A PHYSICAL MODEL OF Lyalpha EMITTERS
Journal Article
·
· Astrophysical Journal
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287 (United States)
- Saint Mary's University, Halifax, NS B3H 3C3 (Canada)
- Universitaet Zuerich, Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, CH-8057 Zuerich (Switzerland)
- Department of Astronomy and Oskar Klein Centre, AlbaNova, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm (Sweden)
We present a simple physical model for populating dark matter halos with Lyalpha emitters (LAEs) and predict the properties of LAEs at z approx 3-7. The central tenet of this model is that the Lyalpha luminosity is proportional to the star formation rate (SFR) which is directly related to the halo mass accretion rate. The only free parameter in our model is then the star formation efficiency (SFE). An efficiency of 2.5% provides the best fit to the Lyalpha luminosity function (LF) at redshift z = 3.1, and we use this SFE to construct Lyalpha LFs at other redshifts. Our model reproduces the Lyalpha LFs, stellar ages, SFR approx1-10 M {sub sun} yr{sup -1}, stellar masses approx10{sup 7}to10{sup 8} M {sub sun}, and the clustering properties of LAEs at z approx 3-7. We find the spatial correlation lengths r{sub o} approx 3-6 h {sup -1} Mpc, in agreement with the observations. Finally, we estimate the field-to-field variation approx30% for current volume and flux limited surveys, again consistent with observations. Our results suggest that the star formation, and hence Lyalpha emission in LAEs can be powered by accretion of new material. Relating the accreted mass, rather than the total mass, to the Lyalpha luminosity of LAEs naturally gives rise to their duty cycle.
- OSTI ID:
- 21367421
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 704; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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