2009MNRAS.400.1493K

Query : 2009MNRAS.400.1493K

2009MNRAS.400.1493K - Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc., 400, 1493-1511 (2009/December-2)

Probing re-ionization with quasar spectra: the impact of the intrinsic Lyman α emission line shape uncertainty.

KRAMER R.H. and HAIMAN Z.

Abstract (from CDS):

Arguably the best hope of understanding the tail end of the re-ionization of the intergalactic medium (IGM) at redshift z > 6 is through the detection and characterization of the Gunn-Peterson damping wing absorption of the IGM in bright quasar spectra. However, the use of quasar spectra to measure the IGM damping wing requires a model of the quasar's intrinsic Lyman α emission line. Here we quantify the uncertainties in the intrinsic line shapes, and how those uncertainties affect the determination of the IGM neutral fraction. We have assembled a catalogue of high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope spectra of the emission lines of unobscured low-redshift quasars, and have characterized the variance in the shapes of their lines. We then add simulated absorption from the high-redshift IGM to these quasar spectra in order to determine the corresponding uncertainties in re-ionization constraints using current and future samples of z > 6 quasar spectra. We find that, if the redshift of the Lyman α emission line is presumed to coincide with the systemic redshift determined from metal lines, the inferred IGM neutral fraction is systematically biased to low values due to a systematic blueshift of the Lyman α line relative to the metal lines. If a similar blueshift persists in quasars at z > 6, this bias strengthens previous claims of a significant neutral hydrogen fraction at z ~ 6. The bias can be reduced by including a Lyman α blueshift in the modelling procedure, or by excising wavelengths near the Lyman α line centre from the modelling. Intrinsic Lyman α line shape variations still induce significant scatter in the inferred xIGMvalues. Nevertheless, this scatter still allows a robust distinction between a highly ionized (xIGM∼ 10–3) and a neutral (xIGM= 1) IGM with even a few bright quasars. We conclude that if the variations of the intrinsic Lyman α emission line shapes in high-z quasars are similar to those at low-z, this variation will not limit the usefulness of quasar spectra in probing re-ionization.

Abstract Copyright: © 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 RAS

Journal keyword(s): quasars: absorption lines - quasars: emission lines - quasars: general - cosmology: observations - cosmology: theory - ultraviolet: general

VizieR on-line data: <Available at CDS (J/MNRAS/400/1493): table1.dat table3.dat table4.dat>

