Abstract
view Abstract Citations (69) References (36) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Attenuation of Lyman-Alpha Emission by Dust in Damped Lyman-Alpha Systems Charlot, Stephane ; Fall, S. M. Abstract We derive relations between the Lyα surface brightness, star formation rate, and abundance of dust in damped Lyα absorption systems. These are idealized as plane-parallel objects in which the sources of Lyα photons are either distributed throughout the gas or confined to a thin, central sheet. For the dust-to-gas ratio in the damped Lyα systems, we adopt the typical value inferred from the reddening of background quasars. We then use the results of several recent searches for Lyα emission to set limits on, and in one case, estimate the star formation rate per unit area of the damped Lyα systems. When the H I column density exceeds 5 x 10^20^ cm^-2^, the attenuation of Lyα emission is large and the star formation rate can be one or two orders of magnitude higher than that in the solar neighborhood. The large uncertainties are caused by the unknown orientations of the damped Lyα systems and the unknown distributions of stars, gas, and dust within them. However, when the H I column density is less than 5 x 10^20^ cm^-2^, the attenuation is smaller and the limits on or value of the star formation rate per unit area are similar to that in the solar neighborhood, a few M_sun_ Gyr^-1^ pc^-2^. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: September 1991 DOI: 10.1086/170448 Bibcode: 1991ApJ...378..471C Keywords: Cosmic Dust; Galactic Evolution; Interstellar Extinction; Interstellar Matter; Lyman Alpha Radiation; Star Formation Rate; Ultraviolet Absorption; Absorption Spectra; Brightness Distribution; Limb Darkening; Photons; Quasars; Radiative Transfer; Astrophysics; COSMOLOGY; GALAXIES: EVOLUTION; GALAXIES: FORMATION; GALAXIES: INTERSTELLAR MATTER; QUASARS; RADIATIVE TRANSFER full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (6) NED (6)
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