Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

The VLT LBG redshift survey – VI. Mapping H i in the proximity of z ∼ 3 LBGs with X-Shooter

Bielby, R.M.; Shanks, T.; Crighton, N.H.M.; Bornancini, C.G.; Infante, L.; Lambas, D.G.; Minniti, D.; Morris, S.L.; Tummuangpak, P.

The VLT LBG redshift survey – VI. Mapping H i in the proximity of z ∼ 3 LBGs with X-Shooter Thumbnail


Authors

R.M. Bielby

T. Shanks

N.H.M. Crighton

C.G. Bornancini

L. Infante

D.G. Lambas

D. Minniti

P. Tummuangpak



Abstract

We present an analysis of the spatial distribution and dynamics of neutral hydrogen gas around galaxies using new X-Shooter observations of z ∼ 2.5–4 quasars. Adding the X-Shooter data to our existing data set of high-resolution quasar spectroscopy, we use a total sample of 29 quasars alongside ∼1700 Lyman Break Galaxies (LBGs) in the redshift range 2 ≲ z ≲ 3.5. We measure the Lyα forest auto-correlation function, finding a clustering length of s0 = 0.081 ± 0.006 h−1 Mpc, and the cross-correlation function with LBGs, finding a cross-clustering length of s0 = 0.27 ± 0.14 h−1 Mpc and power-law slope γ = 1.1 ± 0.2. Our results highlight the weakly clustered nature of neutral hydrogren systems in the Lyα forest. Building on this, we make a first analysis of the dependence of the clustering on absorber strength, finding a clear preference for stronger Lyα forest absorption features to be more strongly clustered around the galaxy population, suggesting that they trace on average higher mass haloes. Using the projected and 2-D cross-correlation functions, we constrain the dynamics of Lyα forest clouds around z ∼ 3 galaxies. We find a significant detection of large-scale infall of neutral hydrogen, with a constraint on the Lyα forest infall parameter of βF = 1.02 ± 0.22.

Citation

Bielby, R., Shanks, T., Crighton, N., Bornancini, C., Infante, L., Lambas, D., …Tummuangpak, P. (2017). The VLT LBG redshift survey – VI. Mapping H i in the proximity of z ∼ 3 LBGs with X-Shooter. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 471(2), 2174-2186. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx1772

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jul 12, 2017
Online Publication Date Jul 14, 2017
Publication Date Jul 14, 2017
Deposit Date Aug 31, 2017
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Print ISSN 0035-8711
Electronic ISSN 1365-2966
Publisher Royal Astronomical Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 471
Issue 2
Pages 2174-2186
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx1772

Files

Published Journal Article (1.6 Mb)
PDF

Copyright Statement
This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society © 2017. The Authors.
Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.





You might also like



Downloadable Citations