We have re-analyzed the X-ray spectra of the gravitational lensed high-redshift BAL QSO APM 08279+5255, observed with the XMM-Newton and Chandra observatories. Previous studies (Hasinger et al. 2002; Chartas et al. 2002) detected unusual, highly-ionized iron absorption features, but differed in their interpretation of these features, regarding the kinematical and ionization structure. We seek one physical model that can be successfully applied to both observations. For the first time we have performed detailed photoionization modeling on the X-ray spectrum of APM 08279+5255. The absorbing gas in APM 08279+5255 can be represented by a two-absorbers model with column densities N_H(1)~7x10^{22} cm^-2, N_H(2)~6x10^{22} cm^-2, and ionization parameters logxi(1)~1.5 and logxi(2)~3, with one of them (the high-ionization component) outflowing at v~0.18(\pm 0.01)c, carrying large amount of gas out of the system. We find that the Chandra spectrum of APM 08279+5255 requires the same Fe/O ratio overabundance (previously) indicated by the XMM-Newton observation, showing that both absorber components underwent similar chemical evolution and/or have similar origin.
A high-resolution, high signal-to-noise HIRES-Keck spectrum of APM 08279+5255 reveals a feature in the HI Ly alpha profile of the zabs=3.514 absorber at the expected position of the corresponding DI Lyalpha line. The absorber shows a relatively simple velocity structure, with a major component detected in several metallic lines including CII, CIV, SiII, SiIII and Si IV. Modeling of the hydrogen column density with the minimum number of components yields D/H ~ 1.5 x 10E-5. However, a more complex structure for the hydrogen cloud with somewhat ad hoc components would allow a higher D/H. The syst…
A new analysis of Keck/HIRES observations of the broad absorption line QSO APM 0827+5255 indicates that a number of intervening C IV absorbers give rise to absorption lines for which the observed optical depths for 1548, 1550 A doublet components are not in the expected 2:1 ratio. To compensate for the effect, a local adjustment of the zero-level is required. We model this effect as coverage of one line of sight to this gravitationally lensed QSO and perform a set of simulations to select a sample of lines for which our model provides an explanation for the effect. We use lines in this sample …
[Abridged] We present results on the clustering og Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) around a probable damped Ly-alpha absorption (DLA) line cloud at z_DLA=2.974 from deep UBVI images of the field containing the quasar APM 08279+5255 (z=3.91). The large area covered by our images, 0.31 deg^2 or 40x40 Mpc co-moving at z=3, and their depth (27.6 mag arcsec^{-2}), allow us to identify 450 LBG candidates brighter than I(AB)=24.80 at 2.75<z<3.25. LBG candidates were selected using photometric redshift techniques that include priors within a redshift slice of width Wz=0.15 centered at z_DLA. Within that r…
Eleven candidate damped Lya absorption systems were identified in 27 spectra of the quasars from the APM z>4 survey covering the redshift range 2.8<z(abs)<4.4 (8 with z(abs)>3.5). High resolution echelle spectra (0.8A FWHM) have been obtained for three quasars, including 2 of the highest redshift objects in the survey. Two damped systems have confirmed HI column densities of N(HI) >= 10^20.3 atoms cm^-2, with a third falling just below this threshold. We have discovered the highest redshift damped Lya absorber known at z=4.383 in QSO BR1202-0725. The APM QSOs provide a substantial increase in …
Detailed Monte Carlo Inversion analysis of the spectral lines from three Lyman limit systems (LLS) [N(HI) > 10^{17} cm^-2] and nine lower N(HI) systems [2 10^{14} < N(HI) < 2 10^{16} cm^-2] observed in the VLT/UVES spectra of Q0347-3819 (in the range 2.21 <= z <= 3.14) and of APM BR J0307-4945 (at z = 4.21 and 4.81) is presented. Combined with the results from a previous work, the analyzed LLSs show that they are a heterogeneous population originating in different environments. A functional dependence of the line-of-sight velocity dispersion sigma_v on the absorber size L is confirmed: the maj…
