The XQR-30 metal absorber catalogue: 778 absorption systems spanning 2 ≲ z ≲ 6.5
The XQR-30 metal absorber catalogue: 778 absorption systems spanning 2 ≲ z ≲ 6.5
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DOI：
10.1093/mnras/stac3662
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发表时间：
2022-11
影响因子：
4.8
通讯作者：
R. Davies;E. Ryan-Weber;V. D’Odorico;S. Bosman;R. Meyer;G. Becker;M. Bischetti;A. M. Sebastian;A. Eilers;E. Farina;Feige Wang;Jinyi Yang;Yong Zhu
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作者：
R. Davies;E. Ryan-Weber;V. D’Odorico;S. Bosman;R. Meyer;G. Becker;M. Bischetti;A. M. Sebastian;A. Eilers;E. Farina;Feige Wang;Jinyi Yang;Yong Zhu
Z-≳-6类星体光谱中夹杂的金属吸收线是在再电离时代末期附近星系周围和星系间气体的电离状态和化学成分的基本探测器。需要大的吸收样品来有力地测量典型的吸收性质，并改进早期宇宙中金属的合成、传输和电离的模型。在z∼5.86.6(XQR-30)对类星体进行的终极xShooter遗留调查已经获得了30个发光类星体的高信噪比光谱，几乎是现有12个高质量z∼6类星体光谱样本的四倍。我们使用这个史无前例的样本来构建一个778个系统的目录，这些系统在一个或多个跨越2≲z≲6.5的MG II(360个系统)、Fe II(184个系统)、C II(46个系统)、C IV(479个系统)、Si IV(127个系统)和N v(13个系统)中显示出吸收。这份目录大大扩展了现有的z≳5吸收体样品，特别是C IV和Si IV，这两个样品是高红移电离光子背景的重要探测器。对于静止框架等宽W≳0.03？(0.09？)，样本完成了50%(90%)。我们公开发布了吸收体目录，以及完整性统计数据和一个用于计算不同离子和红移范围的吸收搜索路径的蟒蛇脚本。这个数据集是从星系组装时代到宇宙正午研究浓缩气体的关键遗留资源，并为使用JWST和30m级望远镜进行更高的红移研究铺平了道路。
Intervening metal absorption lines in the spectra of z ≳ 6 quasars are fundamental probes of the ionization state and chemical composition of circumgalactic and intergalactic gas near the end of the reionization epoch. Large absorber samples are required to robustly measure typical absorber properties and to refine models of the synthesis, transport, and ionization of metals in the early Universe. The Ultimate XSHOOTER legacy survey of quasars at z ∼ 5.8–6.6 (XQR-30) has obtained high signal-to-noise spectra of 30 luminous quasars, nearly quadrupling the existing sample of 12 high quality z ∼ 6 quasar spectra. We use this unprecedented sample to construct a catalogue of 778 systems showing absorption in one or more of Mg ii (360 systems), Fe ii (184), C ii (46), C iv (479), Si iv (127), and N v (13) which span 2 ≲ z ≲ 6.5. This catalogue significantly expands on existing samples of z ≳ 5 absorbers, especially for C iv and Si iv which are important probes of the ionizing photon background at high redshift. The sample is 50 per cent (90 per cent) complete for rest-frame equivalent widths W ≳ 0.03 Å (0.09 Å). We publicly release the absorber catalogue along with completeness statistics and a python script to compute the absorption search path for different ions and redshift ranges. This data set is a key legacy resource for studies of enriched gas from the era of galaxy assembly to cosmic noon, and paves the way for even higher redshift studies with JWST and 30 m-class telescopes.