97 research outputs found
The Incidence of Low-Metallicity Lyman-Limit Systems at z~3.5: Implications for the Cold-Flow Hypothesis of Baryonic Accretion
Cold accretion is a primary growth mechanism of simulated galaxies, yet
observational evidence of "cold flows" at redshifts where they should be most
efficient (-4) is scarce. In simulations, cold streams manifest as
Lyman-limit absorption systems (LLSs) with low heavy-element abundances similar
to those of the diffuse IGM. Here we report on an abundance survey of 17 H
I-selected LLSs at -4.4 which exhibit no metal absorption in SDSS
spectra. Using medium-resolution spectra obtained at Magellan, we derive
ionization-corrected metallicities (or limits) with a Markov-Chain Monte Carlo
sampling that accounts for the large uncertainty in measurements
typical of LLSs. The metal-poor LLS sample overlaps with the IGM in metallicity
and is best described by a model where are drawn from the
IGM chemical abundance distribution. These represent roughly half of all LLSs
at these redshifts, suggesting that 28-40 of the general LLS population at
could trace unprocessed gas. An ancillary sample of ten LLSs without
any a priori metal-line selection is best fit with of
metallicities drawn from the IGM. We compare these results with regions of a
moving-mesh simulation; the simulation finds only half as many baryons in
IGM-metallicity LLSs, and most of these lie beyond the virial radius of the
nearest galaxy halo. A statistically significant fraction of all LLSs have low
metallicity and therefore represent candidates for accreting gas; large-volume
simulations can establish what fraction of these candidates actually lie near
galaxies and the observational prospects for detecting the presumed hosts in
emission.Comment: 19 pages, 17 figures; Submitted to ApJ; Corrected figure 16
The Distribution of Metallicity in the IGM at z~2.5: OVI and CIV Absorption in the Spectra of 7 QSOs
We present a direct measurement of the metallicity distribution function for
the high redshift intergalactic medium. We determine the shape of this function
using survival statistics, which account for both detections and non-detections
of OVI and CIV associated with HI absorption in quasar spectra. Our OVI sample
probes the metal content of ~50% of all baryons at z~2.5. We find a median
intergalactic abundance of [O,C/H]=-2.82; the differential abundance
distribution is approximately lognormal with mean ~-2.85 and
\sigma=0.75 dex. Some 60-70% the Lya forest lines are enriched to observable
levels ([O,C/H]>-3.5) while the remaining ~30% of the lines have even lower
abundances. Thus we have not detected a universal metallicity floor as has been
suggested for some Population III enrichment scenaria. In fact, we argue that
the bulk of the intergalactic metals formed later than the first stars that are
thought to have triggered reionization. We do not observe a significant trend
of decreasing metallicity toward the lower density IGM, at least within regions
that would be characterized as filaments in numerical simulations. However, an
[O/H] enhancement may be present at somewhat high densities. We estimate that
roughly half of all baryons at these redshifts have been enriched to
[O/H]>=-3.5. We develop a simple model for the metallicity evolution of the
IGM, to estimate the chemical yield of galaxies formed prior to z~2.5. We find
that the typical galaxy recycled 0.1-0.4% of its mass back into the IGM as
heavy elements in the first 3 Gyr after the Big Bang.Comment: 23 pages in emulateapj, 19 figures. Accepted to ApJ, pending review
of new changes. Revised comparison between our results and Schaye et al
(2003
Signatures of Cloud, Temperature, and Gravity From Spectra of the Closest Brown Dwarfs
We present medium resolution optical and NIR spectral data for components of
the newly discovered WISE J104915.57-531906.1AB (Luhman 16AB) brown dwarf
binary. The optical spectra reveal strong 6708 A Li I absorption in both Luhman
16A (8.0+/-0.4 A) and Luhman 16B (3.8+/-0.4 A). Interestingly, this is the
first detection of Li I absorption in a T dwarf. Combined with the lack of
surface gravity features, the Li I detection constrains the system age to 0.1 -
3 Gyr. In the NIR data, we find strong KI absorption at 1.168, 1.177, 1.243,
and 1.254 {\mu}m in both components. Compared to the strength of KI line
absorption in equivalent spectral subtype brown dwarfs, Luhman 16A is weaker
while Luhman 16B is stronger. Analyzing the spectral region around each doublet
in distance scaled flux units and comparing the two sources, we confirm the J
band flux reversal and find that Luhman 16B has a brighter continuum in the
1.17 {\mu}m and 1.25 {\mu}m regions than Luhman 16A. Converting flux units to a
brightness temperature we interpret this to mean that the secondary is ~ 50 K
warmer than the primary in regions dominated by condensate grain scattering.
