24,162 research outputs found
Cosmological Conductive/Cooling Fronts as Lyman Alpha Forest Clouds
We propose a simple model for the origin and evolution of \lya clouds based
on cosmological conductive/cooling fronts. In this model the \lya arises in the
interfaces between the IGM and cold clouds that could be tentatively identified
with protogalaxies. Most of the properties of the \lya absorbers are reproduced
with a very restricted number of assumptions. Among these are the correct range
of HI column density, cloud sizes and redshift and HI column density
distributions for the absorbers. Several predictions and implications of the
model are briefly discussed.Comment: 9 pages, plain TeX, 3 figures; ApJ Letters, accepte
The Deuterium Abundance in the z=0.7 absorber towards QSO PG1718+4807
We report a further analysis of the ratio of deuterium to hydrogen (D/H)
using HST spectra of the z=0.701 Lyman limit system towards the QSO PG1718+481.
Initial analyses of this absorber found it gave a high D/H value, 1.8 - 3.1
\times 10^{-4} (Webb et al. 1998), inconsistent with several higher redshift
measurements. It is thus important to critically examine this measurement. By
analysing the velocity widths of the DI, HI and metal lines present in this
system, Kirkman et al. (2001) report that the additional absorption in the blue
wing of the lya line can not be DI, with a confidence level of 98%. 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 DI is marginally worse than 1 sigma.
Tytler et al.(1999) commented on the first analysis of Webb et
al.(1997,1998), reporting the presence of a contaminating lower redshift Lyman
limit system, with log[N(HI)] = 16.7 at z=0.602, which biases the N(HI)
estimate for the main system. Here we show that this absorber actually has
log[N(HI)] < 14.6 and does not impact on the estimate of N(HI) 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 help refine the
methods used in future analyses of D/H in quasar spectra.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures. Accepted by MNRA
Comment on "Limits on the Time Variation of the Electromagnetic Fine-Structure Constant in the Low Energy Limit from Absorption Lines in the Spectra of Distant Quasars"
In their Letter [Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 121302 (2004)] (also [Astron.
Astrophys. 417, 853 (2004)]), Srianand et al. analysed optical spectra of
heavy-element species in 23 absorption systems along background quasar
sight-lines, reporting limits on relative variations in the fine-structure
constant: da/a=(-0.06+/-0.06) x 10^{-5}. Here we demonstrate basic flaws in
their analysis, using the same data and absorption profile fits, which led to
spurious values of da/a and significantly underestimated uncertainties. We
conclude that these data and fits offer no stringent test of previous evidence
for a varying alpha.
In their Reply (arXiv:0711.1742) to this Comment, Srianand et al. state or
argue several points regarding their original analysis and our new analysis. We
discuss these points here, dismissing all of them because they are demonstrably
incorrect or because they rely on a flawed application of simple statistical
arguments.Comment: 1+2 pages, 1 EPS figure. Page 1 accepted as PRL Comment on
arXiv:astro-ph/0402177 . Further details available in arXiv:astro-ph/0612407
. v2: Added critical discussion of Reply from Srianand et al.
(arXiv:0711.1742
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