arXiv subjects

Fakhri S. Zahedy

Publications and source records attributed to Fakhri S. Zahedy.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

The Cosmic Ultraviolet Baryon Survey (CUBS) -- III. Physical properties and elemental abundances of Lyman limit systems at $z<1$

(Abridged) We present a systematic investigation of physical conditions and elemental abundances in four optically thick Lyman-limit systems (LLSs) at $z=0.36-0.6$ discovered within the Cosmic Ultraviolet Baryon Survey (CUBS). CUBS LLSs exhibit multi-component kinematic structure and a complex mix of multiphase gas, with associated metal transitions from multiple ionization states that span several hundred km/s in line-of-sight velocity. Specifically, higher column density components (log N(HI)>16) in all four absorbers comprise dynamically cool gas with $\langle T \rangle =(2\pm1) \times10^4\,$K and modest non-thermal broadening of $5\pm3\,$ km/s. The high quality of the QSO absorption spectra allows us to infer the physical conditions of the gas, using a detailed ionization modeling that takes into account the resolved component structures of HI and metal transitions. The range of inferred gas densities indicates that these absorbers consist of spatially compact clouds with a median line-of-sight thickness of $160^{+140}_{-50}$ pc. While obtaining robust metallicity constraints for the low-density, highly ionized phase remains challenging due to the uncertain N(HI), we demonstrate that the cool-phase gas in LLSs has a median metallicity of $\mathrm{[α/H]_{1/2}}=-0.7^{+0.1}_{-0.2}$, with a 16-84 percentile range of $\mathrm{[α/H]}=(-1.3,-0.1)$. Furthermore, the wide range of inferred elemental abundance ratios ($\mathrm{[C/α]}$, $\mathrm{[N/α]}$, and $\mathrm{[Fe/α]}$) indicate a diversity of chemical enrichment histories. Combining the absorption data with deep galaxy survey data characterizing the galaxy environment of these absorbers, we discuss the physical connection between star-forming regions in galaxies and diffuse gas associated with optically thick absorption systems in the $z<1$ circumgalactic medium.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

The Cosmic Ultraviolet Baryon Survey (CUBS) II: Discovery of an H$_{2}$-Bearing DLA in the Vicinity of an Early-Type Galaxy at z = 0.576

We report the serendipitous detection of an H$_{2}$-bearing damped Lyman-$α$ absorber at z = 0.576 in the spectrum of the QSO J0111-0316 in the Cosmic Ultraviolet Baryon Survey. Spectroscopic observations from HST-COS in the far-ultraviolet reveal a damped absorber with log[N(HI)/cm^-2] = 20.1 +/- 0.2 and log[N(H$_{2}$)/cm^-2] = 18.97 (-0.06, +0.05). The diffuse molecular gas is found in two velocity components separated by dv = 60 km/s, with >99.9% of the total H$_{2}$ column density concentrated in one component. At a metallicity of $\approx$ 50% of solar, there is evidence for Fe enhancement and dust depletion, with a dust-to-gas ratio $κ_{\text{O}} \approx$ 0.4. A galaxy redshift survey conducted with IMACS and LDSS-3C on Magellan reveals an overdensity of nine galaxies at projected distance d <= 600 proper kpc (pkpc) and line-of-sight velocity offset dv$_{g}$ <= 300 km/s from the absorber. The closest is a massive, early-type galaxy at d = 41 pkpc which contains $\approx$ 70% of the total stellar mass identified at d <= 310 pkpc of the H$_{2}$ absorber. The close proximity of the H$_{2}$-bearing gas to the quiescent galaxy and the Fe-enhanced chemical abundance pattern of the absorber suggest a physical connection, in contrast to a picture in which DLAs are primarily associated with gas-rich dwarfs. This case study illustrates that deep galaxy redshift surveys are needed to gain insight into the diverse environments that host dense and potentially star-forming gas.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