One plausible explanation for this difference is that Luhman 16B has thinner
clouds or patchy holes in its atmosphere allowing us to see to deeper, hotter
regions. We also detect comparably strong FeH in the 0.9896 {\mu}m Wing-Ford
band for both components. Traditionally, a signpost of changing atmosphere
conditions from late-type L to early T dwarfs, the persistence and similarity
of FeH at 0.9896 {\mu}m in both Luhman 16A and Luhman 16B is an indication of
homogenous atmosphere conditions. We calculate bolometric luminosities from
observed data supplemented with best fit models for longer wavelengths and find
the components are consistent within 1{\sigma} with resultant Teffs of
1310+/-30 K and 1280+/-75 K for Luhman 16AB respectively.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures, 4 tables. Submitted to ApJ and revised after
referee repor
Dissecting the Gaseous Halos of z~2 Damped Ly Systems with Close Quasar Pairs
We use spectroscopy of close pairs of quasars to study diffuse gas in the
circumgalactic medium (CGM) surrounding a sample of 40 Damped Lya systems
(DLAs). The primary sightline in each quasar pair probes an intervening DLA in
the redshift range 1.6 < z_DLA < 3.6, such that the second quasar sightline
then probes Lya, CII, SiII, and CIV absorption in the CGM transverse to the DLA
to projected distances kpc. Analysis of the Lya profiles in
these CGM sightlines constrains the covering fraction (f_C) of optically thick
HI (having column density N_HI > 10^17.2 cm^-2) to be greater than ~30% within
kpc of DLAs. Strong SiII 1526 absorption with equivalent
width W_1526 > 0.2 Ang occurs with an incidence f_C (W_1526 > 0.2 Ang) =
20(+12/-8)% within kpc, indicating that low-ionization metal
absorption associated with DLAs probes material at a physical distance R_3D <
30 kpc. However, we find that strong CIV 1548 absorption is ubiquitous in these
environments (f_C (W_1548 > 0.2 Ang) = 57(+12/-13)% within
kpc), and in addition exhibits a high degree of kinematic coherence on scales
up to ~175 kpc. We infer that this high-ionization material arises
predominantly in large, quiescent structures extending beyond the scale of the
DLA host dark matter halos rather than in ongoing galactic winds. The Lya
equivalent width in the DLA-CGM is anticorrelated with at >98%
confidence, suggesting that DLAs arise close to the centers of their host halos
rather than on their outskirts. Finally, the average Lya, CII and CIV
equivalent widths are consistent with those measured around z~2 Lyman Break
Galaxies. Assuming that DLAs trace a galaxy population with lower masses and
luminosities, this finding implies that the absorption strength of cool
circumgalactic material has a weak dependence on dark matter halo mass for M_h
< 10^12 M_sun.Comment: Submitted to ApJ. 30 pages, 13 figures, 3 tables, 1 appendix. Uses
emulateapj forma
FIRE Spectroscopy of the ultra-cool brown dwarf, UGPS J072227.51-054031.2: Kinematics, Rotation and Atmospheric Parameters
We present {\lambda}/{\Delta}{\lambda} ~ 6000 near-infrared spectroscopy of
the nearby T9 dwarf, UGPS J072227.51-054031.2, obtained during the
commissioning of the Folded-Port Infrared Echellette Spectrograph on the Baade
Magellan telescope at Las Campanas Observatory. The spectrum is marked by
significant absorption from H2O, CH4 and H2. We also identify NH3 absorption
features by comparing the spectrum to recently published line lists. The
spectrum is fit with BT-Settl models, indicating Teff ~ 500-600 K and log g ~
4.3-5.0. This corresponds to a mass of ~ 10-30 MJup and an age of 1-5 Gyr,
however there are large discrepancies between the model and observed spectrum.
The radial and rotational velocities of the brown dwarf are measured as 46.9
\pm 2.5 and 40 \pm 10 km/s, respectively, reflecting a thin disk Galactic orbit
and fast rotation similar to other T dwarfs, suggesting a young, possibly
planetary-mass brown dwarf.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, emulateApJ format; accepted for publication in
A
Observations of Chemically Enriched QSO Absorbers near z ~ 2.3 Galaxies: Galaxy-Formation Feedback Signatures in the IGM
We present a study of galaxies and intergalactic gas toward the z=2.73 quasar
HS1700+6416, to explore the effects of galaxy formation feedback on the IGM.
