Discovery of a faint, star-forming, multiply lensed, Lyman-alpha blob

We report the discovery of a multiply lensed Lyman-$\alpha$ blob (LAB) behind the galaxy cluster AS1063 using the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on the Very Large Telescope (VLT). The background source is at $z=$ 3.117 and is intrinsically faint compared to almost all previously reported LABs. We used our highly precise strong lensing model to reconstruct the source properties, and we find an intrinsic luminosity of $L_{\rm Ly\alpha}$=$1.9\times10^{42}$ erg s$^{-1}$, extending to 33 kpc. We find that the LAB is associated with a group of galaxies, and possibly a protocluster, in agreement with previous studies that find LABs in overdensities. In addition to Lyman-$\alpha$ (Ly$\alpha$) emission, we find \ion{C}{IV}, \ion{He}{II}, and \ion{O}{III}] ultraviolet (UV) emission lines arising from the centre of the nebula. We used the compactness of these lines in combination with the line ratios to conclude that the \Lya nebula is likely powered by embedded star formation. Resonant scattering of the \Lya photons then produces the extended shape of the emission. Thanks to the combined power of MUSE and strong gravitational lensing, we are now able to probe the circumgalatic medium of sub-$L_{*}$ galaxies at $z\approx 3$.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures; moderate changes to match the accepted A&A versoi

The WISSH quasars project: VIII. Outflows and metals in the circum-galactic medium around the hyper-luminous z 3c 3.6 quasar J1538+08

Context. In recent years, Ly\u3b1 nebulae have been routinely detected around high redshift, radio-quiet quasars thanks to the advent of the highly sensitive integral field spectrographs. Constraining the physical properties of the Ly\u3b1 nebulae is crucial for a full understanding of the circum-galactic medium (CGM). The CGM acts both as a repository for intergalactic and galactic baryons as well as a venue of feeding and feedback processes. The most luminous quasars are privileged test-beds to study these processes, given their large ionising fluxes and dense CGM environments in which they are expected to be embedded. Aims. We aim to characterise the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) emission lines in the CGM around a hyper-luminous, broad emission line, radio-quiet quasar at z 3c 3.6, which exhibits powerful outflows at both nuclear and host galaxy scales. Methods. We analyse VLT/MUSE observations of the quasar J1538+08 (Lbol = 6 7 1047 erg s-1), and we performed a search for extended UV emission lines to characterise its morphology, emissivity, kinematics, and metal content. Results. We report the discovery of a very luminous ( 3c2 7 1044 erg s-1), giant Ly\u3b1 nebula and a likely associated extended (75 kpc) CIV nebula. The Ly\u3b1 nebula emission exhibits moderate blueshift ( 3c440 km s-1) compared to the quasar systemic redshift and a large average velocity dispersion (\u3c3\u304v 3c700 km s-1) across the nebula, while the CIV nebula shows average velocity dispersion of \u3c3\u304v 3c350 km s-1. The Ly\u3b1 line profile exhibits a significant asymmetry towards negative velocity values at 20-30 kpc south of the quasar and is well parametrised by the following two Gaussian components: a narrow (\u3c3 3c 470 km s-1) systemic one plus a broad (\u3c3 3c 1200 km s-1), blueshifted ( 3c1500 km s-1) one. Conclusions. Our analysis of the MUSE observation of J1538+08 reveals metal-enriched CGM around this hyper-luminous quasar. Furthermore, our detection of blueshifted emission in the emission profile of the Ly\u3b1 nebula suggests that powerful nuclear outflows can propagate through the CGM over tens of kiloparsecs

ESA Voyage 2050 white paper: Unveiling the faint ultraviolet Universe

New and unique science opportunities in several different fields of astrophysics are offered by conducting spectroscopic studies of the Universe in the ultraviolet (UV), a wavelength regime that is not accessible from the ground. We present some of the scientific challenges that can be addressed with a space-based mission in 2035 - 2050. (1) By detecting the intergalactic medium in emission it will be possible to unveil the cosmic web, whose existence is predicted by current theories of structure formation, but it has not been probed yet. (2) Observations of the neutral gas distribution (by mapping the Lyman-alpha emission) in low-redshift galaxy cluster members will clarify the efficiency with which ram-pressure stripping removes the gas from galaxies and the role of the environment in quenching star formation. (3) By observing statistical samples of supernovae in the UV it will be possible to characterize the progenitor population of core-collapse supernovae, providing the initial conditions for any forward-modeling simulation and allowing the community to progress in the understanding of the explosion mechanism of stars and the final stages of stellar evolution. (4) Targeting populations of accreting white dwarfs in globular clusters it will be possible to constrain the evolution and fate of these stars and investigate the properties of the most compact systems with the shortest orbital periods which are expected to be the brightest low frequency gravitational wave sources. A UV-optimized telescope (wavelength range ~ 90 - 350 nm), equipped with a panoramic integral field spectrograph with a large field of view (FoV ~ 1 x 1 arcmin^2), with medium spectral (R = 4000) and spatial (~ 1" - 3") resolution will allow the community to simultaneously obtain spectral and photometric information of the targets, and tackle the science questions presented in this paper

