arXiv subjects

Simon L. Morris

Publications and source records attributed to Simon L. Morris.

41 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv1997

Star Formation in Cluster Galaxies at 0.2<z<0.55

The rest frame equivalent width of the [OII]3727 emission line, W(OII), has been measured for cluster and field galaxies in the CNOC redshift survey of rich clusters at 0.2 10 A, as expected in a model of cluster formation in which star formation is truncated upon infall. Evidence of supressed star formation relative to the field is present in the whole cluster sample, out to 2 R_{200}, so the mechanism responsible for the differential evolution must be acting at a large distance from the cluster centre, and not just in the core. The mean star formation rate in the cluster galaxies with the strongest emission corresponds to an increase in the total stellar mass of less than about 4% if the star formation is due to a secondary burst lasting 0.1 Gyr.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1996

GHRS Observations of the Lyman alpha Forest

I review the results obtained using the GHRS on low redshift Lyman alpha absorbers. Until the advent of HST and the GHRS, the existence of such absorbers was doubted. The confirmation of their existence, in one of the first GHRS GTO team results to be published, must rank as one of the HSTs most interesting results. The GHRS resolution allows us to probe equivalent widths well below those detectable with the FOS, and has led to a number of interesting new questions. One example is the apparent disagreement between the GHRS result that there are many Lyman alpha absorbers which are not associated with luminous galaxies, and FOS studies which suggest that all such absorbers have a nearby galaxy causing them. This almost certainly shows that the equivalent width (or column density) range reachable by the GHRS includes gas from a wide range of causes, and not only the halos of luminous galaxies. With these data, we are seeing the debris left over from Galaxy formation, material flung out from galaxy interactions and starbursts, and also diffuse halo material at the outer edges of normal galaxies.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1996

GHRS Monitoring of the Outflowing Material in NGC 4151

We present the results of a GHRS program to monitor the absorption lines in the spectrum of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 4151 caused by outflowing gas from the nucleus. Although we see subtle changes over the four year period in the GHRS spectra of the broader of the absorption features, the wavelength constancy of all the features is remarkable. The limits on the secular acceleration suggest that either (1) The absorbing clouds are well beyond the broad emission line region, or (2) The clouds are experiencing significant drag from an intercloud medium. The exception to this constancy occurred during one of the epochs of our monitoring when a broad shallow C IV trough appeared at an outflow velocity of 3750 km/s and then subsequently disappeared.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1994

Lyman Alpha Absorption and Tidal Debris

The origin and evolution of structure in the Universe is one of the major questions occupying astronomers today. An understanding of the Lyalpha absorbers seen in QSO spectra is an important part of this program since such absorbers can be traced back to very high redshifts. Their mere existence places constraints on the physical state of the intergalactic medium. The discovery of Lyalpha absorbers at low redshift allows us to estimate for the first time what fraction of low redshift Lyalpha absorbers are (i) randomly distributed, (ii) distributed like galaxies but not physically associated with luminous objects, (iii) actually part of the halos of luminous galaxies, or (iv) tidal tails within galaxy groups. Results from the sightline to the QSO 3C273 suggest that the majority of the absorbers are not associated with galaxies, but that there is a significant subset that are. The absorbers associated with galaxies may be produced in enormous gaseous disks surrounding normal spiral galaxies, or may be tidal material bound up in small groups of galaxies

astro-ph↗

arXiv1993

Lyman Alpha Absorption and Tidal Debris

It is suggested that a significant fraction of the low column-density absorption features seen in the spectra of quasars are produced in pressure-confined tidal debris, that was built up in small groups and clusters of galaxies over a Hubble time. We show that the space-density and cross-section of tidal tails in groups of galaxies are large enough that they could constitute a major source of the low redshift Ly$α$ absorption features that are associated with galaxies. The space-density of groups within 10 Mpc of our galaxy is found to be 2.4 $\times 10^{-3}$ Mpc$^{-3}$, which is close to the $\sim 6 \times 10^{-3}$ Mpc$^{-3}$ space-density calculated for Ly$α$ absorbers, assuming they have a 1 Mpc radius. Other observational constraints on the properties of Ly$α$ absorber such as their velocity dispersion, correlation properties, dimensions and abundances, are shown to be consistent with this hypothesis.

astro-ph↗