HIGHLY IONIZED PLASMA IN THE HALO OF A LUMINOUS SPIRAL GALAXY NEAR z = 0.225
We present analyses of the physical conditions in the z(O{sub VI})=0.22496 and z(O{sub VI})=0.22638 multiphase absorption systems detected in the ultraviolet Hubble Space Telescope/STIS and FUSE spectra of the quasar H 1821+643 (m{sub V} = 14.2, z{sub em} = 0.297). Both absorbers are likely associated with the extended halo of a {approx}2L*{sub B} Sbc-Sc galaxy situated at a projected distance of {approx}116 h {sup -1}{sub 71} kpc from the sight line. The z = 0.22496 absorber is detected in C II, C III, C IV, O III, O VI, Si II, Si III, and H I (Ly alpha-Lytheta) at >3sigma significance. The components of Si III and Si II are narrow with implied temperatures of T {approx}< 3 x 10{sup 4} K. The low and intermediate ions in this absorber are consistent with an origin in a T {approx} 10{sup 4} K photoionized gas with [Si/H] and [C/H] of {approx}-0.6 dex. In contrast, the broader O VI absorption is likely produced in collisionally ionized plasma under nonequilibrium conditions. The z(O{sub VI})=0.22638 system has broad Ly alpha (BLA) and C III absorption offset by v = -53 km s{sup -1} from O VI. The H I and C III line widths for the BLA imply T = 1.1 x 10{sup 5} K. For non-equilibrium cooling we obtain [C/H] {approx}-1.5 dex and N(H) = 3.2 x 10{sup 18} cm{sup -2} in the BLA. The O VI, offset from the BLA with no detected H I or C III, is likely collisionally ionized at T {approx} 3 x 10{sup 5} K. From the observed multiphase properties and the proximity to a luminous galaxy, we propose that the z = 0.22496 absorber is an extragalactic analog of a highly ionized Galactic HVC, in which the O VI is produced in transition temperature plasma (T {approx} 10{sup 5} K) at the interface layers between the warm (T < 5 x 10{sup 4} K) HVC gas phase and the hot (T {approx}> 10{sup 6} K) coronal halo of the galaxy. The z = 0.22638 O VI-BLA absorber could be tracing a cooling condensing fragment in the nearby galaxy's hot gaseous halo.
- OSTI ID:
- 21394177
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 712, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/712/2/1443; ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
COSMIC ORIGINS SPECTROGRAPH AND FUSE OBSERVATIONS OF T {approx} 10{sup 5} K GAS IN A NEARBY GALAXY FILAMENT
A MULTIPHASE ABSORBER CONTAINING O VI AND BROAD H I DIRECTLY TRACING 10{sup 6} K PLASMA AT LOW REDSHIFT TOWARD HE 0153-4520