Hst observations of the qso pair q1026-0045a,b

Apr, 1998
4 pages
Published in:
  • Astron.Astrophys. 334 (1998) L45
e-Print:

Citations per year

199820042010201620213210
Abstract: (arXiv)
The spatial distribution of the Lyα\alpha forest is studied using new HST data for the quasar pair Q~1026--0045 A and B at zemz_{em} = 1.438 and 1.520 respectively. The angular separation is 36 arcsec and corresponds to transverse linear separations between lines of sight of 300h501\sim300h^{-1}_{50} kpc (qoq_{o} = 0.5) over the redshift range 0.833 < z < 1.438. From the observed numbers of coincident and anti-coincident Lyα\alpha absorption lines, we conclude that, at this redshift, the Lyα\alpha structures have typical dimensions of 500h501\sim500h^{-1}_{50} kpc, larger than the mean separation of the two lines of sight. The velocity difference, ΔV\Delta V, between coincident lines is surprisingly small (4 and 8 pairs with ΔV<50and200km/srespectively).Metallinesystemsarepresentat\Delta V < 50 and 200 km/s respectively). Metal line systems are present at z_{abs}=1.2651and1.2969inA, = 1.2651 and 1.2969 in A, z_{abs}=0.6320,0.7090,1.2651and1.4844inB.InadditionwetentativelyidentifyaweakMgIIsystemat = 0.6320, 0.7090, 1.2651 and 1.4844 in B. In addition we tentatively identify a weak Mg II system at z_{abs}=0.11inB.Itisremarkablethatthe = 0.11 in B. It is remarkable that the z_{abs}=1.2651systemiscommontobothlinesofsight.Thesystemat = 1.2651 system is common to both lines of sight. The system at z_{abs}=1.4844 = 1.4844 %is probably associated and has strong O~VI absorption. There is a metal-poor associated system at z_{abs}=1.4420alongthelineofsighttoAwithcomplexvelocityprofile.WedetectastrongLy = 1.4420 along the line of sight to A with complex velocity profile. We detect a strong Ly\alphaabsorptionalongthelineofsighttoBredshiftedbyonly300km/srelativelytotheassociatedsystem.Itistemptingtointerpretthisasthepresenceofadiskofradiuslargerthan300 absorption along the line of sight to B redshifted by only 300 km/s relatively to the associated system. It is tempting to interpret this as the presence of a disk of radius larger than 300h^{-1}_{50}$ kpc surrounding quasar A.