Related papers: H_2 molecules in damped systems
We develop an automated technique for detecting damped Lyman-$\alpha$ absorbers (DLAs) along spectroscopic lines of sight to quasi-stellar objects (QSOs or quasars). The detection of DLAs in large-scale spectroscopic surveys such as…
We present a systematic search for molecular hydrogen absorption systems at high redshift in quasar spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) II Data Release 7 and SDSS-III Data Release 9. We have selected candidates using a modified…
We have searched the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12 for ghostly Damped Ly$\alpha$ (DLA) systems. These systems, located at the redshift of the quasars, show strong absorption from low-ionization atomic species but reveal no HI…
The XQ-100 survey has provided high signal-noise spectra of 100 redshift 3-4.5 quasars with the X-Shooter spectrograph. The metal abundances for 13 elements in the 41 damped Lyman alpha systems (DLAs) identified in the XQ-100 sample are…
We report on a sensitive search for redshifted H$\alpha$ line-emission from three high-metallicity damped Ly$\alpha$ absorbers (DLAs) at $z \approx 2.4$ with the Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrometer (NIFS) on the Gemini-North…
Damped Ly$\alpha$ absorbers (DLAs) are the highest \HI\ column density (\NHI) absorption line systems detected in the spectra of background quasars. DLAs dominate the neutral gas content of the Universe ($\Omega_{\rm HI}$) and are used to…
Detailed analysis of the spectral lines from two low redshift damped Lyman alpha absorbers (DLA) confirms that they are a heterogeneous population. Both systems have low metal abundances of approximately 0.05 to 0.1 solar. The abundance…
We image 19 quasars with 22 damped Lyman alpha (DLA) systems using the F160W filter and the Near-Infrared Camera and Multiobject Spectrograph aboard the Hubble Space Telescope, in both direct and coronagraphic modes. We reach 5 sigma…
We present a sample of 33 damped Lyman alpha systems (DLAs) discovered in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) whose absorption redshifts (z_abs) are within 6000 km/s of the QSO's systemic redshift (z_sys). Our sample is based on 731 2.5 <…
A new method is used to measure the physical conditions of the gas in damped Lyman-alpha systems (DLAs). Using high resolution absorption spectra of a sample of 80 DLAs, we are able to measure the ratio of the upper to lower fine-structure…
Damped Lyman-alpha absorbers (DLAs), seen in absorption against a background quasar, provide the most detailed probes available of element abundances in the Universe over > 90 % of its age. DLAs can be used to observationally measure the…
Damped Lyman-{\alpha} Absorbers (DLAs) as a class of QSO absorption-line systems are currently our most important source of detailed information on the cosmic chemical evolution of galaxies. However, the degree to which this information is…
We present results from spectroscopic observations with X-shooter at the Very Large Telescope of seven H2-bearing DLAs at high redshifts (z$_{\rm abs}\sim 2.5-3$). These DLAs were originally selected from the presence of strong H$_2$ lines…
We report on the detection of deuterated molecular hydrogen, HD, at $z = 0.18$. HD and H$_{\rm 2}$ are detected in HST/COS data of a low metallicity ($Z \sim 0.07Z_\odot$) damped Ly$\alpha$ system at $z = 0.18562$ toward QSO B0120$-$28,…
We present the first ever detection of Cobalt in a Damped Lyman Alpha system (DLA) at z = 1.92. In addition to providing important clues to the star formation history of these high redshift galaxies, we discuss how studying the Co abundance…
We present the results of a long-slit K-band spectroscopic search with CGS4 on UKIRT for H-alpha emission from the objects responsible for high-redshift (z > 2) damped Ly-alpha absorption systems. The objective was to measure the…
We report the first discovery of a QSO damped Ly-alpha (DLA) system by the GALEX satellite. The system was initially identified as an MgII absorption-line system (z_abs=1.028) in the spectrum of SDSS QSO J0203-0910 (z_em=1.58). The presence…
We discuss our recent results on the statistical properties of damped Lyman alpha systems (DLAs) at low redshift (z<1.65) (Rao & Turnshek 2000). Contrary to expectations, we found that the cosmological neutral gas mass density as traced by…
New results from the search for H2 absorption in the damped Ly-alpha galaxy at redshift z = 3.4 toward QSO 0000-2620 (z_em = 4.1) are reported. The high-resolution (lambda/Delta lambda = 48,000) spectra of Q0000-2620 were obtained using the…
We report the detection of H2 in a zabs= 0.0963 Damped Lyman-{\alpha} (DLA) system towards zem = 0.4716 QSO J1619+3342. This DLA has log N(H I) = 20.55 (0.10), 18.13 < log N(H2) < 18.40, [S/H] = -0.62 (0.13), [Fe/S] = -1.00 (0.17) and the…