Properties of Lya Emitters Around the Radio Galaxy MRC 0316-257
Observations of the radio galaxy MRC 0316-257 at z = 3.13 and the surrounding field are presented. Using narrow- and broad-band imaging obtained with the VLT*, 92 candidate Ly{alpha} emitters with a rest-frame equivalent width of > 15 AngstromS were selected in a {approx} 7{prime} x 7{prime} field around the radio galaxy. Spectroscopy of 40 candidate emitters resulted in the discovery of 33 emission line galaxies of which 31 are Ly{alpha} emitters with redshifts similar to that of the radio galaxy, while the remaining two galaxies turned out to be [{omicron} II] emitters. The Ly{alpha} profiles had widths (FWHM) corresponding to 120-800 kms{sup -1},with a median of 260 kms{sup -1}. Where the signal-to-noise spectra was large enough, the Ly{alpha} profiles are found to be asymmetric, with apparent absorption troughs blueward of the profile peaks, indicative of absorption along the line of sight of an {Eta}{Iota} mass of 1-5000 {mu}{circle_dot}. Besides that of the radio galaxy and one of the emitters that is an QSO, the continuum of the emitters is faint, with luminosities ranging from 1.3 L{sub *} to < 0.03 L{sub *}.The colors of the confirmed emitters are, on average, very blue. The median UV continuum slope is {beta}=-1.65, bluer than the average slope of LBGs with Ly{alpha} emitters is 2.6 {Mu}{circle_dot}{sup -1} as measured by the Ly{alpha} emission line or < 3.9 {Mu}{circle_dot}{sup -1} as measured by the UV continuum. The properties of the Ly{alpha} galaxies (faint, blue and small) are consistent with young star forming galaxies which are nearly dust free. The density of Ly{alpha} emitting galaxies in the field around MRC 0316-257 is a factor of 3.3{sup +0.5}{sub -0.4} larger compared with the density of Ly{alpha} emitters at that redshift. The velocity distribution of the spectroscopically confirmed emitters has a dispersion of 640 km s{sup -1}, corresponding to a FWHM of 1510 km s{sup -1}, which is substantially smaller than the width of the narrow-band filter (FWHM {approx}3500km s{sup -1}). The peak of the velocity distribution is located with 200 kms{sup -1} of the redshift of the radio galaxy. We conclude the confirmed Ly{alpha} emitters are members of a protocluster of galaxies at z {approx}3.13. The size of the protocluster is unconstraint and is larger than 3.3x3.3 Mpc{sup 2}. The mass of this structure is estimated to be > 3-6 x 10{sup 14}{Mu}{circle_dot} and could be the precursor of a cluster of galaxies similar to e.g. the Virgo cluster.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 15014693
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JRNL-206071; AAEJAF; TRN: US200807%%718
- Journal Information:
- Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 675, Issue 2; ISSN 0004-6361
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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