Three Lyman-α-emitting filaments converging to a massive galaxy group at z = 2.91: discussing the case for cold gas infall
Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: We have discovered a 300 kpc-wide giant Lyman-α (Lyα) nebula centered on the massive galaxy group RO-1001 at z = 2.91 in the Cosmic Evolution Survey field. Keck Cosmic Web Imager observations reveal three cold gas filaments converging into the center of the potential well of its ∼4 × 1013 M⊙ dark matter halo, hosting 1200 M⊙ yr−1 of star formation as probed by Atacama Large Millimeter Array and NOrthern Extended Millimeter Array observations. The nebula morphological and kinematics properties and the prevalence of blueshifted components in the Lyα spectra are consistent with a scenario of gas accretion. The upper limits on active galactic nuclei activity and overall energetics favor gravity as the primary Lyα powering source and infall as the main source of gas flows to the system. Although interpretational difficulties remain, with outflows and likely also photoionization with ensuing recombination still playing a role, this finding provides arguably an ideal environment to quantitatively test models of cold gas accretion and galaxy feeding inside an actively star-forming massive halo at high redshift.
Source: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Authors: E. Daddi, F. Valentino, R. M. Rich, J. D. Neill, M. Gronke, D. O’Sullivan, D. Elbaz, F. Bournaud, A. Finoguenov, A. Marchal, I. Delvecchio, S. Jin, D. Liu, V. Strazzullo, A. Calabro, R. Coogan, C. D’Eugenio, R. Gobat, B. S. Kalita, P. Laursen, D. C. Martin, A. Puglisi, E. Schinnerer, T. Wang
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Université Paris-Saclay, Astrophysique, Instrumentation et Modélisation, University of Copenhagen, University of California, Los Angeles, California Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, University of Helsinki, University of Toronto, Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, Brera Astronomical Observatory, National Institute for Astrophysics, Universidad de La Laguna, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, University of Trieste, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Astronomical Observatory of Rome, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, University of Oslo, Durham University, The University of Tokyo
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,550
Funders: National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Associated Universities, National Research Foundation, Danmarks Grundforskningsfond, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Science and Technology Facilities Council, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules
Awards: G1492468017, G1574115723, G1805294933, G3599938550, G4201897825, G4329979236, G4464970685, G4973651205, G5595175260, G6256554712, G629320885, G6342319524, G653891685, G6570372938, G6687328476, G7321284446, Durham Astronomy Consolidated Grant 2017-2020, Astronomy at Durham 2020-2023, G8271841521, G8795134986
OpenAlex ID: W3132935718