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arXiv 0806.0372astro-ph
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2<z<4.2时的平坦光电离率:恒星主导的UV背景和反对z~3以上宇宙恒星形成下降的证据

A Flat Photoionization Rate at 2<z<4.2: Evidence for a Stellar-Dominated UV Background and Against a Decline of Cosmic Star Formation Beyond z~3

C. -A. Faucher-Giguere, A. Lidz, L. Hernquist, M. Zaldarriaga

摘要:

我们研究了我们从86个高分辨率类星体光谱样本中测量的红移2<z<4.2处的莱曼α森林不透明度对宇宙紫外光密度演化及其来源的影响。氢的光电离率在此红移范围内是非常平坦的,这意味着随着红移的增加,电离辐射率也随之增加。因为类星体的光度函数在z~2附近有一个强烈的峰值,所以在z>~3时,恒星形成星系可能主导电离辐射率。我们的测量反对恒星形成率密度下降超过z~3,与现有的国家的最先进的测定宇宙恒星形成历史的直接星系计数。因此,来自星系的恒星辐射可能使宇宙再电离。

英文摘要:

We investigate the implications of our measurement of the Lyman-alpha forest opacity at redshifts 2<z<4.2 from a sample of 86 high-resolution quasar spectra for the evolution of the cosmic ultraviolet luminosity density and its sources. The derived hydrogen photoionization rate is remarkably flat over this redshift range, implying an increasing comoving ionizing emissivity with redshift. Because the quasar luminosity function is strongly peaked near z~2, star-forming galaxies likely dominate the ionizing emissivity at z>~3. Our measurement argues against a star formation rate density declining beyond z~3, in contrast with existing state-of-the-art determinations of the cosmic star formation history from direct galaxy counts. Stellar emission from galaxies therefore likely reionized the Universe.

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