More confirmed damped Lyman-Alpha systems from the Las Campanas/Palomar survey

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (27) References (17) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS More Confirmed Damped Lyman-Alpha Systems From the Las Campanas/Palomar Survey Lu, Limin ; Wolfe, Arthur M. Abstract We present moderate-resolution spectra of six high-redshift quasars which contain nine candidate damped Lyα absorption systems identified in the Las Campanas/Palomar survey of Lanzetta et al. [ApJS, 77, 1 (1991)]. Eight of the nine candidate damped Lyα absorption systems are confirmed (one tentative), including seven with N(H I) >= 2 x 10^20^ cm^- 2^. The remaining one turns out to be due to blending of many narrow absorption lines. Accurate absorption redshifts, HI column densities, and metal-line equivalent widths are provided for these systems in order to facilitate future studies of detailed physical condition and chemical abundances. We briefly discuss the 18 other metal-line systems identified along these sight lines. The z_abs_ = 2.6527 system toward Q 2231-00 is interesting in that it shows strong O VIλλ1031, 1037 absorption. The O VI ion is one of the best diagnostics of hot gas, and high resolution studies of the O VI absorption is likely to yield important clues regarding the ionization mechanism of the metal-line systems. Another system, at z_abs_ = 2.377l toward Q 2239-38, shows relatively strong Zn II and Cr II absorption, clearly indicating that it belongs to the same class absorbers as the damped Lyα systems. We have not obtained metal abundances for this system because the H I column density is not available. We also find a Lyman limit absorption system at z_abs_ = 3.5090 toward Q 2239-38 which does not show obvious metal absorption lines. More sensitive observations are required to check on this interesting possibility. Publication: The Astronomical Journal Pub Date: July 1994 DOI: 10.1086/117043 Bibcode: 1994AJ....108...44L Keywords: Astronomical Catalogs; Lyman Alpha Radiation; Lyman Spectra; Quasars; Red Shift; Galactic Evolution; Radio Astronomy; Astrophysics; QUASARS: ABSORPTION LINES; STARS: ABUNDANCES full text sources ADS | data products NED (25) SIMBAD (6)