A Ly{alpha} HALO AROUND A QUASAR AT REDSHIFT z = 6.4

Journal Article · Thu Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/142/6/186· OSTI ID:22034338

Willott, Chris J; Chet, Savironi; Hutchings, John B ^[1]; Bergeron, Jacqueline ^[2]

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1. Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics, National Research Council, 5071 West Saanich Road, Victoria, BC V9E 2E7 (Canada)
2. Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, CNRS and Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, 98 bis Boulevard Arago, F-75014 Paris (France)

We present long-slit spectroscopic data that reveal extended Ly{alpha} emission around the z = 6.417 radio-quiet quasar CFHQS J2329-0301. The Ly{alpha} emission is extended over 15 kpc and has a luminosity of >8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 36} W, comparable to the most luminous Ly{alpha} halos known. The emission has complex kinematics, in part due to foreground absorption, which only partly covers the extended nebula. The velocity ranges from -500 km s{sup -1} to +500 km s{sup -1}, with a peak remarkably close to the systemic velocity identified by broad Mg II emission of the quasar. There is no evidence for infall or outflow of the halo gas. We speculate that the Ly{alpha} emission mechanism is recombination after quasar photoionization of gas sitting within a high-mass dark matter halo. The immense Ly{alpha} luminosity indicates a higher covering factor of cold gas compared with typical radio-quiet quasars at lower redshift.

• OSTI ID: 22034338
• Journal Information: Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online), Journal Name: Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online) Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 142; ISSN 1538-3881
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ABSORPTION
ASTRONOMY
ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY
EMISSION SPECTRA
LUMINOSITY
LYMAN LINES
MAGNESIUM IONS
MASS
NEBULAE
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
PHOTOIONIZATION
PHOTON EMISSION
QUASARS
RECOMBINATION
RED SHIFT
VELOCITY