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Large fractions of metals are missing from the observable gas-phase in the interstellar medium (ISM) because they are incorporated into dust grains, a phenomenon called dust depletion. The study of dust depletion in the ISM is important to investigate the origin and evolution of metals and cosmic dust. Here we aim at characterizing the dust depletion of several metals from the Milky Way to distant galaxies. We collect ISM metal column densities from absorption-line spectroscopy in the literature, and in addition, we determine Ti and Ni column densities from a sample of 70 damped Lyman-$\alpha$ absorbers (DLAs) towards quasars, observed with UVES/VLT. We use ISM relative abundances to estimate the dust depletion of 18 metals (C, P, O, Cl, Kr, S, Ge, Mg, Si, Cu, Co, Mn, Cr, Ni, Al, Ti, Zn and Fe) for different environments (the Milky Way, the Magellanic Clouds (MCs), DLAs towards quasars and towards gamma-ray bursts). We observe linear relations between the depletion of each metal and the strength of dust depletion, which we trace with the observed [Zn/Fe]. In the neutral ISM of the MCs we find small deviations from linearity observed as an overabundance of the $\alpha$-elements Ti, Mg, S and an underabundance of Mn. The deviations disappear if we assume that all OB stars observed towards the MCs in our sample have an $\alpha$-element enhancement and Mn underabundance. This may imply that the MCs have been recently enriched in $\alpha$-elements, potentially due to recent bursts of star formation. The observed strong correlations of the depletion sequences of the metals all the way from low metallicity QSO-DLAs to the Milky Way suggest that cosmic dust has a common origin, independently of the star formation history, which varies significantly between these different galaxies. This supports the importance of grain growth in the ISM as a significant process of dust production., Comment: 30 pages, 35 figures, 12 tables, Accepted for publication in A&A, Abstract abridged for arXiv

Spatially extended halos of H I Ly$\alpha$ emission are now ubiquitously found around high-redshift star-forming galaxies. But our understanding of the nature and powering mechanisms of these halos is still hampered by the complex radiative transfer effects of the Ly$\alpha$ line and limited angular resolution. In this paper, we present resolved Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) observations of SGAS J122651.3+215220, a strongly-lensed pair of $L^{*}$ galaxies at $z=2.92$ embedded in a Ly$\alpha$ halo of $L_{Ly\alpha}=(6.2\pm1.3)\times10^{42}$ erg s$^{-1}$. Globally, the system shows a line profile that is markedly asymmetric and redshifted, but its width and peak shift vary significantly across the halo. By fitting the spatially binned Ly$\alpha$ spectra with a collection of radiative transfer galactic wind models, we infer a mean outflow expansion velocity of $\approx 211$ km s$^{-1}$, with higher values preferentially found on both sides of the system's major axis. The velocity of the outflow is validated with the blueshift of low-ionization metal absorption lines in the spectra of the central galaxies. We also identify a faint ($M_{1500} \approx -16.7$) companion detected in both Ly$\alpha$ and the continuum, whose properties are in agreement with a predicted population of satellite galaxies that contribute to the extended Ly$\alpha$ emission. Finally, we briefly discuss the impact of the interaction between the central galaxies on the properties of the halo and the possibility of in situ fluorescent Ly$\alpha$ production., Comment: Published in ApJ. 26 pages, 14 figures

We present a VLT/UVES spectrum of a proximate sub-damped Lyman-alpha (sub-DLA) system at z=2.65618 toward the quasar Q0331-4505 (z_qso=2.6785+/-0.0030). Absorption lines of O I, Si II, Si III, Si IV, C II, C III, C IV, Fe II, Al II, and O VI are seen in the sub-DLA, which has a neutral hydrogen column density log N(H I)=19.82+/-0.05. The absorber is at a velocity of 1820+/-250 km/s from the quasar; however, its low metallicity [O/H]=-1.64+/-0.07, lack of partial coverage, lack of temporal variations between observations taken in 2003 and 2006, and non-detection of N V imply the absorber is not a genuine intrinsic system. By measuring the O VI column density and assuming equal metallicities in the neutral and ionized gas, we determine the column density of hot ionized hydrogen in this sub-DLA, and in two other sub-DLAs with O VI drawn from the literature. Coupling this with determinations of the typical amount of warm ionized hydrogen in sub-DLAs, we confirm that sub-DLAs are a more important metal reservoir than DLAs, in total comprising at least 6-22% of the metal budget at z~2.5.