We have obtained high signal:to:noise optical spectroscopy at 5Å resolution of 27 quasars from the APM z$>$4 quasar survey. The spectra have been analyzed to create new samples of high redshift Lyman-limit and damped Lyman-$α$ absorbers. These data have been combined with published data sets in a study of the redshift evolution and the column density distribution function for absorbers with $\log$N(HI)$\ge17.5$, over the redshift range 0.01 $<$ z $<$ 5. The main results are: \begin{itemize} \item Lyman limit systems: The data are well fit by a power law $N(z) = N_0(1 + z)^γ$ for the number den…
We have obtained spatially resolved spectra of the z=3.911 triply imaged QSO APM08279+5255 using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). We study the line of sight equivalent width (EW) differences and velocity shear of high and low ionization absorbers (including a damped Lyman alpha [DLA] system identified in a spatially unresolved ground based spectrum) in the three lines of sight. We find that high ionization systems (primarily CIV absorbers) do not exhibit strong EW variations on scales <0.4 kpc; their fractional EW differences are typica…
The APM multicolor survey for bright z > 4 objects, covering 2500 deg^2 of sky to m(R)~19, resulted in the discovery of thirty-one quasars with z > 4. High signal-to-noise optical spectrophotometry at 5A resolution has been obtained for the twenty-eight quasars easily accessible from the northern hemisphere. These spectra have been surveyed to create new samples of high redshift Lyman-limit systems, damped Lyman-alpha absorbers, and metal absorption systems (e.g. CIV and MgII). In this paper we present the spectra, together with line lists of the detected absorption systems. The QSOs display a…
We report the discovery of X-ray broad absorption lines (BALs) from the BALQSO APM 08279+5255 originating from material moving at relativistic velocities with respect to the central source. The large flux magnification by a factor of ~ 100 provided by the gravitational lens effect combined with the large redshift (z = 3.91) of the quasar have facilitated the acquisition of the first high signal-to-noise X-ray spectrum of a quasar containing X-ray BALs. Our analysis of the X-ray spectrum of APM 08279+5255 places the rest-frame energies of the two observed absorption lines at 8.1 and 9.8 keV. Th…
Recent XMM-Newton observations of the high-redshift, lensed, broad absorption line (BAL) quasi-stellar object APM 08279+5255, one of the most luminous objects in the universe, allowed the detection of a high column density absorber ($N_H \approx 10^{23}$ cm$^{-2}$) in the form of a K-shell absorption edge of significantly ionized iron (Fe XV - XVIII) and corresponding ionized lower-energy absorption. Our findings confirm a basic prediction of phenomenological geometry models for the BAL outflow and can constrain the size of the absorbing region. The Fe/O abundance of the absorbing material is …
We report on an observation of the Broad Absorption Line (BAL) quasar PG 1115+080 performed with the XMM-Newton observatory. Spectral analysis reveals the second case of a relativistic X-ray absorbing outflow in a BAL quasar. The first case was revealed in a recent observation of APM 08279+5255 with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The spectrum of PG1115+080 indicates the presence of complex low-energy absorption in the 0.2-0.6 keV observed energy band and high-energy absorption in the 2-5 keV observed energy band. The high-energy absorption is best modeled by two Gaussian absorption lines with …
We present the spectra, positions, and finding charts for 31 bright (R<19.3) colour-selected quasars covering the redshift range z=3.85-4.78, with 4 having redshifts z>4.5. The majority are in the southern sky (dec<-25 deg). The quasar candidates were selected for their red (B-R > 2.5) colours from UK or POSSII Schmidt Plates scanned at the Automated Plate Measuring facility in Cambridge. Low resolution (~> 10A) spectra were obtained to identify the quasars, primarily at the Las Campanas Observatory. The highest redshift quasar in our survey is at z ~ 4.8 (R = 18.7) and its spectrum shows a da…