A Complete Census of Circumgalactic MgII at Redshift z<~ 0.5

We present a survey of MgII absorbing gas in the vicinity of 380 random galaxies, using 156 background quasi-stellar objects(QSOs) as absorption-line probes. The sample comprises 211 isolated (73 quiescent and 138 star-forming galaxies) and 43 non-isolated galaxies with sensitive constraints for both MgII absorption and Ha emission. The projected distances span a range from d=9 to 497 kpc, redshifts of the galaxies range from z=0.10 to 0.48, and rest-frame absolute B-band magnitudes range from $M_{\rm B}=-16.7$ to $-22.8$. Our analysis shows that the rest-frame equivalent width of MgII, $W_r$(2796), depends on halo radius($R_h$), $B$-band luminosity($L_{\rm B}$) and stellar mass ($M_{\rm star}$) of the host galaxies, and declines steeply with increasing $d$ for isolated, star-forming galaxies. $W_r$(2796) exhibits no clear trend for either isolated, quiescent galaxies or non-isolated galaxies. The covering fraction of MgII absorbing gas $\langle κ\rangle$ is high with $\langle κ\rangle\gtrsim 60$% at $<40$ kpc for isolated galaxies and declines rapidly to $\langle κ\rangle\approx 0$ at $d\gtrsim100$ kpc. Within the gaseous radius, $\langle κ\rangle$ depends sensitively on both $M_{\rm star}$ and the specific star formation rate inferred from Ha. Different from massive quiescent halos, the observed velocity dispersion of MgII gas around star-forming galaxies is consistent with expectations from virial motion, which constrains individual clump mass to $m_{\rm cl} \gtrsim 10^5 \,\rm M_\odot$ and cool gas accretion rate of $\sim 0.7-2 \,M_\odot\,\rm yr^{-1}$. We find no strong azimuthal dependence of MgII absorption for either star-forming or quiescent galaxies. Our results highlight the need of a homogeneous, absorption-blind sample for establishing a holistic description of chemically-enriched gas in the circumgalactic space.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

Evidence for Late-Time Feedback from the Discovery of Multiphase Gas in a Massive Elliptical at $z=0.4$

We report the first detection of multiphase gas within a quiescent galaxy beyond $z\approx0$. The observations use the brighter image of doubly lensed QSO HE 0047$-$1756 to probe the ISM of the massive ($M_{\rm star}\approx 10^{11} \mathrm{M_\odot}$) elliptical lens galaxy at $z_\mathrm{gal}=0.408$. Using Hubble Space Telescope's Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), we obtain a medium-resolution FUV spectrum of the lensed QSO and identify numerous absorption features from $\mathrm{H_2}$ in the lens ISM at projected distance $d=4.6$ kpc. The $\mathrm{H_2}$ column density is $\log N(\mathrm{H_2})/\mathrm{cm^{-2}}=17.8^{+0.1}_{-0.3}$ with a molecular gas fraction of $f_\mathrm{H_2}=2-5\%$, roughly consistent with some local quiescent galaxies. The new COS spectrum also reveals kinematically complex absorption features from highly ionized species O VI and N V with column densities log $N(\mathrm{O VI})/\mathrm{cm^{-2}} =15.2\pm0.1$ and log $N(\mathrm{N V})/\mathrm{cm^{-2}} =14.6\pm0.1$, among the highest known in external galaxies. Assuming the high-ionization absorption features originate in a transient warm ($T\sim10^5\,$K) phase undergoing radiative cooling from a hot halo surrounding the galaxy, we infer a mass accretion rate of $\sim 0.5-1.5\,\mathrm{M_\odot\,yr^{-1}}$. The lack of star formation in the lens suggests the bulk of this flow is returned to the hot halo, implying a heating rate of $\sim10^{48}\,\mathrm{erg\,yr^{-1}}$. Continuous heating from evolved stellar populations (primarily SNe Ia but also winds from AGB stars) may suffice to prevent a large accumulation of cold gas in the ISM, even in the absence of strong feedback from an active nucleus.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