Simbad objects: 113

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Number of rows : 113
N Identifier Otype ICRS (J2000)
RA 		ICRS (J2000)
DEC 		Mag U Mag B Mag V Mag R Mag I Sp type #ref
1850 - 2026 		#notes
1 ICRF J000559.2+160949 Sy1 00 05 59.2378545384 +16 09 49.021968096   16.51 16.40     ~ 307 1
2 Mrk 335 Sy1 00 06 19.5372339024 +20 12 10.617404076   14.19 13.85     ~ 1344 0
3 QSO J0018+1629 QSO 00 18 31.9990789848 +16 29 25.835460180   19 18.26 18.40   ~ 40 0
4 QSO J0027+2241 Bla 00 27 15.3715301928 +22 41 58.067953764   16.90 16.57 15.60   ~ 93 1
5 LEDA 1790 Sy1 00 29 13.7012449608 +13 16 03.947778264   15.70 15.41     ~ 474 0
6 87GB 004432.0+030343 Sy1 00 47 05.9186531064 +03 19 54.784830324   16.2 16.37     ~ 154 2
7 Mrk 1502 Sy1 00 53 34.9331107632 +12 41 35.929269132   14.41 14.03     ~ 1242 1
8 LBQS 0102-2713 QSO 01 04 41.0003434008 -26 57 07.385601492   17.8       ~ 29 0
9 QSO B0107-156 QSO 01 09 31.5495971784 -15 21 51.650585064     17.5     ~ 21 0
10 QSO B0117+2118 QSO 01 20 17.2642359528 +21 33 46.197696168     16.1     ~ 130 0
11 ESO 113-45 Sy1 01 23 45.7631533440 -58 48 20.808928944   14.08 13.83 13.34   ~ 965 0
12 ICRF J020157.1-113233 Sy1 02 01 57.1794759192 -11 32 33.435766068   16.54 16.40 16.073   ~ 223 1
13 4C -04.06 QSO 02 35 07.3418452008 -04 02 05.317096956   16.61 16.46 16.2   ~ 222 1
14 PB 6937 QSO 02 56 16.5307343496 -01 26 38.218679988   17.4 17.00     ~ 39 1
15 QSO J0304-2211 QSO 03 04 49.8652311288 -22 11 51.882127548   16.43 16.40     ~ 111 0
16 3C 95 Sy1 03 51 28.5673217616 -14 29 08.257870248 15.62 16.55 16.22     ~ 192 1
17 2MASSI J0352305-071102 Sy1 03 52 30.5518280976 -07 11 02.326141644   17.02 16.67     ~ 163 1
18 QSO B0355-483 Bla 03 57 21.9179670240 -48 12 15.159541932   16.71 16.38 16.08   ~ 84 1
19 PKS 0405-123 Bla 04 07 48.4309841856 -12 11 36.659928408   15.09 14.86 14.7   ~ 531 1
20 2E 962 Sy1 04 17 16.7842972416 -05 53 45.608035560   16.24 15.94 15.7   ~ 173 1
21 QSO J0441-4313 Bla 04 41 17.3385563928 -43 13 45.488722116   16.64 16.36 16.54 16.26 ~ 111 1
22 QSO J0456-2159 Bla 04 56 08.9237717400 -21 59 09.399816312 15.76 16.16 16.10 15.9   ~ 196 1
23 QSO B0454+0356 Bla 04 56 47.1747907776 +04 00 52.946102484   16.76 16.53 16.26   ~ 247 1
24 QSO B0624+6907 QSO 06 30 02.5051022520 +69 05 03.913837440   14.64 14.16     ~ 97 0
25 QSO J0743-6726 Bla 07 43 31.6117092000 -67 26 25.547011008   16.71 16.37     ~ 149 1
26 ICRF J074541.6+314256 Sy1 07 45 41.6715742128 +31 42 56.614217508   16.10 15.97     ~ 265 1
27 QSO B0823-223 BLL 08 26 01.5730900658 -22 30 27.204409684   16.11 16.20     ~ 224 1
28 US 1867 Sy1 08 53 34.2440799000 +43 49 02.336647692   17.15 16.91     ~ 106 0
29 LB 9308 Sy1 09 06 31.8732919056 +16 46 11.785679112   18.48 18.27     ~ 303 3
30 QSO B0916+512 QSO 09 19 57.6059812632 +51 06 09.542294028   16.47 16.41     ~ 66 0
31 4C 39.25 Bla 09 27 03.01394144 +39 02 20.8518067   17.17 17.00 16.486   ~ 1036 1
32 QSO J0949+2955 QSO 09 49 41.1069232848 +29 55 19.261130988   16.00 16.2     ~ 150 0
33 PG 0953+414 Sy1 09 56 52.3931554992 +41 15 22.211247636 14.710 15.611 15.546 15.294 14.720 ~ 472 0
34 4C 55.17 Bla 09 57 38.1839604096 +55 22 57.754950636   18.24 17.89     ~ 459 1
35 Ton 469 Bla 09 58 20.9496221568 +32 24 02.208417372   15.88 15.78 15.51   ~ 442 1
36 8C 0958+561 QSO 10 01 20.6918953728 +55 53 55.593949272   17.16 16.95     ~ 757 3