We analyse the properties of Mg II absorption systems detected along the sightlines toward GRBs using VLT‐UVES GRB afterglow spectra. We extend previous studies to smaller equivalent widths (typically Wr>0.3 A). We increase the absorption length for strong systems to Δz = 31.5 using intermediate resolution observations reported in the literature. We find that the number of weak systems is similar in GRBs and QSOs while the number of strong systems is larger of a factor ∼2 along GRB lines of sight, about twice smaller than previously reported. We find that also the number density of (sub)‐DLAs per unit redshift in the UVES sample is probably twice larger that what is expected from QSO sightlines. Both the estimated dust extinction in strong GRB Mg II systems and the equivalent width distributions are consistent with what is observed in QSO‐DLAs. All this further supports the idea that the current sample of GRB lines of sight could be biased by a gravitational lensing effect.

We present high‐resolution spectroscopic observations of GRB 060418, obtained with VLT/UVES. A sequence of spectra covering 330–670 nm were acquired at 11, 16, 25, 41 and 71 minutes (mid‐exposure) after the Swift trigger, with a resolving power of 7 km s−1, and a signal‐to‐noise ratio of 10–15. This time‐series clearly shows evidence for time variability of permitted transitions involving FeII fine‐structure levels and metastable levels of both FeII and NiII, at the host‐galaxy redshift z = 1.490. We model the observed evolution of the level populations with three different excitation mechanisms: collisions, excitation by infra‐red photons, and fluorescence following excitation by ultraviolet photons. Our data allow us to reject the collisional and IR excitation scenarios. The UV pumping model, in which the GRB afterglow UV photons excite a cloud of atoms with column densities log N(FeII) = 14.75±0.06, log N(NiII) = 13.84±0.02, at a distance of 1.7±0.2 kpc provides an excellent fit. The success of our UV ...

We present a detailed analysis of chemical abundances in a sub-damped Ly alpha absorber (sub-DLA) at z=2.187 towards the quasar HE0001-2340 (z_em=2.28) using VLT/UVES data. This sub-DLA system consists of at least 25 individual subcomponents spanning a restframe velocity range of ~400 km/s. Detected species include CII, CIV, NI, NII, OI, MgII, AlII, AlIII, SiII, SiIV, PII, FeII, and possibly DI. For the dominating neutral gas component at v=+13 km/s we derive an oxygen abundance of [O/H]=-1.81. With its extremely low nitrogen content ([N/H], Comment: 11 pages, 8 Figures; accepted for publication in A&A

Physical conditions within DLAs can reveal the star formation history, determine the chemical composition of the associated ISM, and hence document the first steps in the formation of present day galaxies. Here we present calculations that self-consistently determine the gas ionization, level populations (atomic fine-structure levels and rotational levels of H_2), grain physics, and chemistry. We show that for a low-density gas (n< 0.1 cm^-3) the meta-galactic UV background due to quasars is sufficient to maintain H_2 column densities below the detection limit (i.e N(H_2)< 10^14 cm^-2) irrespective of the metallicity and dust content in the gas. Such a gas will have a 21 cm spin temperature in excess of 7000 K and very low C I and C II* column densities for H I column densities typically observed in DLAs. We show that the observed properties of the ~15% per cent of the DLAs that do show detectable H_2 absorption cannot be reproduced with only the quasar dominated meta-galactic UV radiation field. Gas with higher densities (n>10 cm^-3), a moderate radiation field (flux density one to ten times that of the background radiation of the Galactic ISM), the observed range of metallicity and dust-to-gas ratio reproduce all the observed properties of the DLAs that show H_2 absorption lines. This favors the presence of ongoing star formation in DLAs with H_2. The absence of detectable H_2 and C I absorption in a large fraction of DLAs can be explained if they originate either in a low-density gas or in a high-density gas with a large ambient radiation field. The absence of 21 cm absorption and C II* absorption will be consistent with the first possibility. The presence of 21 cm absorption and strong C II* without H_2 and C I absorption will suggest the second alternative. (Abridged), 21 pages, 12 figures, submitted to MNRAS

