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arXiv 0804.2257astro-ph
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PC1643 +4631 A,B:相干边缘的莱曼-阿尔法森林

PC1643+4631A,B: The Lyman-Alpha Forest at the Edge of Coherence

Caitlin M. Casey, Christopher D. Impey, Catherine E. Petry, Andrew R. Marble, Romeel Dave

摘要:

这是首次在相当高的红移(z~3.8)和大的物理尺度(~2.5 h^-1 Mpc)上测量和探测星系际介质(IGM)中的相干性。我们通过Keck LRIS对高红移类星体对PC 1643+ 4631 A,B及其Ly-alpha吸收体符合的新观测进行测量。该实验将多视线类星体吸收体研究扩展到更高的红移,更高的不透明度,更大的横向分离,并进入IGM相干性变弱且难以检测的区域。我们将222个离散的Ly-alpha吸收器拟合到视线A,将211个拟合到视线B。相对于蒙特卡罗配对检验(使用对称的最近邻匹配),数据在低速分裂(<150 km/s)下显示出4 σ的对过剩,因此在约2.5 h^-1 Mpc的横向尺度上检测到相干性。我们使用从SPH模拟提取的光谱来分析对称对匹配,传输分布作为红移的函数,并计算零滞后互相关,以与类星体对数据进行比较。模拟结果与相同强度(~4sigma)的数据在随机机会配对上以类似的低速分裂一致。在互相关测试中,当假设平均通量(作为红移的函数)遵循Kirkman等人(2005)给出的规定时,模拟结果一致。虽然通量相关性的检测(通过重合吸收体和互相关幅度测量)只是轻微的显着,数据和模拟之间的协议是令人鼓舞的未来的工作中,更好的质量数据将提供最好的洞察IGM的总体结构和它的理解所示的SPH模拟。

英文摘要:

This is the first measurement and detection of coherence in the intergalactic medium (IGM) at substantially high redshift (z~3.8) and on large physical scales (~2.5 h^-1 Mpc). We perform the measurement by presenting new observations from Keck LRIS of the high redshift quasar pair PC 1643+4631A, B and their Ly-alpha absorber coincidences. This experiment extends multiple sightline quasar absorber studies to higher redshift, higher opacity, larger transverse separation, and into a regime where coherence across the IGM becomes weak and difficult to detect. We fit 222 discrete Ly-alpha absorbers to sightline A and 211 to sightline B. Relative to a Monte Carlo pairing test (using symmetric, nearest neighbor matching) the data exhibit a 4sigma excess of pairs at low velocity splitting (<150 km/s), thus detecting coherence on transverse scales of ~2.5 h^-1 Mpc. We use spectra extracted from an SPH simulation to analyze symmetric pair matching, transmission distributions as a function of redshift and compute zero-lag cross-correlations to compare with the quasar pair data. The simulations agree with the data with the same strength (~4sigma) at similarly low velocity splitting above random chance pairings. In cross-correlation tests, the simulations agree when the mean flux (as a function of redshift) is assumed to follow the prescription given by Kirkman et al. (2005). While the detection of flux correlation (measured through coincident absorbers and cross-correlation amplitude) is only marginally significant, the agreement between data and simulations is encouraging for future work in which even better quality data will provide the best insight into the overarching structure of the IGM and its understanding as shown by SPH simulations.

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