SUPER VI. A giant molecular halo around a z∼2 quasar

We present the discovery of copious molecular gas in the halo of cid_346, a z = 2.2 quasar studied as part of the SINFONI survey for Unveiling the Physics and Effect of Radiative feedback (SUPER). New Atacama Compact Array (ACA) CO(3−2) observations detect a much higher flux (by a factor of 14 ± 5) than measured on kiloparsec scales (r ≲ 8 kpc) using previous snapshot Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array data. Such additional CO(3−2) emission traces a structure that extends out to r ∼ 200 kpc in projected size, as inferred through direct imaging and confirmed by an analysis of the uv visibilities. This is the most extended molecular circumgalactic medium (CGM) reservoir that has ever been mapped. It shows complex kinematics, with an overall broad line profile (FWHM = 1000 km s−1) that is skewed towards redshifted velocities up to at least v ∼ 1000 km s−1. Using the optically thin assumption, we estimate a strict lower limit for the total molecular CGM mass observed by ACA of MmolCGM > 1010 M⊙. There is however room for up to MmolCGM ∼ 1.7 × 1012 M⊙, once optically thick CO emission with αCO = 3.6 M⊙ (K km s−1 pc2)−1 and L′CO(3−2)/L′CO(1−0) = 0.5 are assumed. Since cid_346 hosts quasar-driven ionised outflows and since there is no evidence of merging companions or an overdensity, we suggest that outflows may have played a crucial rule in seeding metal-enriched, dense gas on halo scales. However, the origin of such an extended molecular CGM remains unclear

Gas Accretion and Giant Lyman-alpha Nebulae

Several decades of observations and discoveries have shown that high-redshift AGN and massive galaxies are often surrounded by giant Lyman-alpha nebulae extending in some cases up to 500 kpc in size. In this review, I discuss the properties of the such nebulae discovered at z>2 and their connection with gas flows in and around the galaxies and their halos. In particular, I show how current observations are used to constrain the physical properties and origin of the emitting gas in terms of the Lyman-alpha photon production processes and kinematical signatures. These studies suggest that recombination radiation is the most viable scenario to explain the observed Lyman-alpha luminosities and Surface Brightness for the large majority of the nebulae and imply that a significant amount of dense, ionized and cold clumps should be present within and around the halos of massive galaxies. Spectroscopic studies suggest that, among the giant Lyman-alpha nebulae, the one associated with radio-loud AGN should have kinematics dominated by strong, ionized outflows within at least the inner 30-50 kpc. Radio-quiet nebulae instead present more quiescent kinematics compatible with stationary situation and, in some cases, suggestive of rotating structures. However, definitive evidences for accretion onto galaxies of the gas associated with the giant Lyman-alpha emission are not unambiguously detected yet. Deep surveys currently ongoing using other bright, non-resonant lines such as Hydrogen H-alpha and HeII1640 will be crucial to search for clearer signatures of cosmological gas accretion onto galaxies and AGN.Comment: Invited review to appear in Gas Accretion onto Galaxies, Astrophysics and Space Science Library, eds. A. J. Fox & R. Dave', to be published by Springe

Stellar feedback in a clumpy galaxy at z ∼ 3.4

Giant star-forming regions (clumps) are widespread features of galaxies at z ≈ 1−4. Theory predicts that they can play a crucial role in galaxy evolution, if they survive to stellar feedback for >50 Myr. Numerical simulations show that clumps’ survival depends on the stellar feedback recipes that are adopted. Up to date, observational constraints on both clumps’ outflows strength and gas removal time-scale are still uncertain. In this context, we study a line-emitting galaxy at redshift z ≃ 3.4 lensed by the foreground galaxy cluster Abell 2895. Four compact clumps with sizes ≲280 pc and representative of the low-mass end of clumps’ mass distribution (stellar masses ≲2 × 108 M⊙) dominate the galaxy morphology. The clumps are likely forming stars in a starbursting mode and have a young stellar population (∼10 Myr). The properties of the Lyman-α (Lyα) emission and nebular far-ultraviolet absorption lines indicate the presence of ejected material with global outflowing velocities of ∼200–300 km s−1. Assuming that the detected outflows are the consequence of star formation feedback, we infer an average mass loading factor (η) for the clumps of ∼1.8–2.4 consistent with results obtained from hydrodynamical simulations of clumpy galaxies that assume relatively strong stellar feedback. Assuming no gas inflows (semiclosed box model), the estimates of η suggest that the time-scale over which the outflows expel the molecular gas reservoir (≃7 × 108 M⊙) of the four detected low-mass clumps is ≲50 Myr

APEX at the QSO MUSEUM: molecular gas reservoirs associated with z 3 quasars and their link to the extended Ly alpha emission

Interstellar matter and star formatio