The apparent shape of the "Strömgren sphere'' around the highest-redshift QSOs with Gunn-Peterson troughs

Abstract

Although the highest redshift QSOs (z>6.1) are embedded in a significantly neutral background universe (mass-averaged neutral hydrogen fraction >1%) as suggested by the Gunn-Peterson absorption troughs in their spectra, the intergalactic medium in their vicinity is highly ionized. The highly ionized region is generally idealized as spherical and called the Strömgren sphere. In this paper, by combining the expected evolution of the Strömgren sphere with the rule that the speed of light is finite, we illustrate the apparent shape of the ionization fronts around the highest redshift QSOs and its evolution, which depends on the age, luminosity evolution, and environment of the QSO (e.g., the hydrogen reionization history). The apparent shape may systematically deviate from a spherical shape, unless the QSO age is significantly long compared to the hydrogen recombination process within the ionization front and the QSO luminosity evolution is significantly slow. Effects of anisotropy of QSO emission are also discussed. The apparent shape of the "Strömgren sphere'' may be directly mapped by transmitted spectra of background sources behind or inside the ionized regions or by surveys of the hyperfine transition (21cm) line emission of neutral hydrogen.