A study of the absorption systems toward the gravitationally lensed quasar APM 08279+5255 is presented. Most of the MgII systems in the redshift range 1.2-2.07, although saturated, show large residuals at the bottom of the lines. The most likely interpretation is that individual clouds within MgII halos do cover only one of the two brightest QSO images. This reveals that MgII halos are made of a collection of clouds of radius smaller than about 1 kpc. Two strong MgII absorbers at z = 1.062 and 1.181 are studied in detail. This is the first time that the NaI3303 doublet is detected in such high…
We present the first high-resolution (6.2 to 7.7 km/s FWHM) spectra of the APM BR J0307-4945 quasar at z_em = 4.73 obtained with UVES on the 8.2m VLT Kueyen telescope. We focus our analysis on a damped Ly-alpha (DLA) system at z_abs = 4.466 with a neutral hydrogen column density N(HI) = (4.68 +/- 0.97) 10^{20} cm^{-2}. It is the most distant DLA system known to the present date, observed when the age of the universe was only 1.3 Gyr. It shows complex low- and high-ionization line profiles spanning ~240 and 300 km/s in velocity space respectively. We derive accurate abundances for N, O, Al, Si …
1.02-1.16 micron spectra (R ~ 7,000) of the gravitationally lensed QSO APM 08279+5255 at z_em=3.911 were obtained during the commissioning run of IRCS, the 1-5 micron near-infrared camera and spectrograph for the Subaru 8.2 m Telescope. Strong MgII doublet at 2976,2800 angstrom and FeII (2600 angstrom), FeII (2587 angstrom) absorption lines at z_abs=2.974 were clearly detected in the rest-frame UV spectra, confirming the presence of a damped Lyman-alpha system at the redshift as suggested by Petitjean et al. Also MgI (2853 angstrom) absorption line is probably detected. An analysis of the abso…
We report on the results of an analysis in the X-ray band of a recent long ASCA observation of NGC 4395, the most variable low-luminosity AGN known. A relativistically-broadened iron line at ~6.4 keV is clearly resolved in the time-averaged spectrum, with an equivalent width of 310^{+70}_{-90} eV. Time-resolved spectral analysis of the heavily absorbed soft X-ray band confirms the existence of a variable, multi-zone warm absorber in this source, as proposed in a previous analysis of a shorter ASCA observation. The light curve of the source is wildly variable on timescales of hours or less, and…
We present an investigation into the absorber in front of the z=2.63 radio galaxy MRC 2025-218, using integral field spectroscopy obtained at the Very Large Telescope, and long slit spectroscopy obtained at the Keck II telescope. The properties of MRC 2025-218 are particularly conducive to study the nature of the absorbing gas, i.e., this galaxy shows bright and spatially extended Ly-alpha emission, along with bright continuum emission from the active nucleus. Ly-alpha absorption is detected across ~40x30 kpc^2, has a covering factor of ~1, and shows remarkably little variation in its properti…
(Abridged) Cold and warm absorbers have beeen detected in all types of active galaxies (AGN) from low to high redshift. This gas, located in the black hole region of AGN, is thought to play an important role in AGN unification scenarios, in explaining the X-ray background, in black hole growth and AGN evolution. We provide a review of the observations of dusty and dust-free warm and cold absorbers at low and high redshift, including most recent results and exciting questions still open. Emphasis is on the science issues that we will be able to address with XEUS for the first time, particularly…
We re-analyze the HST high resolution spectroscopic data of the intrinsic absorber in NGC 5548 and find that the C IV absorption column density is at least four times larger than previously determined. This increase arises from accounting for the kinematical nature of the absorber and from our conclusion that the outflow does not cover the narrow emission line region in this object. The improved column density determination begins to bridge the gap between the high column densities measured in the X-ray and the low ones previously inferred from the UV lines. Combined with our findings for outf…
