Iron--Enhanced High--Metallicity MG II Absorbers in the z<1 Lyalpha Forest

Details Iron--Enhanced High--Metallicity MG II Absorbers in the z<1 Lyalpha Forest Iron--Enhanced High--Metallicity MG II Absorbers in the z<1 Lyalpha Forest

Dec 1997

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1997aas...19112205c&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, 191st AAS Meeting, #122.05; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 29, p.1405

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

We report the discovery of two iron--group enhanced high--metallicity Mgii absorbers in a search through 28 Ly alpha forest clouds along the PKS 0454+039 sight line. Based upon our survey and the redshift number densities of W_r(Mg \sc ii) <= 0.3 { Angstroms} absorbers and Ly alpha absorbers at z ~ 1 measured elsewhere, we suggest that roughly 5% of Ly alpha absorbers at z<= 1 will exhibit ``weak'' Mg\sc ii absorption to a 5sigma W_r(lambda 2796) detection limit of 0.02 { Angstroms}. The two discovered absorbers, at redshifts z=0.6248 and z=0.9315, have W_r(Ly alpha ) = 0.33 and 0.15 { Angstroms}, respectively. Based upon photoionization modeling, the H\sc i column densities are inferred to be in the range 15.8 <= log N(H\sc i) <= 16.8 cm(-2) . For the z=0.6428 absorber, if the abundance pattern is solar, then the cloud has [Fe/H] > -1; if its gas--phase abundance follows that of depleted clouds in our Galaxy, then [Fe/H] > 0 is inferred. For the z=0.9315 absorber, the metallicity is [Fe/H] > 0, whether the abundance pattern is solar or suffers depletion. Imaging and spectroscopic studies of the QSO field reveal no candidate luminous objects at these redshifts. We discuss the possibility that these Mg\sc ii absorbers may arise in the class of ``giant'' low surface brightness galaxies, which have [Fe/H] >= -1, and even [Fe/H] >= 0, in their extended disks. We tentatively suggest that a substantial fraction of these ``weak'' Mg\sc ii absorbers may select low surface brightness galaxies out to z ~ 1.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Iron--Enhanced High--Metallicity MG II Absorbers in the z<1 Lyalpha Forest does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Iron--Enhanced High--Metallicity MG II Absorbers in the z<1 Lyalpha Forest, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Iron--Enhanced High--Metallicity MG II Absorbers in the z<1 Lyalpha Forest will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1178616