Quasar outflows and the formation of dwarf galaxies

Abstract

In this paper we propose a scenario for the formation of a population of baryon-rich, dark-matter-deficient dwarf galaxies at high redshift from the mass swept out in the intergalactic medium (IGM) by energetic outflows from luminous quasars. We predict the intrinsic properties of these galaxies, and examine the prospects for their observational detection in the optical, X-ray and radio wavebands. Detectable thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich decrements on arcminute scales in the cosmic microwave background radiation maps are expected during the shock-heated expanding phase from these hot bubbles. We conclude that the optimal detection strategy for these dwarfs is via narrow-band Lyman-a imaging of regions around high-redshift quasars. A scaled-down (in the energetics) version of the same model is speculated upon as a possible mechanism for forming pre-galactic globular clusters.