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Three Lyman-α-emitting filaments converging to a massive galaxy group at z = 2.91: discussing the case for cold gas infall

Daddi, E.; Valentino, F.; Rich, R.M.; Neill, J.D.; Gronke, M.; O’Sullivan, D.; Elbaz, D.; Bournaud, F.; Finoguenov, A.; Marchal, A.; Delvecchio, I.; Jin, S.; Liu, D.; Strazzullo, V.; Calabro, A.; Coogan, R.; D’Eugenio, C.; Gobat, R.; Kalita, B.S.; Laursen, P.; Martin, D.C.; Puglisi, A.; Schinnerer, E.; Wang, T.

Three Lyman-α-emitting filaments converging to a massive galaxy group at z = 2.91: discussing the case for cold gas infall Thumbnail


Authors

E. Daddi

F. Valentino

R.M. Rich

J.D. Neill

M. Gronke

D. O’Sullivan

D. Elbaz

F. Bournaud

A. Finoguenov

A. Marchal

I. Delvecchio

S. Jin

D. Liu

V. Strazzullo

A. Calabro

R. Coogan

C. D’Eugenio

R. Gobat

B.S. Kalita

P. Laursen

D.C. Martin

E. Schinnerer

T. Wang



Abstract

We have discovered a 300 kpc-wide giant Lyman-α (Lyα) nebula centered on the massive galaxy group RO-1001 at z = 2.91 in the Cosmic Evolution Survey field. Keck Cosmic Web Imager observations reveal three cold gas filaments converging into the center of the potential well of its ∼4 × 1013 M⊙ dark matter halo, hosting 1200 M⊙ yr−1 of star formation as probed by Atacama Large Millimeter Array and NOrthern Extended Millimeter Array observations. The nebula morphological and kinematics properties and the prevalence of blueshifted components in the Lyα spectra are consistent with a scenario of gas accretion. The upper limits on active galactic nuclei activity and overall energetics favor gravity as the primary Lyα powering source and infall as the main source of gas flows to the system. Although interpretational difficulties remain, with outflows and likely also photoionization with ensuing recombination still playing a role, this finding provides arguably an ideal environment to quantitatively test models of cold gas accretion and galaxy feeding inside an actively star-forming massive halo at high redshift.

Citation

Daddi, E., Valentino, F., Rich, R., Neill, J., Gronke, M., O’Sullivan, D., …Wang, T. (2021). Three Lyman-α-emitting filaments converging to a massive galaxy group at z = 2.91: discussing the case for cold gas infall. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 649, Article A78. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202038700

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Feb 22, 2021
Online Publication Date May 13, 2021
Publication Date 2021-05
Deposit Date Aug 17, 2021
Publicly Available Date Aug 17, 2021
Journal Astronomy and astrophysics.
Print ISSN 0004-6361
Electronic ISSN 1432-0746
Publisher EDP Sciences
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 649
Article Number A78
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202038700

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Copyright Statement
E. Daddi et al., A&A, vol. 649, A78, 2021, reproduced with permission, © ESO.





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