Giant Lyα nebulae in the high redshift (z⩾2) Universe

Villar-Martı́n, M.

doi:10.1016/j.newar.2006.11.017

Cited by 24 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…which was presented in Dey et al 2005) and similarly luminous Lyman α haloes belonging to some high‐redshift radio galaxies at z > 2 (e.g. Villar‐Martín 2007, compared with 24 μm data from Seymour et al 2007) are detected at mid‐IR wavelengths at fluxes typically at least an order of magnitude more luminous than those probed by our 24 μm observations. Our view that an AGN is not responsible for the Lyman α emission observed here is further supported by the lack of other evidence for an AGN at radio wavelengths in the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) and Very Large Array (VLA) data (at 610 MHz and 1.4 GHz, respectively), or in our optical spectroscopy, where no other emission lines were detected (see Smith & Jarvis 2007).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 75%

Infrared and millimetre-wavelength evidence for cold accretion within az= 2.83 Lyman α blob

Smith

Jarvis

Lacy

et al. 2008

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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This paper discusses infrared and millimetre‐wavelength observations of a Lyman α blob (LAB) discovered by Smith & Jarvis, a candidate for ionization by the cold accretion scenario discussed in Fardal et al. and Dijkstra et al. We have observed the counterpart galaxy at infrared wavelengths in deep observations with the Spitzer Space Telescope using the IRAC 3.6, 4.5, 5.8 and 8.0 μm and MIPS 24 μm bands, as well as using the Max‐Planck Millimeter Bolometer (MAMBO‐2) at a wavelength of 1.2 mm with the IRAM 30 m telescope. These observations probe the ≳95 kpc Lyman α halo for the presence of obscured active galactic nucleus (AGN) components or the presence of a violent period of star formation invoked by other models of ionization for these mysterious objects. 24 μm observations suggest that an obscured AGN would be insufficiently luminous to ionize the halo, and that the star formation rate within the halo may be as low as <140 M⊙ yr−1 depending on the model spectral energy distribution (SED) used. This is reinforced by our observations at 1.2 mm using MAMBO‐2, which yield an upper limit of star formation rate <550 M⊙ yr−1 from our non‐detection to a 3σ flux limit of 0.86 mJy beam−1. Finding no evidence for either AGN or extensive star formation, we conclude that this halo is ionized by a cold accretion process. We derive model SEDs for the host galaxy, and use the Bruzual & Charlot and Maraston libraries to show that the galaxy is well described by composite stellar populations of total mass 3.42 ± 0.13 × 1011 or 4.35 ± 0.16 × 1011 M⊙ depending on the model SEDs used.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 75%

Infrared and millimetre-wavelength evidence for cold accretion within az= 2.83 Lyman α blob

Smith

Jarvis

Lacy

et al. 2008

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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“…Other giant Lyα nebulae, such as the one detected around high redshift radio galaxies (see e.g., De Breuck 2008 andVillar-Martín 2007 for reviews) also show extended Lyα emission that is in many cases associated with He emission. Integrated He /Lyα ratios, including also the emission from the radio-galaxy itself, are typically around 0.12 between 2 < z < 3 (e.g., Villar-Martín et al 2007), i.e.…”

Section: Comparison To Other Giant Lyα Nebulae: Type-ii Versus Type-imentioning

confidence: 99%

The large- and small-scale properties of the intergalactic gas in the Slug Ly α nebula revealed by MUSE Heiiemission observations

Cantalupo

Pezzulli

Lilly

et al. 2018

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

105

126

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With a projected size of about 450 kpc at z 2.3, the Slug Lyα nebula is a rare laboratory to study, in emission, the properties of the intergalactic gas in the Cosmic Web. Since its discovery, the Slug has been the subject of several spectroscopic follow-ups to constrain the properties of the emitting gas. Here we report the results of a deep MUSE integral-field spectroscopic search for non-resonant, extended He λ1640 and metal emission. Extended He radiation is detected on scales of about 100 kpc, but only in some regions associated with the bright Lyα emission and a continuum-detected source, implying large and abrupt variations in the line ratios across adjacent regions in projected space. The recent detection of associated Hα emission and similar abrupt variations in the Lyα kinematics, strongly suggest that the He /Lyα gradient is due to large variations in the physical distances between the associated quasar and these regions. This implies that the overall length of the emitting structure could extend to physical Mpc scales and be mostly oriented along our line of sight. At the same time, the relatively low He /Lyα values suggest that the emitting gas has a broad density distribution that -if expressed in terms of a lognormal -implies dispersions as high as those expected in the interstellar medium of galaxies. These results strengthen the possibility that the density distribution of intergalactic gas at high-redshift is extremely clumpy and multiphase on scales below our current observational spatial resolution of a few physical kpc.

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“…Giant extensions appear more common in the high z Universe (z 2), where 100 kpc Lyα nebulae are sometimes found associated with radio loud AGN, both quasars and radio galaxies (McCarthy et al 1993, Heckman et al 1991,Villar Martín 2007, radio quiet AGN (Borisova et al 2016) and with (apparently) non active galaxies (Chapman et al 2001, Matsuda et al 2011. A selection effect is possibly at work, since more luminous AGN can in principle ionize gas at larger distances.…”

Section: The Giant Nebulamentioning

confidence: 99%

A 100 kpc nebula associated with the ‘Teacup’ fading quasar

Villar-Martín

Cabrera-Lavers

Humphrey

et al. 2017

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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We report the discovery of a ∼100 kpc ionized nebula associated with the radio quiet type 2 quasar (QSO2) nicknamed the "Teacup" (z=0.085). The giant nebula is among the largest known around active galaxies at any z. We propose that it is part of the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of the QSO2 host, which has been populated with tidal debris by galactic interactions. This rich gaseous medium has been rendered visible due to the illumination by the powerful active nucleus (AGN). Subsolar abundances (∼0.5Z ⊙ ) are tentatively favored by AGN photoionization models. We also report the detection of coronal emission (Fe +6 ) from the NE bubble, at ∼9 kpc from the AGN. The detection of coronal lines at such large distances from the AGN and the [NII]λ6583/Hα, [SII]λλ6716,6731/Hα, [OI]λ6300/Hα optical emission line ratios of the giant nebula are consistent with the fading quasar scenario proposed by Gagne et al. (2014). The fading rate appears to have been faster in the last ∼46,000 yr. Deep wide field integral field spectroscopy of giant nebulae around powerful AGN such as the "Teacup's" with instruments such as MUSE on VLT opens up a way to detect and study the elusive material from the CGM around massive active galaxies thanks to the illumination by the luminous AGN.

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Giant Lyα nebulae in the high redshift (z⩾2) Universe

Cited by 24 publications

References 36 publications

Infrared and millimetre-wavelength evidence for cold accretion within az= 2.83 Lyman α blob

Infrared and millimetre-wavelength evidence for cold accretion within az= 2.83 Lyman α blob

The large- and small-scale properties of the intergalactic gas in the Slug Ly α nebula revealed by MUSE Heiiemission observations

A 100 kpc nebula associated with the ‘Teacup’ fading quasar

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