Metal-line system survey: characterizing the low-redshift IGM
Abstract
The low-redshift IGM probes the last ten billion years of metal enrichment from galactic feedback processes. We present preliminary results from a survey of intergalactic metal-line absorption systems in archival HST STIS, GHRS, and FUSE spectra of ≈50 z≲2 UV-bright objects. We summarize the detailed analysis of one sightline (PKS1302-102, z QSO =0.2784) with which we set the methodology for the larger survey. We use simple CLOUDY models to constrain the ionizing mechanism(s) and metallicities for the metal-line systems. For about 15 sightlines, including PKS1302-102, we have a complementary galaxy survey, and we look for correlations between galaxies and absorption systems in order to understand the large-scale distribution of the metal-enriched IGM.
- Publication:
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Astrophysics and Space Science
- Pub Date:
- April 2009
- DOI:
- 10.1007/s10509-007-9721-3
- Bibcode:
- 2009Ap&SS.320...31C
- Keywords:
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- Galaxies: quasars: absorption lines;
- Quasars: individual (PKS1302-102)