Measurement of the spatial cross-correlation function of damped Lyα systems and Lyman break galaxies

Jeff Cooke; Arthur M. Wolfe; Eric Gawiser; Jason X. Prochaska

doi:10.1086/499779

Measurement of the spatial cross-correlation function of damped Lyα systems and Lyman break galaxies

Jeff Cooke, Arthur M. Wolfe, Eric Gawiser, Jason X. Prochaska

School of Arts and Sciences, New High Energy Theory Center

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present the first spectroscopic measurement of the spatial cross-correlation function between damped Lyα systems (DLAs) and Lyman break galaxies (LBGs). Analysis of deep u'BVRI imaging of nine QSO fields with 11 known z ∼ 3 DLAs has spectroscopically confirmed 211 z > 2 LBGs to R = 25.5. We find strong evidence for an overdensity of LBGs near DLAs versus random, the results of which are similar to that of LBGs near other LBGs. A maximum likelihood cross-correlation analysis finds the best-fit value for the correlation length to be r₀ = 2.9_-1.5^+1.4h ^-1 Mpc using a fixed value of γ = 1.6. The implications of the DLA-LBG clustering amplitude on the average dark matter halo mass of DLAs are discussed.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L9-L12
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	636
Issue number	1 II
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/499779
State	Published - Jan 1 2006

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Keywords

Galaxies: evolution
Galaxies: formation
Galaxies: high-redshift
Quasars: absorption lines

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10.1086/499779

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title = "Measurement of the spatial cross-correlation function of damped Lyα systems and Lyman break galaxies",

abstract = "We present the first spectroscopic measurement of the spatial cross-correlation function between damped Lyα systems (DLAs) and Lyman break galaxies (LBGs). Analysis of deep u'BVRI imaging of nine QSO fields with 11 known z ∼ 3 DLAs has spectroscopically confirmed 211 z > 2 LBGs to R = 25.5. We find strong evidence for an overdensity of LBGs near DLAs versus random, the results of which are similar to that of LBGs near other LBGs. A maximum likelihood cross-correlation analysis finds the best-fit value for the correlation length to be r0 = 2.9-1.5+1.4h -1 Mpc using a fixed value of γ = 1.6. The implications of the DLA-LBG clustering amplitude on the average dark matter halo mass of DLAs are discussed.",

keywords = "Galaxies: evolution, Galaxies: formation, Galaxies: high-redshift, Quasars: absorption lines",

author = "Jeff Cooke and Wolfe, {Arthur M.} and Eric Gawiser and Prochaska, {Jason X.}",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Measurement of the spatial cross-correlation function of damped Lyα systems and Lyman break galaxies

AU - Cooke, Jeff

AU - Wolfe, Arthur M.

AU - Gawiser, Eric

AU - Prochaska, Jason X.

PY - 2006/1/1

Y1 - 2006/1/1

N2 - We present the first spectroscopic measurement of the spatial cross-correlation function between damped Lyα systems (DLAs) and Lyman break galaxies (LBGs). Analysis of deep u'BVRI imaging of nine QSO fields with 11 known z ∼ 3 DLAs has spectroscopically confirmed 211 z > 2 LBGs to R = 25.5. We find strong evidence for an overdensity of LBGs near DLAs versus random, the results of which are similar to that of LBGs near other LBGs. A maximum likelihood cross-correlation analysis finds the best-fit value for the correlation length to be r0 = 2.9-1.5+1.4h -1 Mpc using a fixed value of γ = 1.6. The implications of the DLA-LBG clustering amplitude on the average dark matter halo mass of DLAs are discussed.

AB - We present the first spectroscopic measurement of the spatial cross-correlation function between damped Lyα systems (DLAs) and Lyman break galaxies (LBGs). Analysis of deep u'BVRI imaging of nine QSO fields with 11 known z ∼ 3 DLAs has spectroscopically confirmed 211 z > 2 LBGs to R = 25.5. We find strong evidence for an overdensity of LBGs near DLAs versus random, the results of which are similar to that of LBGs near other LBGs. A maximum likelihood cross-correlation analysis finds the best-fit value for the correlation length to be r0 = 2.9-1.5+1.4h -1 Mpc using a fixed value of γ = 1.6. The implications of the DLA-LBG clustering amplitude on the average dark matter halo mass of DLAs are discussed.

KW - Galaxies: evolution

KW - Galaxies: formation

KW - Galaxies: high-redshift

KW - Quasars: absorption lines

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DO - 10.1086/499779

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JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1 II

ER -

Measurement of the spatial cross-correlation function of damped Lyα systems and Lyman break galaxies

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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