The Cosmic Ultraviolet Baryon Survey (CUBS) I. Overview and the diverse environments of Lyman limit systems at z<1

We present initial results from the Cosmic Ultraviolet Baryon Survey (CUBS). CUBS is designed to map diffuse baryonic structures at redshift z<~1 using absorption-line spectroscopy of 15 UV-bright QSOs with matching deep galaxy survey data. CUBS QSOs are selected based on their NUV brightness to avoid biases against the presence of intervening Lyman Limit Systems (LLSs) at zabs<1. We report five new LLSs of log N(HI)/cm^-2 >~ 17.2 over a total redshift survey pathlength of dz=9.3, and a number density of n(z)=0.43 (-0.18, +0.26). Considering all absorbers with log N(HI)/cm^-2 > 16.5 leads to n(z)=1.08 (-0.25, +0.31) at z<1. All LLSs exhibit a multi-component structure and associated metal transitions from multiple ionization states such as CII, CIII, MgII, SiII, SiIII, and OVI absorption. Differential chemical enrichment levels as well as ionization states are directly observed across individual components in three LLSs. We present deep galaxy survey data obtained using the VLT-MUSE integral field spectrograph and the Magellan Telescopes, reaching sensitivities necessary for detecting galaxies fainter than 0.1L* at d<~300 physical kpc (pkpc) in all five fields. A diverse range of galaxy properties is seen around these LLSs, from a low-mass dwarf galaxy pair, a co-rotating gaseous halo/disk, a star-forming galaxy, a massive quiescent galaxy, to a galaxy group. The closest galaxies have projected distances ranging from d=15 to 72 pkpc and intrinsic luminosities from ~0.01L* to ~3L*. Our study shows that LLSs originate in a variety of galaxy environments and trace gaseous structures with a broad range of metallicities.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

Probing the thermal state of the intergalactic medium at $z>5$ with the transmission spikes in high-resolution Ly$α$ forest spectra

We compare a sample of five high-resolution, high S/N Ly$α$ forest spectra of bright $6 5$ with those obtained from mock absorption spectra from the Sherwood and Sherwood-Relics suites of hydrodynamical simulations of the intergalactic medium (IGM). We use a profile fitting procedure for the inverted transmitted flux, $1-F$, similar to the widely used Voigt profile fitting of the transmitted flux $F$ at lower redshifts, to characterise the transmission spikes that probe predominately underdense regions of the IGM. We are able to reproduce the width and height distributions of the transmission spikes, both with optically thin simulations of the post-reionization Universe using a homogeneous UV background and full radiative transfer simulations of a late reionization model. We find that the width of the fitted components of the simulated transmission spikes is very sensitive to the instantaneous temperature of the reionized IGM. The internal structures of the spikes are more prominant in low temeperature models of the IGM. The width distribution of the observed transmission spikes, which require high spectral resolution ($\leq $ 8 km/s) to be resolved, is reproduced for optically thin simulations with a temperature at mean density of $T_0= (11000 \pm 1600,10500\pm 2100,12000 \pm 2200)$ K at $z= (5.4,5.6,5.8)$. This is weakly dependent on the slope of the temperature-density relation, which is favoured to be moderately steeper than isothermal. In the inhomogeneous, late reionization, full radiative transfer simulations where islands of neutral hydrogen persist to $z\sim5.3$, the width distribution of the observed transmission spikes is consistent with the range of $T_0$ caused by spatial fluctuations in the temperature-density relation.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2019

COS Observations of the Cosmic Web: A Search for the Cooler Components of a Hot, X-ray Identified Filament