Our observations and ionization simulations indicate that the volume within
100-200 h_71^{-1} physical kpc of high-redshift galaxies contains very small,
dense, and metal-rich absorption-line regions. These systems often contain
shock-heated gas seen in OVI, and may exhibit [Si/C] abundance enhancements
suggestive of Type II supernova enrichment. We argue that the absorbers
resemble thin sheets or bubbles, whose physical properties can be explained
with a simple model of radiatively efficient shocks propegating through the
IGM. Their high metallicities suggest that these shocks are being expelled
from--rather than falling into--star forming galaxies. There is a dropoff in
the IGM gas density at galaxy impact parameters beyond ~300 physical kpc that
may trace boundaries of gas structures where the galaxies reside. The local
heavy-element enhancement covers 100-200 kpc; beyond this the observed
abundances blend into the general IGM. Supernova-driven winds or dynamical
stripping of interstellar gas appears to affect the IGM near massive galaxies,
even at R>~100 kpc. However, these feedback systems represent only a few
percent of the Lya forest mass at z~2.5. Their mass could be larger if the more
numerous metal-poor CIV systems at >~200 kpc are tepid remnants of very
powerful winds. Based on present observations it is not clear that this
scenario is to be favored over one involving pre-enrichment by smaller galaxies
at z>~6.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. 26 pages
emulateapj, incl. 5 pages tables, 15 figure
Precious Metals in SDSS Quasar Spectra I: Tracking the Evolution of Strong, 1.5 < z < 4.5 CIV Absorbers with Thousands of Systems
We have vastly increased the CIV statistics at intermediate redshift by
surveying the thousands of quasars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data-Release
7. We visually verified over 16,000 CIV systems with 1.46 < z < 4.55---a sample
size that renders Poisson error negligible. Detailed Monte Carlo simulations
show we are approximately 50% complete down to rest equivalent widths W_r ~ 0.6
\AA. We analyzed the sample as a whole and in ten small redshift bins with
approximately 1500 doublets each. The equivalent width frequency distributions
f(W_r) were well modeled by an exponential, with little evolution in shape. In
contrast with previous studies that modeled the frequency distribution as a
single power law, the fitted exponential gives a finite mass density for the
CIV ions. The co-moving line density dN_CIV/dX evolved smoothly with redshift,
increasing by a factor of 2.37+/-0.09 from z = 4.55 to 1.96, then plateauing at
dN_CIV/dX ~ 0.34 for z = 1.96 to 1.46. Comparing our SDSS sample with z < 1
(ultraviolet) and z > 5 (infrared) surveys, we see an approximately 10-fold
increase in dN_CIV/dX over z ~ 6 --> 0, for W_r >= 0.6 \AA. This suggests a
monotonic and significant increase in the enrichment of gas outside galaxies
over the 12 Gyr lifetime of the universe.Comment: 17 pages (emulateapj), 13 figures, 4 tables; accepted to ApJ and in
press; also see http://igmabsorbers.inf
Constraints on the Universal CIV Mass Density at z~6 from Early IR Spectra Obtained with the Magellan FIRE Spectrograph
We present a new determination of the intergalactic CIV mass density at 4.3 <
z < 6.3. Our constraints are derived from high signal-to-noise spectra of seven
quasars at z > 5.8 obtained with the newly commissioned FIRE spectrograph on
the Magellan Baade telescope, coupled with six observations of northern objects
taken from the literature. We confirm the presence of a downturn in the CIV
abundance at =5.66 by a factor of 4.1 relative to its value at =4.96, as
measured in the same sightlines. In the FIRE sample, a strong system previously
reported in the literature as CIV at z=5.82 is re-identified as MgII at z=2.78,
leading to a substantial downward revision in for these prior
studies. Additionally we confirm the presence of at least two systems with
low-ionization CII, SiII, and OI absorption but relatively weak signal from
CIV. The latter systems systems may be of interest if the downward trend in
at high redshift is driven in part by ionization effects.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables. Submitted to Ap
MASE: A New Data--Reduction Pipeline for the Magellan Echellette Spectrograph
We introduce a data reduction package written in Interactive Data Language
(IDL) for the Magellan Echellete Spectrograph (MAGE). MAGE is a
medium-resolution (R ~4100), cross-dispersed, optical spectrograph, with
coverage from ~3000-10000 Angstroms. The MAGE Spectral Extractor (MASE)
incorporates the entire image reduction and calibration process, including bias
subtraction, flat fielding, wavelength calibration, sky subtraction, object
extraction and flux calibration of point sources. We include examples of the
user interface and reduced spectra. We show that the wavelength calibration is
sufficient to achieve ~5 km/s RMS accuracy and relative flux calibrations
better than 10%. A light-weight version of the full reduction pipeline has been
included for real-time source extraction and signal-to-noise estimation at the
telescope.Comment: 10 pages (ApJ format), accepted PAS
Accretion of a Terrestrial-Like Minor Planet by a White Dwarf
We present optical and infrared characterization of the polluted DAZ white dwarf GALEX J193156.8+011745. Imaging and spectroscopy from the ultraviolet to the thermal infrared indicate that this white dwarf hosts excess infrared emission consistent with the presence of an orbiting dusty debris disk. In addition to the five elements previously identified, our optical echelle spectroscopy reveals chromium and manganese and enables restrictive upper limits on several other elements. Synthesis of all detections and upper limits suggests that GALEX J193156.8+011745 has accreted a differentiated parent body. We compare the inferred bulk elemental composition of the accreted parent body to expectations for the bulk composition of an Earth-like planet stripped of its crust and mantle and find relatively good agreement. At least two processes could be important in shaping the final bulk elemental composition of rocky bodies during the late phases of stellar evolution: irradiation and interaction with the dense stellar wind.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Award No. AST-1003318)Centre de recherche en astrophysique du QuĂ©bec (postdoctoral fellow)Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of CanadaFonds queÌbeÌcois de la recherche sur la nature et les technologie
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