Empirical Estimate of Lyman-alpha Escape Fraction in a Statistical Sample of Lyman-alpha Emitters
Empirical Estimate of Lyman-alpha Escape Fraction in a Statistical Sample of Lyman-alpha Emitters
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莱曼-α 发射体统计样本中莱曼-α 逃逸分数的经验估计
DOI：
10.1051/0004-6361/200912787
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发表时间：
2009
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
CSIC
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
H. Atek;D. Kunth;D. Schaerer;M. Hayes;J. Deharveng;G. Ostlin;J. M. M. Iap;Obs. Geneve;Lam;Okc Stockholm;CSIC
莱曼α复合线是研究星系演化和现代观测宇宙学的基本工具。然而，随后的解释仍然容易出现一些不确定性。除了数值研究之外，还迫切需要经验数据来更好地理解Lya逃逸过程。为了校准高红移的莱曼α观测，我们在z ~ 0 - 0.3星系的统计显著样本中经验地估计莱曼α逃逸分数fesc（Lya）。一个光学光谱的后续行动的子样本的24莱曼α发射器（LAEs）检测GALEX在z ~ 0.2-0.3，结合紫外光学样本的本地星爆，都与匹配的光圈，使我们能够量化的尘埃消光通过巴耳末线，并估计莱曼α逃逸分数从H α通量校正消光的重组理论的框架。莱曼-α辐射的全球逃逸分数几乎涵盖了整个数值范围，从0.5%到100%，fesc（Lya）随着星云尘埃消光E（B-V）的增加而明显减小。几个天体的fesc（Lya）大于fesc（continuum），这可能是天体物理学或非球面物理学的观测证据。在z ~ 0.2-0.3 LAEs和局部星爆之间，选择偏差和孔径大小效应可能仍然占主导地位，这可以解释观察到的fesc（Lya）的差异。
The Lyman-alpha (Lya) recombination line is a fundamental tool for galaxy evolution studies and modern observational cosmology. However, subsequent interpretations are still prone to a number of uncertainties. Besides numerical efforts, empirical data are urgently needed for a better understanding of Lya escape process. We empirically estimate the Lyman-alpha escape fraction fesc(Lya) in a statistically significant sample of z ~ 0 - 0.3 galaxies in order to calibrate high-redshift Lyman-alpha observations. An optical spectroscopic follow-up of a sub-sample of 24 Lyman-alpha emitters (LAEs) detected by GALEX at z ~ 0.2-0.3, combined with a UV-optical sample of local starbursts, both with matched apertures, allow us to quantify the dust extinction through Balmer lines, and to estimate the Lyman-alpha escape fraction from the Halpha flux corrected for extinction in the framework of the recombination theory. The global escape fraction of Lyman-alpha radiation spans nearly the entire range of values, from 0.5 to 100 %, and fesc(Lya) clearly decreases with increasing nebular dust extinction E(B-V). Several objects show fesc(Lya) greater than fesc(continuum) which may be an observational evidence for clumpy ISM geometry or for an aspherical ISM. Selection biases and aperture size effects may still prevail between z ~ 0.2-0.3 LAEs and local starbursts, which may explain the difference observed for fesc(Lya).