37 QSO B0957+5608B QSO 10 01 20.8375795656 +55 53 49.543053252   17.16 16.95     ~ 280 1
38 QSO B0959+6827 Bla 10 03 06.7660298016 +68 13 16.811854896   16.28 15.92 15.3   ~ 69 1
39 7C 100725.89+414711.00 Sy1 10 10 27.5274498072 +41 32 39.053861232   16.72 16.67     ~ 187 1
40 QSO B1008+1319 QSO 10 11 10.8547987008 +13 04 12.189722736   17.00 16.76     ~ 93 0
41 Ton 1187 Sy1 10 13 03.1814662440 +35 51 23.742391536   15.60 15.42     ~ 94 0
42 QSO B1015-205 QSO 10 17 23.98 -20 46 58.6   17.08 17.08     ~ 71 2
43 LBQS 1026-0045B QSO 10 28 37.0180551648 -01 00 27.526300632   18.41 18.22     ~ 74 1
44 SDSS J103027.09+052455.0 QSO 10 30 27.092 +05 24 55.02   26.15 25.44     ~ 303 0
45 4C 06.41 BLL 10 41 17.16249940 +06 10 16.9237327   16.86 16.70 16.14   ~ 302 1
46 PG 1049-005 Sy1 10 51 51.4474066944 -00 51 17.707987476   15.98 15.78     ~ 188 0
47 2MASX J10523275+6125211 Sy1 10 52 32.7475006344 +61 25 20.963248212   17.16 17.06     ~ 123 1
48 ICRF J110715.0+162802 Sy1 11 07 15.0475336176 +16 28 02.244766584   15.91 15.70     ~ 172 1
49 LEDA 34449 Sy1 11 17 06.3989076960 +44 13 33.324039480   16.32 16.12     ~ 265 1
50 QSO B1115+080A QSO 11 18 16.951 +07 45 58.23   16.61 16.44     ~ 703 2
51 Ton 1388 Sy1 11 19 08.6786220240 +21 19 17.987085948   14.91 14.80     ~ 492 0
52 QSO B1120+0154 QSO 11 23 20.7258496872 +01 37 47.506567620   16.45 16.12     ~ 135 1
53 QSO B1130+111 QSO 11 33 30.2985591648 +10 52 23.353505292   16.52 16.45     ~ 61 0
54 QSO J1139-1350 Bla 11 39 10.7025556152 -13 50 43.639196064   16.38 16.17 16.4   ~ 284 1
55 ICRF J113957.0+654749 Sy1 11 39 57.0254367168 +65 47 49.483232880   16.50 16.32     ~ 528 1
56 LB 2126 QSO 11 51 20.4599373144 +54 37 33.049962300   16.03 15.78     ~ 155 0
57 2MASSI J1159262+210655 Sy1 11 59 26.2069437096 +21 06 55.875844620     17.5     ~ 45 0
58 Ton 599 Bla 11 59 31.83391383 +29 14 43.8268224   14.80 14.41 17.652 13.39 ~ 989 1
59 QSO J1208+4540 QSO 12 08 58.0107013896 +45 40 35.421692952   16.00 15.70     ~ 194 0
60 PB 3894 Sy1 12 14 17.6738687784 +14 03 13.182723144   14.46 14.19     ~ 873 0
61 [VV98] J121840.6+501545 QSO 12 18 40.4894445768 +50 15 43.445554884   19.17 18.78     ~ 34 0
62 3C 273 BLL 12 29 06.6998257176 +02 03 08.597629980   13.05 14.830 14.11   ~ 6022 1
63 2MASS J12305003+0115226 Sy1 12 30 50.0331165552 +01 15 22.598028288   14.44 14.42     ~ 102 0
64 4C -02.55 Bla 12 32 00.0159535440 -02 24 04.793069304   17.41 17.06 16.4   ~ 440 1
65 LBQS 1230+0947 QSO 12 33 25.7867320896 +09 31 23.363965884   16.79 16.70     ~ 69 0
66 QSO J1244+1721B QSO 12 44 10.8247089768 +17 21 04.508869464   16.40 16.09     ~ 159 1
67 QSO B1248+401 QSO 12 50 48.3268288080 +39 51 39.458894760   16.62 16.19     ~ 139 0
68 LB 11408 QSO 12 53 17.5764589992 +31 05 50.628627492   17.20 17.00     ~ 67 0
69 QSO B1252+119 Bla 12 54 38.25561478 +11 41 05.8950431   16.99 16.64 16.76   ~ 284 1
70 QSO B1254+0443 QSO 12 56 59.9234909976 +04 27 34.411850136   16.53 16.25     ~ 160 0
71 [B68b] 201 QSO 12 59 48.7852053336 +34 23 22.627553928   17.05 16.79     ~ 100 0
72 LB 2522 Sy1 13 01 12.9250750776 +59 02 06.693816732   16.04 15.89     ~ 298 0
73 4C 52.27 QSO 13 19 46.1981104392 +51 48 05.778192240   17.35 16.89     ~ 146 1
74 Ton 153 QSO 13 19 56.2320886176 +27 28 08.186323080   16.12 15.98     ~ 156 0
75 Ton 156 QSO 13 21 15.8594008584 +28 47 19.492704528   16.88 16.69     ~ 103 0
