Metal-rich Absorbers Research Articles

A quasar hiding behind two dusty absorbers

The cosmic chemical enrichment as measured from damped Lyα absorbers (DLAs) will be underestimated if dusty and metal-rich absorbers have evaded identification. Here we report the discovery and present the spectroscopic observations of a quasar, KV-RQ 1500–0031, at z = 2.520 reddened by a likely dusty DLA at z = 2.428 and a strong Mg II absorber at z = 1.603. This quasar was identified as part of the KiDS-VIKING Red Quasar (KV-RQ) survey, specifically aimed at targeting dusty absorbers which may cause the background quasars to escape the optical selection of e.g. the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) quasar sample. For the DLA we find an H I column density of logN(H I) = 21.2 ± 0.1 and a metallicity of [X/H] = − 0.90 ± 0.20 derived from an empirical relation based on the equivalent width of Si IIλ 1526. We observe a total visual extinction of AV = 0.16 mag induced by both absorbers. To put this case into context we compile a sample of 17 additional dusty (AV > 0.1 mag) DLAs toward quasars (QSO-DLAs) from the literature for which we characterize the overall properties, specifically in terms of H I column density, metallicity and dust properties. From this sample we also estimate a correction factor to the overall DLA metallicity budget as a function of the fractional contribution of dusty QSO-DLAs to the bulk of the known QSO-DLA population. We demonstrate that the dusty QSO-DLAs have high metal column densities (logN(H I) + [X/H]) and are more similar to gamma-ray burst (GRB)-selected DLAs (GRB-DLAs) than regular QSO-DLAs. We evaluate the effect of dust reddening in DLAs as well as illustrate how the induced color excess of the underlying quasars can be significant (up to ~1 mag in various optical bands), even for low to moderate extinction values (AV ≲ 0.6 mag). Finally we discuss the direct and indirect implications of a significant dust bias in both QSO- and GRB-DLA samples.

The mass-metallicity relation of absorption selected high-redshift galaxies

AbstractStrong absorption lines in quasar spectra primarily probe low-mass galaxies and detecting these in emission has previously been difficult. Dedicated surveys for the host galaxies of damped Lyman-α (DLA) systems have often resulted in non-detections and upper limits. Targeting the most metal-rich absorbers has proven to be a viable method, because these galaxies are brighter. By combining DLA metallicities and deriving host galaxy stellar masses, we find that metal-rich DLAs (with >10% solar metallicity) and their host galaxies follow the same redshift-dependent scaling relation between stellar mass and metallicity as luminosity-selected galaxies. We derive a prediction for an absorber galaxy mass that depends on the DLA metallicity.

NEAR-INFRARED IMAGING OF SIX METAL-RICH QUASAR ABSORBER GALAXY FIELDS

Absorption lines in quasar spectra allow us to locate and study intervening galaxies. In order to obtain a clearer picture of these absorber galaxies, we have used the Near-Infrared Camera Fabry-Perot System at Apache Point Observatory to obtain near-infrared broadband images in one or more filters (J and Ks ) of six quasar fields containing metal-rich low-z damped or sub-damped Lyα systems. These data allow us to search for the galaxies and constrain their luminosities. Candidate absorber galaxies are detected at 201-738 separation from the quasar in three out of six fields in the J and Ks bands at >3σ level with luminosities ranging from log(L/L ☉) = 10.44-10.36 in the J band (for E-Sc type galaxies) and log(L/L ☉) = 11.59-10.03 in the Ks band for our detections. We place limits on the remaining fields with no detections of log(L/L ☉) <10.83-9.75 for the J band and log(L/L ☉) <10.43-10.05 for the Ks band. We are also able to utilize Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectra for each field to calculate optical fluxes and limits as well as limits on star formation rate via [O II]λ3727 emission in spectra. Our data, combined with other recent imaging results for metal-rich absorbers, suggest a possible positive correlation between absorber metallicity and galaxy luminosity, although the samples are still small.