In the local universe, a large fraction of the baryon content is believed to exist as diffuse gas in filaments. While this gas is directly observable in X-ray emission around clusters of galaxies, it is primarily studied through its UV absorption. Recently, X-ray observations of large-scale filaments connecting to the cosmic web around the nearby ($z=0.05584$) cluster Abell 133 were reported. One of these filaments is intersected by the sightline to quasar [VV98] J010250.2$-$220929, allowing for a first-ever census of cold, cool, and warm gas in a filament of the cosmic web where hot gas has been seen in X-ray emission. Here, we present UV observations with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph and optical observations with the Magellan Echellette spectrograph of [VV98] J010250.2$-$220929. We find no evidence of cold, cool, or warm gas associated with the filament. In particular, we set a $2σ$ upper limit on Ly$α$ absorption of $\log(N_{HI} / \textrm{cm}^{-2}) < 13.7$, assuming a Doppler parameter of $b=20\,\textrm{km}\,\textrm{s}^{-1}$. As this sightline is ${\sim}1100\,\textrm{pkpc}$ ($0.7R_\textrm{vir}$) from the center of Abell 133, we suggest that all gas in the filament is hot at this location, or that any warm, cool, or cold components are small and clumpy. A broader census of this system -- combining more UV sightlines, deeper X-ray observations, and a larger redshift catalog of cluster members -- is needed to better understand the roles of filaments around clusters.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

A Giant Intragroup Nebula Hosting a Damped Lya Absorber at z=0.313

This paper reports the discovery of spatially-extended line-emitting nebula, reaching to ~100 physical kpc (pkpc) from a damped Lyα absorber (DLA) at z_DLA=0.313 along the sightline toward QSO PKS1127-145 (z_QSO=1.188). This DLA was known to be associated with a galaxy group of dynamical mass M_group ~3e12 M_sun, but its physical origin remained ambiguous. New wide-field integral field observations revealed a giant nebula detected in [OII], Hβ, [OIII], Hα, and [NII] emission, with the line-emitting gas following closely the motions of group galaxies. One of the denser streams passes directly in front of the QSO with kinematics consistent with the absorption profiles recorded in the QSO echelle spectra. The emission morphology, kinematics, and line ratios of the nebula suggest that shocks and turbulent mixing layers, produced as a result of stripped gaseous streams moving at supersonic speed across the ambient hot medium, contribute significantly to the ionization of the gas. While the DLA may not be associated with any specific detected member of the group, both the kinematic and dust properties are consistent with the DLA originating in streams of gas stripped from sub-L* group members at <~25 pkpc from the QSO sightline. This study demonstrates that gas stripping in low-mass galaxy groups is effective in releasing metal-enriched gas from star-forming regions, producing absorption systems in QSO spectra, and that combining absorption and emission-line observations provides an exciting new opportunity for studying gas and galaxy co-evolution.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

Probing IGM accretion onto faint Lyα emitters at z~2.8

(abridged) Observing the signature of accretion from the intergalactic medium (IGM) onto galaxies at z~3 requires the detection of faint (L<<L*) galaxies embedded in a filamentary matrix of low-density, metal-poor gas coherent over hundreds of kpc. We study the gaseous environment of three Lyman$α$ emitters (LAEs) at z=2.7-2.8, found to be aligned in projection with a background QSO over ~250 kpc along the slit of a long-slit spectrum. The lack of detection of the LAEs in deep continuum images and the low inferred Ly$α$ luminosities show the LAEs to be intrinsically faint, low-mass galaxies (L<0.1 L*, M_star< 0.1 M*). An echelle spectrum of the QSO reveals strong Ly-alpha absorption within $\pm200$ km/s from the LAEs. Our absorption line analysis leads to HI column densities in the range of log N(HI) =16-18. Associated absorption from ionic metal species CIV and SiIV constrains the gas metallicities to ~0.01 solar if the gas is optically thin, and possibly as low as ~0.001 solar if the gas is optically thick, assuming photoionization equilibrium. While the inferred metallicities are at least a factor of ten lower than expected metallicities in the interstellar medium (ISM) of these LAEs, they are consistent with the observed chemical enrichment level in the IGM at the same epoch. Total metal abundances and kinematic arguments suggest that these faint galaxies have not been able to affect the properties of their surrounding gas. The projected spatial alignment of the LAEs, together with the kinematic quiescence and correspondence between the LAEs and absorbing gas in velocity space suggests that these observations probe a possible filamentary structure. Taken together with the blue-dominant Ly$α$ emission line profile of one of the objects, the evidence suggests that the absorbing gas is part of an accretion stream of low-metallicity gas in the IGM.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