76 Ton 157 QSO 13 23 20.5544185368 +29 10 07.108804344   16.91 16.83     ~ 59 0
77 2MASS J13234951+6541480 Sy1 13 23 49.5182430360 +65 41 48.164463600   16.01 15.84     ~ 185 1
78 3C 286 Sy1 13 31 08.2883506368 +30 30 32.960091564   17.51 17.25     ~ 4558 2
79 PB 4007 Sy1 13 36 02.0092074528 +17 25 13.092799188   16.50 16.33     ~ 93 1
80 QSO J1341+4123 QSO 13 41 00.7893930432 +41 23 14.130152880   17.04 16.76     ~ 131 0
81 3C 288.1 QSO 13 42 13.2580199856 +60 21 42.770207052   18.26 17.97     ~ 152 1
82 QSO B1352+0106 QSO 13 54 58.6806746304 +00 52 10.898450652     16.0     ~ 76 0
83 4C 19.44 Bla 13 57 04.4366598768 +19 19 07.371837768   16.33 16.03 15.3   ~ 472 2
84 QSO J1409+2618 QSO 14 09 23.9085820008 +26 18 21.056458176   16.07 15.74     ~ 193 0
85 QSO J1415+1129 QSO 14 15 46.25 +11 29 43.4   17.63 17.23     ~ 678 0
86 3C 298.0 Bla 14 19 08.1802187928 +06 28 34.802854680   17.12 16.79     ~ 422 1
87 Ton 202 Sy1 14 27 35.6076948744 +26 32 14.541190476   15.96 16.00     ~ 315 0
88 2MASS J14294306+4747262 Sy1 14 29 43.0739786592 +47 47 26.217623904   17.29 16.97     ~ 195 0
89 Mrk 478 Sy1 14 42 07.4714418744 +35 26 22.938625500   14.91 14.58     ~ 567 1
90 PG 1538+47 Sy1 15 39 34.8103136784 +47 35 31.263874908   16.01 15.81     ~ 105 1
91 PG 1543+489 Sy1 15 45 30.2358624864 +48 46 08.976390420   16.92 16.73     ~ 247 0
92 2E 3648 Sy1 16 20 21.8185395384 +17 36 23.952361176   16.53 16.41 20.5   ~ 425 2
93 4C 23.43 Bla 16 24 39.0838297968 +23 45 12.223370412   17.91 17.47     ~ 343 1
94 QSO B1626+5529 Sy1 16 27 56.1123628752 +55 22 31.559061504   15.79 15.68     ~ 232 1
95 QSO B1630+3744 QSO 16 32 01.1117931960 +37 37 49.980505332   16.50 16.30     ~ 183 0
96 QSO B1634+7037 QSO 16 34 28.9917184368 +70 31 32.393436960   14.90 14.66     ~ 273 0
97 6C 163718+572618 Bla 16 38 13.45629995 +57 20 23.9789828     16.90 16.94   ~ 381 1
98 8C 1704+608 Bla 17 04 41.3742408840 +60 44 30.520617000   15.65 15.40 15.30   ~ 782 1
99 QSO J1719+4804 Bla 17 19 38.2496454120 +48 04 12.247659408   15.33 14.60 14.25   ~ 186 1
100 2MASS J21145258+0607423 Sy1 21 14 52.5774985320 +06 07 42.433198104   16.06 15.77     ~ 227 0
101 QSO B2128-123 BLL 21 31 35.2617909696 -12 07 04.795364172   16.33 16.11 15.87   ~ 470 1
102 Mrk 1513 Sy1 21 32 27.8162556672 +10 08 19.252365396   14.92 14.64     ~ 651 0
103 4C 06.69 Bla 21 48 05.45866779 +06 57 38.6041877   16.85 16.47 15.06   ~ 703 1
104 4C -03.79 Bla 22 18 52.03772044 -03 35 36.8795441   16.93 16.38 16.15   ~ 353 1
105 4C 11.69 Bla 22 32 36.40890093 +11 43 50.9040592   17.75 17.33     ~ 1205 2
106 QSO J2246-1206 Bla 22 46 18.23197022 -12 06 51.2775983   16.63 16.45 15.99   ~ 293 1
107 3C 454.3 Bla 22 53 57.7480438728 +16 08 53.561508864   16.57 16.10 15.22   ~ 3004 2
108 NAME MR 2251-178 Sy1 22 54 05.8858611984 -17 34 55.402233708   14.99 14.36 15.12   ~ 467 4
109 PB 5235 QSO 23 04 44.9534365920 +03 11 45.917366280   15.44 15.8     ~ 105 0
110 4C 09.72 BLL 23 11 17.7546073272 +10 08 15.756513972   16.15 16.00     ~ 203 1
111 QSO B2340-0339 Bla 23 42 56.6002743864 -03 22 26.269675248   16.53 16.02 16.28   ~ 91 1
112 4C 09.74 Bla 23 46 36.8384562240 +09 30 45.514903032   16.23 15.97 15.99   ~ 332 2
113 QSO J2355-3357 Bla 23 55 25.7961480408 -33 57 55.218632328   18.32 16.4 17.10   ~ 61 1

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