The Hα Luminosity Function and Global Star Formation Rate from Redshifts of 1–2

Yan, Lin; McCarthy, Patrick J.; Freudling, W.; Teplitz, Harry I.; Malumuth, E. M.; Weymann, R. J.; Malkan, Matthew A.

doi:10.1086/312099

Cited by 159 publications

(244 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…At low redshift, very strong Mg II systems evolve away as (1 ] z)2.24 (Steidel & Sargent 1992). This evolution parallels the star formation history of the universe (see, e.g., Yan et al 1999), suggesting a link between Mg II absorption and star formation activity (see, e.g., Guillemin & Bergeron 1997 ;Churchill et al 1999a). The disappearance of these absorbers at low redshifts also suggests that the gas giving rise to the absorbers has dispersed and/or changed state with time.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 68%

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High‐Redshift Superwinds as the Source of the Strongest MgiiAbsorbers: A Feasibility Analysis

Bond

Churchill

Charlton

et al. 2001

ApJ

101

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We present High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer/Keck proÐles of four extremely strong (W r [ 1.8 A ) Mg II absorbers at 1 \ z \ 2. The proÐles display a common kinematic structure, having a sharp drop in optical depth near the center of the proÐle and strong, black-bottomed absorption on either side. This "" symmetric-inverted ÏÏ structure, with a velocity spread of several hundred kilometers per second, is suggestive of superwinds arising in actively star-forming galaxies. Low-ionization absorption of similar strength has been observed in local star-forming galaxies. The Mg II absorbers with evolve W r [ 1.8 A away from z \ 2 to the present. We propose that a substantial fraction of these very strong absorbers are due to superwinds and that their evolution is related to the redshift evolution of star-forming galaxies. Based on the observed redshift number density of Mg II absorbers at 1 \ z \ 2, we W r [ 1.8 A explore whether it is realistic that superwinds from starbursting galaxies could give rise to these absorbers. Finally, we do an analysis of the superwind connection to damped Lya absorbers (DLAs). DLAs and superwinds evolve di †erently and usually have di †erent kinematic structure, indicating that superwinds probably do not give rise to the majority of DLAs.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 68%

“…Therefore, the luminosity function of starburst galaxies was assumed to follow an Ha luminosity function. At z \ 1.3, Yan et al (1999) Ðnd a \ [1.35, '* \ 1.7 ] 10~3 Mpc~3, and L* \ 7 ] 1042 ergs s~1.…”

Section: Estimated N(z) Of Absorbing Superwindsmentioning

confidence: 99%

High‐Redshift Superwinds as the Source of the Strongest MgiiAbsorbers: A Feasibility Analysis

Bond

Churchill

Charlton

et al. 2001

ApJ

101

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“…The SFR based on the ultraviolet continuum is very uncertain due to the fact that our Ñux calibration is an extrapolation below the V band, and more importantly the extinction correction at ultraviolet wavelengths is very uncertain. Normally, the 2800 SFR is A found to be lower by a factor of 2È3 (at redshifts up to z \ 2.8) as compared to the Ha luminosity SFR method (Glazebrook et al 1999 ;Yan et al 1999).…”

Section: The Emission-and Absorption-line Spectrum Ofmentioning

confidence: 93%

VLT Spectroscopy of GRB 990510 and GRB 990712: Probing the Faint and Bright Ends of the Gamma‐Ray Burst Host Galaxy Population

Vreeswijk

Fruchter

Kaper

et al. 2001

ApJ

108

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We present time-resolved optical spectroscopy of the afterglows of the gamma-ray bursts GRB 990510 and GRB 990712. Through the identiÐcation of several absorption lines in the Ðrst-epoch GRB 990510 spectrum, we determine the redshift for this burst at z º 1.619. No clear emission lines are detected. The strength of the Mg I feature is indicative of a dense environment, most likely the host galaxy of GRB 990510. Although the host is extremely faint the GRB afterglow allows us to probe its inter-(V Z 28), stellar medium andÈin principleÈto measure its metallicity. The optical spectrum of GRB 990712 (whose host galaxy is the brightest of the known GRB hosts at cosmological redshifts) shows clear features both in emission and absorption, at a redshift of z \ 0.4331^0.0004. On the basis of several line emission diagnostic diagrams, we conclude that the host galaxy of GRB 990712 is most likely an H II galaxy. We derive an unreddened [O II] star formation rate of 2.7^0.8 yr~1. Correcting for the M _ measured extinction intrinsic to the host galaxy this value increases to yr~1.width, compared to that of Ðeld galaxies at z ¹ 1, also suggests that the host of GRB 990712 is vigorously forming stars. We employ the oxygen and Hb emission-line intensities to estimate the global oxygen abundance for the host of GRB 990712 : log (O/H) \ [3.7^0.4, which is slightly below the lowest metallicity one Ðnds in nearby spiral galaxies. For both GRBs we study the time evolution of the absorption lines, whose equivalent width might be expected to change with time if the burst resides in a dense compact medium. We Ðnd no evidence for a signiÐcant change in the Mg II width.

