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Probing the Diffuse Lyα Emission on Cosmological Scales: Lyα Emission Intensity Mapping Using the Complete SDSS-IV eBOSS

Journal Article · · The Astrophysical Journal. Supplement Series
Based on Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 16, we have detected the large-scale structure of Lyα emission in the universe at redshifts z = 2–3.5 by cross-correlating quasar positions and Lyα emission imprinted in the residual spectra of luminous red galaxies. We apply an analytical model to fit the corresponding Lyα surface brightness profile and multipoles of the redshift-space quasar–Lyα emission cross-correlation function. The model suggests an average cosmic Lyα luminosity density of $$6.6^{+3.3}_{-3.1}$$ x 1040 erg s-1 cMpc-3, a ~2σ detection with a median value about 8–9 times those estimated from deep narrowband surveys of Lyα emitters at similar redshifts. Although the low signal-to-noise ratio prevents us from a significant detection of the Lyα forest–Lyα emission cross-correlation, the measurement is consistent with the prediction of our best-fit model from quasar–Lyα emission cross-correlation within current uncertainties. We rule out the scenario where the Lyα photons mainly originate from quasars. We find that Lyα emission from star-forming galaxies, including contributions from that concentrated around the galaxy centers and that in diffuse Lyα-emitting halos, is able to explain the bulk of the Lyα luminosity density inferred from our measurements. Ongoing and future surveys can further improve the measurements and advance our understanding of the cosmic Lyα emission field.
Research Organization:
US Department of Energy (USDOE), Washington, DC (United States). Office of Science, Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI ID:
2425259
Journal Information:
The Astrophysical Journal. Supplement Series, Journal Name: The Astrophysical Journal. Supplement Series Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 262; ISSN 0067-0049
Publisher:
IOP PublishingCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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