Spectroscopy of QSO absorption lines provides essential observational input for the study of nucleosynthesis and chemical evolution of galaxies at high redshift. But new observations may indicate that present chemical abundance data are biased due to deficient spectral resolution and unknown selection effects: Recent high-resolution spectra reveal the hitherto unperceived chemical nonuniformity of a molecule-bearing damped Lyman-alpha (DLA) system, and the still ongoing H/ESO DLA survey produces convincing evidence for the effect of dust attenuation. We present a revised analysis of the moleculecular hydrogen-bearing DLA complex toward the QSO HE 0515-4414 showing nonuniform differential depletion of chemical elements onto dust grains, and introduce the H/ESO DLA survey and its implications. Conclusively, we aim at starting an unbiased chemical abundance database established on high-resolution spectroscopic observations. New data to probe the temperature-redshift relation predicted by standard cosmology and to test the constancy of fundamental constants will be potential spin-offs., Comment: Poster presented at the 22nd Texas Symposium at Stanford, December 14-17 2004, (TSRA04) 3 pages, LaTeX, 3 EPS figures, synchronized with proceedings version

We report on high spectral resolution observations of five damped Ly-alpha absorbers. Line velocity profiles and heavy element abundances are discussed. Nitrogen is found to have abundances less than silicon in the systems toward Q 0347-383, Q 0913+072, and Q 1213+093. The absorber toward Q 0913+072 is the most metal-deficient damped system known, with [Fe/H] < -3.2. The simple kinematical structure of the metal absorptions makes this system ideal to discuss the [O/Si] and [N/O] ratios. We find [O/H] ~ -2.7 and -2.7 < [Si/H] < -2.2. By combining these data with information gathered in the literature, we study the kinematics of the low and high ionization phases in a sample of 26 damped Ly-alpha systems in the redshift range 1.17-4.38. We note a strong correlation between the velocity broadenings of the SiII,1808 and FeII,1608 lines whatever the line optical depth, implying that the physical conditions are quite homogeneous in the sample. Statistically this shows that large variations of abundance ratios and thus large variations of depletion into dust grains are unlikely. The velocity broadening of the absorption lines, Delta V, is correlated with the asymmetry of the lines for Delta V < 150 km/s. The broader the line the more asymmetric it is, as expected in case rotation dominates the line broadening. However this correlation does not hold for larger Delta V suggesting that evidence for rotational motions is restricted to velocity broadenings Delta V < 150 km/s. The systems with Delta V > 200 km/s are peculiar with kinematics consistent with random motions. They show sub-systems as those expected if the objects are in the process of merging (abridged)., 13 pages, 17 figures, accepted for publication in A&A Main Journal, uses aa.cls

We are searching for large-scale structures in the distribution of AGN discovered by the ROSAT All-Sky Survey. The RASS detected > 60000 X-ray objects, of which approximately 35% are AGN at z < 0.5. The surface density in the extragalactic sky is approximately 0.5 AGN/deg^2, which has not been reached until now by any other survey for this redshift range. We efficiently single out the AGN among all the RASS sources using the Hamburg/RASS database of optical identifications, which contains presently 13867 entries. Follow-up spectroscopy of RASS AGN candidates identified in selected areas of the northern sky is underway to determine the spatial distribution of the AGN in these areas. In every area structures reminiscent of clusters and filaments are found on scales 50 - 100 h^{-1}Mpc. These structures have a similar size as the serendipitously discovered groups of AGN in optical surveys at higher redshifts. Samples of low redshift AGN drawn from the RASS are large enough to be used with samples of higher redshift to study evolutionary effects in the large-scale distribution of AGN., 4 pages LaTeX, 4 figures, uses xray_symp.cls. To appear in the Proceedings of "Highlights in X-ray Astronomy", eds. B. Aschenbach, M. Freyberg, MPE Report, Garching 17-19 June 1998

We report on high spectral resolution observations of five damped Lyman alpha systems whose line velocity profiles and abundances are analyzed. By combining these data with information from the literature, we study the kinematics of the low and high ionization phases of damped systems and discuss the possibility that part of the motions is due to rotation., Comment: 2 pages, LaTeX, 2 PostScript figures, uses conf_iap.sty. To appear in the Proceedings of the 13th IAP Colloquium: Structure and Evolution of the IGM from QSO Absorption Line Systems, eds P. Petitjean and S. Charlot