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“…Apart from the obvious importance of measuring a physical quantity in two independent ways, there are at least two additional incentives to comparing UV and Balmer line luminosities. First, many of the surveys at lower redshifts have been based on Ha (e.g., Gallego et al 1995 ;Salzer et al 2000 ;Tresse & Maddox 1998 ;Glazebrook et al 1999 ;Yan et al 1999 ;Moorwood et al 2000) ; clearly, it is desirable to use the same measure (or two closely related ones such as Ha and Hb) when considering the evolution with redshift of global properties such as the volume-averaged SFR density. Second, almost by deÐnition, all interstellar reddening curves rise from the optical to the UV.…”

Section: Star Formation Rates and Dust Extinctionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Rest‐Frame Optical Spectra of Lyman Break Galaxies: Star Formation, Extinction, Abundances, and Kinematics

Pettini

Shapley

Steidel

et al. 2001

ApJ

740

972

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We present the Ðrst results of a spectroscopic survey of Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) in the nearinfrared aimed at detecting the emission lines of [O II], [O III], and Hb from the H II regions of normal star-forming galaxies at z^3. From observations of 15 objects with the Keck telescope and the Very Large Telescope augmented with data from the literature for an additional four objects, we reach the following main conclusions. The rest-frame optical properties of LBGs at the bright end of the luminosity function are remarkably uniform, their spectra are dominated by emission lines, [O III] is always stronger than Hb and [O II], and projected velocity dispersions are between 50 and 115 km s~1. Contrary to expectations, the star formation rates deduced from the Hb luminosity are on average no larger than those implied by the stellar continuum at 1500 presumably any di †erential extinction between A ; rest-frame optical and UV wavelengths is small compared to the relative uncertainties in the calibrations of these two star formation tracers. For the galaxies in our sample, the abundance of oxygen can only be determined to within 1 order of magnitude without recourse to other emission lines ([N II] and Ha), which are generally not available. Even so, it seems well established that LBGs are the most metalenriched structures at z^3, apart from quasi-stellar objects, with abundances greater than about 1/10 solar and generally higher than those of damped Lya systems at the same epoch. They are also signiÐ-cantly overluminous for their metallicities ; this is probably an indication that their mass-to-light ratios are low compared to present-day galaxies. At face value, the measured velocity dispersions imply virial masses of about 1010 within half-light radii of 2.5 kpc. The corresponding mass-to-light ratios, M _ M/L B 0.15 in solar units, are indicative of stellar populations with ages between 108 and 109 yr, consistent with the UV-optical spectral energy distributions. However, we are unable to establish conclusively whether or not the widths of the emission lines reÑect the motions of the H II regions within the gravitational potential of the galaxies, even though in two cases we see hints of rotation curves. All 19 LBGs observed show evidence for galactic-scale superwinds ; such outÑows have important consequences for regulating star formation, distributing metals over large volumes, and allowing Lyman continuum photons to escape and ionize the intergalactic medium.

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The Hα Luminosity Function and Global Star Formation Rate from Redshifts of 1–2

Cited by 159 publications

References 35 publications

High‐Redshift Superwinds as the Source of the Strongest MgiiAbsorbers: A Feasibility Analysis

High‐Redshift Superwinds as the Source of the Strongest MgiiAbsorbers: A Feasibility Analysis

VLT Spectroscopy of GRB 990510 and GRB 990712: Probing the Faint and Bright Ends of the Gamma‐Ray Burst Host Galaxy Population

The Rest‐Frame Optical Spectra of Lyman Break Galaxies: Star Formation, Extinction, Abundances, and Kinematics

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