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arXiv 0709.0654astro-ph
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类星体电离锋Ly-alpha辐射对中性氢再电离的映射

Mapping Neutral Hydrogen During Reionization with the Ly-alpha Emission from Quasar Ionization Fronts

Sebastiano Cantalupo, Cristiano Porciani, Simon J. Lilly

摘要:

提出了一种新的方法来直接映射再电离时期中性氢的分布,并限制最高红移类星体(QSO)的发射特性。作为HI的示踪剂,我们建议使用类星体电离锋(I-战线),扩大在部分电离星系际介质(IGM)的再电离完成之前产生的Ly-alpha辐射。这些Ly-alpha光子主要由快速膨胀的HII区边界中的氢原子的碰撞激发产生。可观测信号是由相对于观测者位于类星体后面的I波阵面部分产生的。结合两个辐射转移模型(一个用于类星体电离辐射,一个用于Ly-alpha光子),我们估计了预期的Ly-alpha光谱形状和表面亮度(SB)为大量的配置,我们改变了电离类星体和周围介质的属性。我们发现,预期的信号是作为一个单一的(宽)的特征宽度为100-200公里/秒的发射线观察。一个典型的类星体I-锋在完全中性区(平均密度)的红移z~6.5处产生的SB位于$10^{-21}-10^{-20}$ erg s $^{-1}$ cm $^{-2}$ arcsec $^{-2}$范围内,并且对于给定的类星体年龄,它与$(1+z)^2$成比例地减小。具有较硬光谱的类星体可能在早期阶段产生明显较亮的发射。该信号可以覆盖天空上的几百平方弧分,并且应该已经可以通过中/高分辨率光谱学的方式用现有设施检测到。这种Ly-alpha发射的探测可以揭示最高红移类星体的再电离历史、年龄和发射特性。(节略)

英文摘要:

We present a new method to directly map the neutral-hydrogen distribution during the reionization epoch and to constrain the emission properties of the highest-redshift quasars (QSOs). As a tracer of HI, we propose to use the Ly-alpha radiation produced by quasar ionization fronts (I-fronts) that expand in the partially ionized intergalactic medium (IGM) before reionization is complete. These Ly-alpha photons are mainly generated by collisional excitations of hydrogen atoms in the boundary of the rapidly expanding HII region. The observable signal is produced by the part of the I-front that lies behind the QSO with respect to the observer. Combining two radiative transfer models (one for the QSO ionizing radiation and one for the Ly-alpha photons), we estimate the expected Ly-alpha spectral shape and surface brightness (SB) for a large number of configurations where we varied both the properties of the ionizing QSO and of the surrounding medium. We find that the expected signal is observable as a single (broad) emission line with a characteristic width of 100-200 km/s. The expected SB produced at redshift z~6.5 within a fully neutral region (at mean density) by a typical QSO I-front lies in the range $10^{-21}-10^{-20}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ arcsec$^{-2}$ and decreases proportionally to $(1+z)^2$ for a given QSO age. QSOs with harder spectra may produce a significantly brighter emission at early phases. The signal may cover up to a few hundred square arcmin on the sky and should be already detectable with current facilities by means of moderate/high resolution spectroscopy. The detection of this Ly-alpha emission can shed new light on the reionization history, the age and the emission properties of the highest-redshift QSOs. (abridged)

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