We report results from our mini-survey for molecular hydrogen in eight high redshift damped Lyman-alpha (DLA) systems using the ESO Ultra-violet and Visible Spectrograph on the VLT. In addition, we investigate two systems using ESO public data. We include in the sample the only system where H2 was previously detected and studied at high-spectral resolution. Altogether our sample consists of eleven absorbers with 1.853000 K) implying a low formation rate of H2 onto dust grains. Therefore, most of the DLA systems arise in warm and diffuse neutral gas. (Abridged), Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, A&A Latex. Accepted for publication in A&A Special issue

High redshift Damped Lyman-alpha systems, observed in absorption on the line of sight to background quasars, are the spectral signatures of the interstellar medium in the distant Universe. However, few tools are available to understand the physical properties of the associated objects. A technique that relies on well-understood physics and has been widely applied to the local interstellar medium is the study of molecular hydrogen. The specific radiative and collisional properties of this molecule make it a very sensitive probe of the physical conditions in the gas.In this thesis, I study the presence of molecular hydrogen in the interstellar medium at high redshift, from a unique sample of Damped Lyman-alpha systems observed at high signal-to-noise ratio and high spectral resolution. Subsequent work aim to investigate the properties of and physical conditions in the neutral gas associated to these systems (temperature, density, chemical composition, molecular fraction, dust content, intensity of the radiation field).In parallel, I perform a systematic search for and a statistical study of Damped Lyman-alpha systems in order to measure the neutral gas content of the Universe, characterize its distribution and its evolution with cosmic time and therefore constrain galaxy formation.Finally, I show the possibility of detecting and studying other molecules like deuterated molecular hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the interstellar medium at high redshift. The tools developed in this thesis for automatic analysis of spectra lead to the first detection of CO in such a medium, opening the way to interstellar astrochemistry in the distant Universe., Les systèmes Lorentziens Lyman-alpha à grand décalage spectral, observés en absorption sur la ligne de visée de quasars, sont les signatures spectrales du milieu interstellaire dans l'Univers lointain. Peu d'outils sont cependant à notre disposition pour comprendre les propriétés physiques des objets associés. Une technique qui se base sur de la physique bien comprise et qui a été largement appliquée au milieu interstellaire local est l'étude de l'hydrogène moléculaire. Les propriétés radiatives et collisionnelles spécifiques de cette molécule en font une sonde très sensible aux conditions physiques du gaz.Dans cette thèse, j'étudie la présence d'hydrogène moléculaire dans le milieu interstellaire à grand décalage spectral en m'appuyant sur un échantillon unique de systèmes Lorentziens Lyman-alpha observés à grand rapport signal-à-bruit et haute résolution spectrale. Je présente des travaux dont l'objectif est de comprendre les propriétés et les conditions physiques du gaz neutre associé à ces systèmes (température, densité, composition chimique, fraction moléculaire, contenu en poussières, intensité du champ de radiation incident). J'effectue en parallèle une recherche systématique et une étude statistique des systèmes Lorentziens afin de mesurer le contenu en gaz neutre de l'Univers, caractériser sa distribution et son évolution au cours du temps et contraindre ainsi la formation des galaxies.Je montre enfin la possibilité de détecter et d'étudier d'autres molécules telles que l'hydrogène moléculaire deutéré et le monoxyde de carbone dans le milieu interstellaire à grand décalage spectral. Les outils d'analyse automatique de spectres développés dans cette thèse ont conduit à la première détection de CO dans un tel milieu, ouvrant la voie à l'astrochimie du milieu interstellaire dans l'Univers lointain.

