysing the velocity widths of the D  i , H  i and metal lines present in this system, Kirkman et al. report that the additional absorption in the blue wing of the Lyα line cannot be D  i , with a confidence level of 98 per cent. Here we present a more detailed analysis, taking into account possible wavelength shifts between the three sets of HST spectra used in the analysis. We find that the constraints on this system are not as strong as those claimed by Kirkman et al. The discrepancy between the parameters of the blue wing absorption and the parameters expected for D  i is marginally worse than 1σ.
Tytler et al. commented on the first analysis of Webb et al., reporting the presence of a contaminating lower redshift Lyman limit system, with  log[ N (H  i )] = 16.7  at   z = 0.602  , which biases the N (H  i ) estimate for the main system. Here we show that this absorber actually has  log[ N (H  i )] < 14.6  and does not impact on the estimate of N (H  i ) in the system of interest at   z = 0.701  .
The purpose of the present paper is to highlight important aspects of the analysis which were not explored in previous studies, and hence to help refine the methods used in future analyses of D/H in quasar spectra.     

Illuminating protogalaxies? The discovery of extended Lyman-α emission around a QSO at z=4.5

We have discovered extended Lyman-α emission around a z=4.5 QSO in a deep long-slit spectrum with Keck/LRIS at moderate spectral resolution (R≈ 1000). The line emission extends 5 arcsec beyond the continuum of the QSO and is spatially asymmetric. This extended line emission has a spectral extent of 1000km/s, much narrower in velocity spread than the broad Lyman-α from the QSO itself and slightly offset in redshift. No evidence of continuum is seen for the extended emission line region, suggesting that this recombination line is powered by reprocessed QSO Lyman continuum flux rather than by local star formation. This phenomenon is rare in QSOs which are not radio loud, and this is the first time it has been observed at z>4. It seems likely that the QSO is illuminating the surrounding cold gas of the host galaxy, with the ionizing photons producing Lyman-α fluorescence. As suggested by Haiman and Rees (2001), this `fuzz' around a distant quasar may place strong constraints on galaxy formation and the extended distribution of cold, neutral gas. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

An excess of damped Lyman α galaxies near quasi-stellar objects

We present a sample of 33 damped Lyman α systems (DLAs) discovered in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) whose absorption redshifts ( z _abs) are within 6000 km s⁻¹ of the quasi-stellar object's (QSO) systemic redshift ( z _sys). Our sample is based on  731 2.5 < z _sys < 4.5  non-broad absorption line (non-BAL) QSOs from Data Release 3 (DR3) of the SDSS. We estimate that our search is ≈100 per cent complete for absorbers with N (H  i )  ≥ 2 × 10²⁰ cm⁻²  . The derived number density of DLAs per unit redshift, n ( z ), within  Δ v < 6000 km s⁻¹  is higher (3.5σ significance) by almost a factor of 2 than that of intervening absorbers observed in the SDSS DR3, i.e. there is evidence for an overdensity of galaxies near the QSOs. This provides a physical motivation for excluding DLAs at small velocity separations in surveys of intervening 'field' DLAs. In addition, we find that the overdensity of proximate DLAs is independent of the radio-loudness of the QSO, consistent with the environments of radio-loud and radio-quiet QSOs being similar.     

Chemical evolution of the high redshift galaxies

We have tried to determine the rate of chemical evolution of high redshift galaxies from the observed redshift distribution of the heavy element absorption systems in the spectra of QSOs, taking into account the evolution in the intensity of the metagalactic UV ionizing radiation background, the radius and/or the co-moving number density of, and the fraction of mass in the form of gas in, the absorbers. The data for both the Lyman limit systems and the C IV systems have been fitted simultaneously. It seems that the abundance of carbon has possibly increased by about a factor of 5 to 20 from the cosmic time corresponding to the redshift ≃ 4 to 2. The data also suggest that either the radius or the co-moving number density of the galaxies increased with redshift up to z = 2.0 and decreased slowly thereafter. The total mass of the halo gas was higher in the past, almost equal to the entire mass of the galaxy at z = 4. The hydrogen column density distribution for Lyman limit systems predicted by the model is in agreement with the observed distribution.     

H i 21-cm absorption at z∼ 3.39 towards PKS 0201+113

We report the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope detection of H  i 21-cm absorption from the z ∼ 3.39 damped Lyman α absorber (DLA) towards PKS 0201+113, the highest redshift at which 21-cm absorption has been detected in a DLA. The absorption is spread over ∼115 km s⁻¹ and has two components, at   z = 3.387 144(17)  and   z = 3.386 141  (45). The stronger component has a redshift and velocity width in agreement with the tentative detection of Briggs, Brinks & Wolfe, but a significantly lower optical depth. The core size and DLA covering factor are estimated to be ≲100 pc and f ∼ 0.69, respectively, from a Very Long Baseline Array 328-MHz image. If one makes the conventional assumption that the H  i column densities towards the optical and radio cores are the same, this optical depth corresponds to a spin temperature of T _s∼[(955 ± 160) × ( f /0.69)] K. However, this assumption may not be correct, given that no metal-line absorption is seen at the redshift of the stronger 21-cm component, indicating that this component does not arise along the line of sight to the optical quasi-stellar object (QSO), and that there is structure in the 21-cm absorbing gas on scales smaller than the size of the radio core. We model the 21-cm absorbing gas as having a two-phase structure with cold dense gas randomly distributed within a diffuse envelope of warm gas. For such a model, our radio data indicate that, even if the optical QSO lies along a line of sight with a fortuitously high (∼50 per cent) cold gas fraction, the average cold gas fraction is low, ≲17 per cent, when averaged over the spatial extent of the radio core. Finally, the large mismatch between peak 21-cm and optical redshifts and the complexity of both profiles makes it unlikely that the z ∼ 3.39 DLA will be useful in tests of fundamental constant evolution.