We present r'- or i'-band WIYN images of the fields of 15 Sloan Digital Sky Survey quasars that have spectra exhibiting intervening MgII absorption-line systems with rest equivalent widths 2.7A \le REW \le 6.0A and redshifts 0.42 < z_{abs} < 0.84. Such systems are rare and exhibit projected absorption velocity spreads in excess of \approx 300-650 km/s. Approximately 60% are expected to be damped Lyαsystems. In each of our fields we detect at least one galaxy that, if at the absorption redshift, would have impact parameter b \lesssim 40 kpc and luminosity L \gtrsim 0.3 L*. We measure a signific…
We analyze high resolution spectra of a multi--cloud weak [defined as W_r(MgII) < 0.3 A] absorbing system along the line of sight to PG 1634+706. This system gives rise to a partial Lyman limit break and absorption in MgII, SiII, CII, SiIII, SiIV, CIV, and OVI. The lower ionization transitions arise in two kinematic subsystems with a separation of ~150 km/s. Each subsystem is resolved into several narrow components, having Doppler widths of 3-10 kms. For both subsystems, the OVI absorption arises in a separate higher ionization phase, in regions dominated by bulk motions in the range of 30-40 …
Proof of the existence of a significant population of normal disk galaxies at redshift z>2 would have profound implications for theories of structure formation and evolution. We present evidence based on Keck HIRES observations that the damped Lyman-alpha absorber at z=3.15 toward the quasar Q2233+1310 may well be such an example. Djorgovski et al have recently detected the Lyman-alpha emission from the absorber, which we assume is at the systemic redshift of the absorbing galaxy. By examining the profiles of the metal absorption lines arising from the absorbing galaxy in relation to its syste…
We present results from multi-epoch spectral analysis of XMM-Newton and Chandra observations of the mini broad absorption line (BAL) quasar PG 1115+080. This is one of the few X-ray detected mini-BAL quasars to date that is bright enough in the X-ray band, mostly due to large gravitational-lensing magnifications, to allow in-depth spectral analysis. The present XMM-Newton observations of PG 1115+080 have provided the highest signal-to-noise X-ray spectra of a mini-BAL quasar obtained to date. By modeling the spectra of PG 1115+080 we have obtained constraints on the column density and ionizati…
We consider geometries and possible physical models for weak low ionization absorbers based on the relative incidence of low and high ionization absorption systems. We found a total of 16 metal-line systems, with low and/or high ionization absorption detected in our survey of weak low ionization absorption systems from the archive of HST/STIS data. The weak low ionization absorbers trace an abundant population of metal-enriched regions (close to solar metallicity). Generally, models show that these systems have a ~10pc region of higher density gas and a ~1kpc region of lower density phase of h…
We present a study of the Lyαforest at z<0.4 from which we conclude that at least 20% of the total baryons in the universe are located in the highly-ionized gas traced by broad Lyαabsorbers. The cool photoionized low-z intergalactic medium (IGM) probed by narrow Lyαabsorbers contains about 30% of the baryons. We further find that the ratio of broad to narrow Lyαabsorbers is higher at z<0.4 than at 1.5<z<3.6, implying that a larger fraction of the low redshift universe is hotter and/or more kinematically disturbed. We base these conclusions on an analysis of 7 QSOs observed with both FUSE and t…
We report on high spectral resolution observations of five damped Ly-alpha absorbers. Line velocity profiles and heavy element abundances are discussed. Nitrogen is found to have abundances less than silicon in the systems toward Q 0347-383, Q 0913+072, and Q 1213+093. The absorber toward Q 0913+072 is the most metal-deficient damped system known, with [Fe/H] < -3.2. The simple kinematical structure of the metal absorptions makes this system ideal to discuss the [O/Si] and [N/O] ratios. We find [O/H] ~ -2.7 and -2.7 < [Si/H] < -2.2. By combining these data with information gathered in the lite…
