Abstract
We present a detailed analysis of the intergalactic metal-line absorption systems in the archival HST STIS and FUSE ultraviolet spectra of the low-redshift quasar PKS 1302-102 (zQSO = 0.2784). We supplement the archive data with CLOUDY ionization models and a survey of galaxies in the quasar field. There are 15 strong Lyα absorbers with column densities log NHI > 14. Of these, six are associated with at least C III λ977 absorption [log N(C++) > 13]; this implies a redshift density dNcIII/dz = 36-9+13 (68% confidence limits) for the five detections with rest equivalent width Wr > 50 mÅ. Two systems show O VI λλ1031, 1037 absorption in addition to C III [log N(O+5) > 14]. One is a partial Lyman limit system (log NHI = 17) with associated C III, O VI, and Si m III λ1206 absorption. There are three tentative O VI systems that do not have C III detected. For one O VI doublet with both lines detected at 3 σ with Wr > 50 mÅ, dNOVI/dz = 7-4 +9. We also search for O VI doublets without Lyα absorption but identify none. From CLOUDY modeling, these metal-line systems have metallicities spanning the range -4 ≲ [M/H] ≲ -0.3. The two O VI systems with associated C III absorption cannot be single-phase, collisionally ionized media based on the relative abundances of the metals and kinematic arguments. From the galaxy survey, we discover that the absorption systems are in a diverse set of galactic environments. Each metal-line system has at least one galaxy within 500 km s-1 and 600 h75-1 kpc with L > 0.1L*.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 262-285 |
Number of pages | 24 |
Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
Volume | 676 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 20 2008 |
Keywords
- Galaxies: general
- Intergalactic medium
- Quasars: absorption lines
- Quasars: individual (PKS 1302-102)
- Techniques: Spectroscopic
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science
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PKS1302-102 intergalactic absorption system
Cooksey, K. L. (Creator), Prochaska, J. X. (Creator), Chen, H.-W. (Creator), Mulchaey, J. S. (Creator) & Weiner, B. J. (Creator), Centre de Donnees Strasbourg (CDS), 2010
DOI: 10.26093/cds/vizier.16760262, https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/ApJ/676/262
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