LYMAN-ALPHA SPECTRA FROM MULTIPHASE OUTFLOWS, AND THEIR CONNECTION TO SHELL MODELS

Abstract

ABSTRACT We perform Lyman-α (Lyα) Monte-Carlo radiative transfer calculations on a suite of 2500 models of multiphase, outflowing media, which are characterized by 14 parameters. We focus on the Lyα spectra emerging from these media and investigate which properties are dominant in shaping the emerging Lyα profile. Multiphase models give rise to a wide variety of emerging spectra, including single-, double-, and triple-peaked spectra. We find that the dominant parameters in shaping the spectra include (i) the cloud covering factor, f c , which is in agreement with earlier studies, and (ii) the temperature and number density of residual H i in the hot ionized medium. We attempt to reproduce spectra emerging from multiphase models with “shell models” which are commonly used to fit observed Lyα spectra, and investigate the connection between shell-model parameters and the physical parameters of the clumpy media. In shell models, the neutral hydrogen content of the shell is one of the key parameters controlling Lyα radiative transfer. Because Lyα spectra emerging from multiphase media depend much less on the neutral hydrogen content of the clumps, the shell-model parameters such as H i column density (but also shell velocity and dust content) are generally not well matched to the associated physical parameters of the clumpy media.