A DEEP SEARCH FOR CO J = 2-1 EMISSION FROM A Ly{alpha} BLOB AT z {approx} 6.595
- European Southern Observatory, Casilla 19001, Santiago (Chile)
- National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, TIFR, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007 (India)
We have used the Green Bank Telescope to carry out a deep search for redshifted CO J = 2-1 line emission from an extended (>17 kpc) Ly{alpha} blob (LAB), 'Himiko', at z {approx} 6.595. Our non-detection of CO J = 2-1 emission places the strong 3{sigma} upper limit of L'{sub CO} < 1.8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 10} Multiplication-Sign ({Delta}V/250){sup 1/2} K km s{sup -1} pc{sup 2} on the CO line luminosity. This is comparable to the best current limits on the CO line luminosity in LABs at z {approx} 3 and lower-luminosity Ly{alpha} emitters at z {approx}> 6.5. High-z LABs appear to have lower CO line luminosities than the host galaxies of luminous quasars and submillimeter galaxies at similar redshifts, despite their high stellar mass. Although the CO-to-H{sub 2} conversion factor is uncertain for galaxies in the early universe, we assume X{sub CO} = 0.8 M{sub Sun} (K km s{sup -1} pc{sup 2}){sup -1} to obtain the limit M(H{sub 2}) <1.4 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 10} M{sub Sun} on Himiko's molecular gas mass; this is a factor of {approx}> 2.5 lower than the stellar mass in the z {approx} 6.595 LAB.
- OSTI ID:
- 22047796
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 751, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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