Characterizing Circumgalactic Gas around Massive Ellipticals at z~0.4 - II. Physical Properties and Elemental Abundances

We present a systematic investigation of the circumgalactic medium (CGM) within projected distances d<160 kpc of luminous red galaxies (LRGs). The sample comprises 16 intermediate-redshift (z=0.21-0.55) LRGs of stellar mass M_star>1e11 M_sun. Combining far-ultraviolet Cosmic Origin Spectrograph spectra from the Hubble Space Telescope and optical echelle spectra from the ground enables a detailed ionization analysis based on resolved component structures of a suite of absorption transitions, including the full HI Lyman series and various ionic metal transitions. By comparing the relative abundances of different ions in individually-matched components, we show that cool gas (T~1e4 K) density and metallicity can vary by more than a factor of ten in in an LRG halo. Specifically, metal-poor absorbing components with <1/10 solar metallicity are seen in 50% of the LRG halos, while gas with solar and super-solar metallicity is also common. These results indicate a complex multiphase structure and poor chemical mixing in these quiescent halos. We calculate the total surface mass density of cool gas, Σ_cool, by applying the estimated ionization fraction corrections to the observed HI column densities. The radial profile of Σ_cool is best-described by a projected Einasto profile of slope α=1 and scale radius r_s=48 kpc. We find that typical LRGs at z~0.4 contain cool gas mass of M_cool= (1-2) x1e10 M_sun at d<160 kpc (or as much as 4x1e10 M_sun at d<500 kpc), comparable to the cool CGM mass of star-forming galaxies. Furthermore, we show that high-ionization OVI and low-ionization absorption species exhibit distinct velocity profiles, highlighting their different physical origins. We discuss the implications of our findings for the origin and fate of cool gas in LRG halos.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

Characterizing circumgalactic gas around massive ellipticals at z~0.4 III. The galactic environment of a chemically-pristine Lyman limit absorber

This paper presents a study of the galactic environment of a chemically-pristine (<0.6% solar metallicity) Lyman Limit system (LLS) discovered along the sightline toward QSO SDSSJ135726.27+043541.4 (zQSO=1.233) at projected distance d=126 physical kpc (pkpc) from a luminous red galaxy (LRG) at z=0.33. Combining deep Hubble Space Telescope images, MUSE integral field spectroscopic data, and wide-field redshift survey data has enabled an unprecedented, ultra-deep view of the environment around this LRG-LLS pair. A total of 12 galaxies, including the LRG, are found at d<~400 pkpc and line-of-sight velocity dv<600 km/s of the LLS, with intrinsic luminosity ranging from 0.001L* to 2L* and a corresponding stellar mass range of Mstar=10^{7-11} Msun. All 12 galaxies contribute to a total mass of Mstar=1.6e11 Msun with ~80% contained in the LRG. The line-of-sight velocity dispersion of these galaxies is found to be σ_group=230 km/s with the center of mass at d_group=118 pkpc and line-of-sight velocity offset of Δv_group=181 km/s from the LLS. Three of these are located at d<~100 pkpc from the LLS, and they are all faint with intrinsic luminosity <0.02 L* and gas phase metallicity of ~10% solar in their interstellar medium. The disparity in the chemical enrichment level between the LLS and the group members suggests that the LLS originates in infalling intergalactic medium and that parts of the intergalactic gas near old and massive galaxies can still remain chemically pristine through the not too distant past.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2018

Characterizing Circumgalactic Gas around Massive Ellipticals at z ~ 0.4 I. Initial Results