A SEARCH FOR GALAXIES PRODUCING METAL-RICH QUASAR ABSORBERS

We have carried out optical and near-IR imaging of three fields with metal-rich damped or sub-damped Lyα quasar absorption systems, using the Goddard Fabry-Perot system and the Near-IR Camera and Fabry-Perot Spectrometer at the Apache Point Observatory 3.5 m telescope. The aim of these observations was to detect the underlying galaxies and search for their redshifted [O II] λ3727 emission and optical/near-IR continuum. Candidate absorber galaxies separated by 25-88 from the quasars are detected in two of three absorber fields in the H and KS bands at >3σ level. The potentially high success rate in finding galaxy counterparts of metal-rich absorbers suggests that the metal-rich absorbers may be easier to detect in imaging observations than the metal-poor absorbers targeted in many previous imaging studies of damped Lyα absorbers. Of course, spectroscopic confirmation of the candidate galaxies is necessary to establish whether they are at the absorber redshifts. Interestingly, no significant [O II] emission is detected in any of the fields at >3σ level, implying limits on the star formation rate (SFR) of 0.7-2.6 M ☉ yr–1 per 076 × 076 region, if no dust extinction is assumed. The 3σ sensitivity levels in the narrowband images (tuned to the expected positions of the redshifted [O II] λ3727) ranged between 1.3 × 10–17 and 3.3 × 10–17 erg s–1 cm–2 in observed frame. If the candidate galaxies are at the absorber redshifts, the lack of [O II] emission would suggest that the metal-rich absorbers may arise in early-type or S0 galaxies that do not have significant current star formation. We compare our results with those compiled from the literature and with predictions of global average SFR based on the models of cosmic chemical evolution. Together, these studies indicate SFRs much lower than the predictions for the global mean SFR.

ADAPTIVE OPTICS IMAGING OF A MASSIVE GALAXY ASSOCIATED WITH A METAL-RICH ABSORBER

The damped and sub-damped Lyman-alpha absorption line systems in quasar spectra are believed to be produced by intervening galaxies. However, the connection of quasar absorbers to galaxies is not well-understood, since attempts to image the absorbing galaxies have often failed. While most DLAs appear to be metal-poor, a population of metal-rich absorbers, mostly sub-DLAs, has been discovered in recent studies. Here we report high-resolution K-band imaging with the Keck Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics (LGSAO) system of the field of quasar SDSSJ1323-0021 in search of the galaxy producing the z = 0.72 sub-DLA absorber. With a metallicity of 2-4 times the solar level, this absorber is of the most metal-rich systems found to date. Our data show a large bright galaxy with an angular separation of only 1.25" from the quasar, well-resolved from the quasar at the high resolution of our data. The galaxy has a magnitude of K = 17.6-17.9, which corresponds to a luminosity of ~ 3-6 L*. Morphologically, the galaxy is fit with a model with an effective radius, enclosing half the total light, of R_e = 4 kpc and a bulge-to-total ratio of 0.4-1.0, indicating a substantial bulge stellar population. Based on the mass-metallicity relation of nearby galaxies, the absorber galaxy appears to have a stellar mass > 10^{11} M_sun. Given the small impact parameter, this massive galaxy appears to be responsible for the metal-rich sub-DLA. The absorber galaxy is consistent with the metallicity-luminosity relation observed for nearby galaxies, but is near the upper end of metallicity. Our study marks the first application of LGSAO for study of structure of galaxies producing distant quasar absorbers. Finally, this study offers the first example of a massive galaxy with a substantial bulge producing a metal-rich absorber.

Metal-rich absorbers at high redshifts: abundance patterns

(Abbreviated) From six spectra of high-z QSOs, we select eleven metal-rich, Z>=Z_solar, and optically-thin to the ionizing radiation, N(HI)<10^17 cm^-2, absorption systems ranging between z=1.5 and z=2.9 and revealing lines of different ions in subsequent ionization stages. The majority of the systems (10 from 11) show abundance patterns which relate them to outflows from low and intermediate mass stars. All systems have sub-kpc linear sizes along the line-of-sight with many less than 20 pc. In several systems, silicon is deficient, presumably due to the depletion onto dust grains in the envelopes of dust-forming stars and the subsequent gas-dust separation. At any value of [C/H], nitrogen can be either deficient, [N/C]<0, or enhanced, [N/C]>0, which supposes that the nitrogen enrichment occurs irregularly. In some cases, the lines of MgII 2796, 2803 appear to be shifted, probably as a result of an enhanced content of heavy isotopes 25Mg and 26Mg in the absorbing gas relative to the solar isotopic composition. Seven absorbers are characterized by low mean ionization parameter U, log U<-2.3, among them only one system has a redshift z>2 whereas all others are found at z ~= 1.8. Comparing the space number density of metal-rich absorbers with the comoving density of star-forming galaxies at z ~= 2, we estimate that the circumgalactic volume of each galaxy is populated by 10^7 - 10^8 such absorbers with total mass <=1/100th of the stellar galactic mass. Possible effects of high metal content on the peak values of star-forming and AGN activities at z~2 are discussed.