Methods dedicated to the selection of quasars have undergone a lot of evolution this last decades. One of them is especially devoted to our purpose by its reliability and adaptability : SED fitting. We use the SDSS as a testbench for our selection. These tests allow us to estimate the efficiency of our selection. We recover most of the SDSS quasars. These tests provide also different kinds of selection for which I give an estimate of our efficiency. I show how to apply these selection criteria on the CFHTLS. We estimate the completeness of our selection at 90% on this survey. The last chapter describes the work that will be needed once we will have collected enough line of sight. We have shown with our sample of pairs of quasar that the shape and correlation length of the transverse correlation function of the absorbing gas is in good agreement with expectations for absorption by density fluctuations in the warm photoionized IGM as described in CDM-like structure formation models., Les méthodes de sélection des quasars ont beaucoup évolué ces dernières décennies, la méthode d'adaptation de DSE semble plus adaptable et plus fiable d'un relevé à un autre. Les test menés sur le SDSS permettent d'estimer dans un premier temps l'efficacité de notre sélection. Notre sélection retrouve la plupart des quasars. Les tests menés nous permettent de disposer de plusieurs types de sélection selon les stratégies des suivis spectroscopiques. Pour chacune d'entre elles nous avons une estimation de l'efficacité. Le dernier chapitre représente la base du travail qu'il faudra effectuer une fois que l'on aura collecté assez de lignes de visée. En effet nous avons montré qu'avec un nombre faible de paires de quasars, il était possible d'accorder observations et simulations. Les corrélations trouvées à partir de notre échantillon de paires de quasars est parfaitement cohérente avec les simulations et la corrélation est détectée à 3~Σ pour des séparations de l'ordre de ~3-5 arcmin

Absorption line systems observed at high resolution in the spectrum of background quasars are powerful tools for studying the baryonic gas content of the Universe and its evolution. Whereas the diffuse gas clouds of the intergalactic medium, the so-called Lyman-alpha forest, dominate the mass density of baryons at high redshift, the damped Lyman-alpha systems with their large neutral hydrogen column densities dominate the mass density of neutral gas at any redshift. The latter are probably associated to important steps in the formation and evolution of galaxies. In this thesis, I present works whose aim is to better determine the physical properties and constrain the nature of the damped Lyman-alpha systems. After an introduction and a review of our knowledge in the field, I describe my analysis of the chemical abundances and kinematics of the neutral gas at high redshift. I then investigate the connection between those objects and the optical identification of the absorbing galaxies at intermediate redshift by studying the nucleosynthesis history of the gas and the possible existence of dust grains at z_abs less than 1.7. Moreover, the application of the technics of integral field spectroscopy enabled me to search for Lyman-alpha emission from star-forming regions associated to the highest redshift damped Lyman-alpha systems, emission that I interpret in the framework of a physical model of damped Lyman-alpha systems. Finally, the last part of the thesis is devoted to a project aiming at the study of the association of the Lyman-alpha forest clouds with large-scale structures and galactic haloes at low redshift, and I present in this context the results of an efficient survey of bright quasars in the background of the Coma cluster of galaxies., Les systemes de raies d'absorption observes a haute resolution dans le spectre des quasars sont des outils puissants pour etudier le gaz baryonique dans l'Univers et son evolution. Tandis que les nuages de gaz diffus du milieu intergalactique, la foret Lyman-alpha, dominent la densite de masse des baryons a grand decalage spectral, les systemes d'absorption Lyman-alpha lorentziens de grandes densites de colonne en hydrogene neutre dominent la densite de masse du gaz neutre a tout decalage spectral. Ces derniers sont probablement associes a des etapes-cles de la formation et de l'evolution des galaxies. Dans cette these, je presente des travaux dont l'objectif est de mieux cerner les proprietes physiques et de contraindre la nature des systemes lorentziens. Apres une introduction et une revue detaillee de nos connaissances dans le domaine, je decris ma propre analyse des abondances chimiques et de la cinematique du gaz neutre a grand decalage spectral. Je fais ensuite le lien entre ces objets et l'identification optique des galaxies responsables de l'absorption a decalage spectral intermediaire en etudiant plus particulierement l'histoire nucleosynthetique du gaz et la possibilite de l'existence de poussieres a z_abs plus petit que 1.7. L'application des techniques de la spectroscopie integrale de champ m'a en outre permis de rechercher l'emission Lyman-alpha des regions de formation d'etoiles associees aux systemes lorentziens de decalages spectraux les plus grands, emission que j'interprete dans le cadre de plusieurs modelisations originales. La derniere partie de la these est dediee au projet d'etude de l'association de la foret Lyman-alpha avec les grandes structures et les halos galactiques de notre Univers local, et je presente dans ce contexte les resultats d'un releve efficace de quasars brillants situes a l'arriere-plan de l'amas de galaxies de Coma.