We present a new Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) absorption-line survey to study halo gas around 16 luminous red galaxies (LRGs) at z=0.21-0.55. The LRGs are selected uniformly with stellar mass Mstar>1e11 Msun and no prior knowledge of the presence/absence of any absorption features. Based on observations of the full Lyman series, we obtain accurate measurements of neutral hydrogen column density N(HI) and find that high-N(HI) gas is common in these massive quiescent halos with a median of = 16.6 at projected distances d<~160 kpc. We measure a mean covering fraction of optically-thick gas with log N(HI)>~17.2 of LLS=0.44^{+0.12}_{-0.11} at d<~160 kpc and LLS=0.71^{+0.11}_{-0.20} at d<~100 kpc. The line-of-sight velocity separations between the HI absorbing gas and LRGs are characterized by a mean and dispersion of =29 km/s and σ_v_{gas-gal}=171 km/s. Combining COS FUV and ground-based echelle spectra provides an expanded spectral coverage for multiple ionic transitions, from low-ionization MgII and SiII, to intermediate ionization SiIII and CIII, and to high-ionization OVI absorption lines. We find that intermediate ions probed by CIII and SiIII are the most prominent UV metal lines in LRG halos with a mean covering fraction of _{0.1}=0.75^{+0.08}_{-0.13} for W(977)>=0.1 Ang at d<160 kpc, comparable to what is seen for CIII in L* and sub-L* star-forming and red galaxies but exceeding MgII or OVI in quiescent halos. The COS-LRG survey shows that massive quiescent halos contain widespread chemically-enriched cool gas and that little distinction between LRG and star-forming halos is found in their HI and CIII content.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2017

HST Detection of Extended Neutral Hydrogen in a Massive Elliptical at z = 0.4

We report the first detection of extended neutral hydrogen (HI) gas in the interstellar medium (ISM) of a massive elliptical galaxy beyond z~0. The observations utilize the doubly lensed images of QSO HE 0047-1756 at z_QSO = 1.676 as absorption-line probes of the ISM in the massive (M_star ~ 10^11 M_sun) elliptical lens at z = 0.408, detecting gas at projected distances of d = 3.3 and 4.6 kpc on opposite sides of the lens. Using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS), we obtain UV absorption spectra of the lensed QSO and identify a prominent flux discontinuity and associated absorption features matching the Lyman series transitions at z = 0.408 in both sightlines. The HI column density is log N(HI) = 19.6-19.7 at both locations across the lens, comparable to what is seen in 21 cm images of nearby ellipticals. The HI gas kinematics are well-matched with the kinematics of the FeII absorption complex revealed in ground-based echelle data, displaying a large velocity shear of 360 km/s across the galaxy. We estimate an ISM Fe abundance of 0.3-0.4 solar at both locations. Including likely dust depletions increases the estimated Fe abundances to solar or supersolar, similar to those of the hot ISM and stars of nearby ellipticals. Assuming 100% covering fraction of this Fe-enriched gas,we infer a total Fe mass of M_cool(Fe)~(5-8)x10^4 M_sun in the cool ISM of the massive elliptical lens, which is no more than 5% of the total Fe mass observed in the hot ISM.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2017

Gauging Metallicity of Diffuse Gas Under An Uncertain Ionizing Radiation Field

Gas metallicity is a key quantity used to determine the physical conditions of gaseous clouds in a wide range of astronomical environments, including interstellar and intergalactic space. In particular, considerable effort in circumgalactic medium (CGM) studies focuses on metallicity measurements, because gas metallicity serves as a critical discriminator for whether the observed heavy ions in the CGM originate in chemically-enriched outflows or in more chemically-pristine gas accreted from the intergalactic medium. However, because the gas is ionized, a necessary first step in determining CGM metallicity is to constrain the ionization state of the gas which, in addition to gas density, depends on the ultraviolet background radiation field (UVB). While it is generally acknowledged that both the intensity and spectral slope of the UVB are uncertain, the impact of an uncertain spectral slope has not been properly addressed in the literature. This Letter shows that adopting a different spectral slope can result in an order of magnitude difference in the inferred CGM metallicity. Specifically, a harder UVB spectrum leads to a higher estimated gas metallicity for a given set of observed ionic column densities . Therefore, such systematic uncertainties must be folded into the error budget for metallicity estimates of ionized gas. An initial study shows that empirical diagnostics are available for discriminating between hard and soft ionizing spectra. Applying these diagnostics helps reduce the systematic uncertainties in CGM metallicity estimates.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2016

