Related papers: Super-Solar Super Lyman Limit Systems
Damped Lyman-alpha systems (DLAs) seen in the spectra of high-z QSOs allow us to probe the physical conditions in protogalaxies. Our understanding of physical conditions in DLAs at high-z is primarily based on the absorption lines of H_2…
To constrain the conditions for very early nucleosynthesis in the Universe we compare the chemical enrichment pattern of an extremely metal-poor damped Lyman alpha (DLA) absorber with predictions from recent explosive nucleosynthesis model…
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 study of the properties of a new class of circumgalactic medium absorbers identified in the Lyman-$\alpha$ forest: "Strong, Blended Lyman-$\alpha$" (or SBLA) absorption systems. We study SBLAs at $2.4<z<3.1$ in SDSS-IV/eBOSS spectra by…
We present the direct detection of molecular hydrogen at the highest redshift known today (z_abs=4.224) in a Damped Lyman-alpha (DLA) system toward the quasar PSS J1443+2724. This absorber is remarkable for having one of the highest…
We present the results of deep Lyman limit imaging in four new fields as part of a continuing search for galaxies at $3.0 \le z \le 3.5$. The technique uses a custom broad--band filter set ($U_n G {\cal R}$) designed to isolate objects…
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…
Using Hubble Space Telescope/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph G140M spectroscopy, we investigate an absorption-line system at $z$=0.07489 in the spectrum of the quasi-stellar object PG 1543+489 ($z_{QSO}$=0.401). The sightline passes…
We present a spectroscopic study of six damped Lya absorption (DLA) systems at z<0.65, based on moderate-to-high resolution spectra of the galaxies responsible for the absorbers. Combining known metallicity measurements of the absorbers…
We present initial results from the Cosmic Ultraviolet Baryon Survey (CUBS). CUBS is designed to map diffuse baryonic structures at redshift z<~1 using absorption-line spectroscopy of 15 UV-bright QSOs with matching deep galaxy survey data.…
We report the discovery of five quasars with redshifts of 4.67 - 5.27 and z'-band magnitudes of 19.5-20.7 M_B ~ -27. All were originally selected as distant quasar candidates in optical/near-infrared photometry from the Sloan Digital Sky…
The absorption lines observed in quasar spectra have given us a detailed picture of the intergalactic medium and the metal abundance and kinematics of high redshift galaxies. In this review, we present an introduction to the field, starting…
In this paper we present Monte-Carlo simulations of Lyman alpha absorption systems which originate in galactic haloes, galaxy discs and dark matter (DM) satellites around big central haloes. It is found that for strong Lyman alpha…
A scaling relation has recently been suggested to combine the galaxy mass-metallicity (MZ) relation with metallicities of damped Lyman-alpha systems (DLAs) in quasar spectra. Based on this relation the stellar masses of the absorbing…
{Abridged} We report the discovery of six compact, starburst galaxy candidates with redshifts 2.3 < z < 2.8 and r-band magnitudes 19.8-20.5 in the Quasar Catalog of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey First Data Release (SDSS DR1). The SDSS…
We have observed three quasars, PKS 1127-145, Q 1331+171 and Q0054+144, with the ACIS-S aboard the Chandra X-ray Observatory, in order to measure soft X-ray absorption associated with intervening 21-cm and damped Ly$\alpha$ absorbers. For…
Most models of cosmic chemical evolution predict that the mass-weighted mean interstellar metallicity of galaxies should rise with time from a low value $\sim 1/30$ solar at $z \sim 3$ to a nearly solar value at $z = 0$. In the absence of…
Using new HST/FOS, NTT/EMMI, and Keck/HIRES spectra of the gravitationally-lensed double QSO HE 1104-1805 AB (z=2.31, \theta=3.2), and assuming UV photoionization by a metagalactic radiation field, we derive physical conditions (ionization…
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…
We present the results from a survey of i-dropout objects selected from ~1550 deg^2 of multicolor imaging data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, to search for luminous quasars at z>5.8. Objects with i*-z*>2.2 and z*<20.2 are selected, and…