On the radial profile of gas-phase Fe/α ratio around distant galaxies

This paper presents a study of the chemical compositions in cool gas around a sample of 27 intermediate-redshift galaxies. The sample comprises 13 massive quiescent galaxies at z=0.40-0.73 probed by QSO sightlines at projected distances d=3-400 kpc, and 14 star-forming galaxies at z=0.10-1.24 probed by QSO sightlines at d=8-163 kpc. The main goal of this study is to examine the radial profiles of the gas-phase Fe/α ratio in galaxy halos based on the observed Fe II to Mg II column density ratios. Because Mg+ and Fe+ share similar ionization potentials, the relative ionization correction is small in moderately ionized gas and the observed ionic abundance ratio N(Fe II)/N(Mg II) places a lower limit to the underlying (Fe/Mg) elemental abundance ratio. For quiescent galaxies, a median and dispersion of log =-0.06+/-0.15 is found at d<~60 kpc, which declines to log <-0.3 at d>~100 kpc. On the other hand, star-forming galaxies exhibit log =-0.25+/-0.21 at d<~60 kpc and log =-0.9+/-0.4 at larger distances. Including possible differential dust depletion or ionization correction would only increase the inferred (Fe/Mg) ratio. The observed N(FeII)/N(Mg II) implies super-solar Fe/α ratios in the inner halo of quiescent galaxies. An enhanced Fe abundance indicates a substantial contribution by Type Ia supernovae in the chemical enrichment, which is at least comparable to what is observed in the solar neighborhood or in intracluster media but differs from young star-forming regions. In the outer halos of quiescent galaxies and in halos around star-forming galaxies, however, the observed N(Fe II)/N(Mg II) is consistent with an α-element enhanced enrichment pattern, suggesting a core-collapse supernovae dominated enrichment history.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2016

Probing the Cool Interstellar and Circumgalactic Gas of Three Massive Lensing Galaxies at z=0.4-0.7

We present multi-sightline absorption spectroscopy of cool gas around three lensing galaxies at z=0.4-0.7. These lenses have half-light radii r_e=2.6-8 kpc and stellar masses of log M*/Ms=10.9-11.4, and therefore resemble nearby passive elliptical galaxies. The lensed QSO sightlines presented here occur at projected distances of d=3-15 kpc (or d~1-2 r_e) from the lensing galaxies, providing for the first time an opportunity to probe both interstellar gas at r~r_e and circumgalactic gas at larger radii r>>re of these distant quiescent galaxies. We observe distinct gas absorption properties among different lenses and among sightlines of individual lenses. Specifically, while the quadruple lens for HE0435-1223 shows no absorption features to very sensitive limits along all four sightlines, strong Mg II, Fe II, Mg I, and Ca II absorption transitions are detected along both sightlines near the double lens for HE0047-1756, and in one of the two sightlines near the double lens for HE1104-1805. The absorbers are resolved into 8-15 individual components with a line-of-sight velocity spread of dv~300-600 km/s. The large ionic column densities, log N>14, observed in two components suggest that these may be Lyman limit or damped Lya absorbers with a significant neutral hydrogen fraction. The majority of the absorbing components exhibit a uniform super solar Fe/Mg ratio with a scatter of <0.1 dex across the full dv range. Given a predominantly old stellar population in these lensing galaxies, we argue that the observed large velocity width and Fe-rich abundance pattern can be explained by SNe Ia enriched gas at radius r~r_e. We show that additional spatial constraints in line-of-sight velocity and relative abundance ratios afforded by a multi-sightline approach provide a powerful tool to resolve the origin of chemically-enriched cool gas in massive halos.

astro-ph.GA↗