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ABSTRACT: We present the first observational measurements of the Lyman-α (Ly α) forest flux autocorrelation functions in ten redshift bins from 5.1 ≤ z ≤ 6.0. We use a sample of 35 quasar sightlines at z > 5.7 from the extended XQR-30 data set; these data have signal-to-noise ratios of >20 per spectral pixel. We carefully account for systematic errors in continuum reconstruction, instrumentation, and contamination by damped Ly α systems. With these measurements, we introduce software tools to generate autocorrelation function measurements from any simulation. Our measurements of the smallest bin of the autocorrelation function increase with redshift when normalizing by the mean flux, 〈F〉. This increase may come from decreasing 〈F〉 or increasing mean free path of hydrogen-ionizing photons, λmfp. Recent work has shown that the autocorrelation function from simulations at z > 5 is sensitive to λmfp, a quantity that contains vital information on the ending of reionization. For an initial comparison, we show our autocorrelation measurements with simulation models for recently measured λmfp values and find good agreements. Further work in modelling and understanding the covariance matrices of the data is necessary to get robust measurements of λmfp from this data.

The 1D power spectrum P1D of the Ly α forest provides important information about cosmological and astrophysical parameters, including constraints on warm dark matter models, the sum of the masses of the three neutrino species, and the thermal state of the intergalactic medium. We present the first measurement of P1D with the quadratic maximum likelihood estimator (QMLE) from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) survey early data sample. This early sample of 54 600 quasars is already comparable in size to the largest previous studies, and we conduct a thorough investigation of numerous instrumental and analysis systematic errors to evaluate their impact on DESI data with QMLE. We demonstrate the excellent performance of the spectroscopic pipeline noise estimation and the impressive accuracy of the spectrograph resolution matrix with 2D image simulations of raw DESI images that we processed with the DESI spectroscopic pipeline. We also study metal line contamination and noise calibration systematics with quasar spectra on the red side of the Ly α emission line. In a companion paper, we present a similar analysis based on the Fast Fourier Transform estimate of the power spectrum. We conclude with a comparison of these two approaches and discuss the key sources of systematic error that we need to address with the upcoming DESI Year 1 analysis.

We assess the impact of quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) on the high-redshift (⁠|$z\gt 4$|⁠) intergalactic medium using Monte Carlo realizations of QSO populations and the He  |$\rm \scriptstyle III$| regions they generate, applied to the Sherwood–Relics simulations, allowing for uncertainties in the QSO luminosity function, its evolution, and QSO spectra and ages. While QSO luminosity functions based on optical–infrared selection are unable to reproduce the broadening H  |$\rm \scriptstyle I$| Ly  |$\alpha$| optical depth distributions at |$z\gt 5$|⁠ , much broader distributions are found for the higher numbers of QSOs based on X-ray selection, suggesting a large QSO contribution to the ultraviolet background at |$z\gt 5$| may offer an alternative to late reionization models to account for the broad H  |$\rm \scriptstyle I$| Ly  |$\alpha$| optical depth distributions. Realizations using QSOs based on the higher QSO counts also much better recover the measured pixel flux autocorrelation function at |$z\gt 5$|⁠. The He  |$\rm \scriptstyle III$| regions from QSO sources according to both types of luminosity function suppress the pixel flux power spectrum on small scales, |$k\gt 0.02\, \mathrm{s\, km^{-1}}$|⁠ , while enhancing it on larger, both by amounts of up to tens of per cent at |$z\gt 4$|⁠ , with the magnitude increasing with the intergalactic He  |$\rm \scriptstyle III$| filling factor and the boost in temperature within the He  |$\rm \scriptstyle III$| regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strong low-ionization transitions like the Mg  ii |$\lambda 2796,2804$|  Å doublet are believed to produce a detectable 'metal-line forest', if metals pollute the neutral intergalatic medium (IGM). We measure the autocorrelation of the Mg  ii forest transmission using 10 ground-based |$z \ge 6.80$| quasar spectra probing the redshift range |$5.96 \lt z_{\rm Mg\, {\small II}} \lt 7.42$| (⁠|$z_{\rm Mg\, {\small II}, median} = 6.47$|⁠). The correlation function exhibits strong small-scale clustering and a pronounced peak at the doublet velocity (⁠|$\Delta v = 768~{\rm km\, s^{-1}}$|⁠) arising from discrete absorbers in the circumgalactic medium of galaxies. After these strong absorbers are identified and masked the signal is consistent with noise. Our measurements are compared to a suite of models generated by combining a large hydrodynamical simulation with a seminumerical reionization topology, assuming a simple uniform enrichment model. We obtain a 95 per cent credibility upper limit of |$[{\rm Mg/H}] \lt -3.73$| at |$z_{\rm Mg\, {\small II},median} = 6.47$|⁠ , assuming uninformative priors on [Mg/H] and the IGM neutral fraction |$x_{\rm {H\, {\small I}}}$|⁠. Splitting the data into low- z (⁠|$5.96 \lt z_{\rm Mg\, {\small II}} \lt 6.47$|⁠ ; |$z_{\rm Mg\, {\small II},median} = 6.235$|⁠) and high- z (⁠|$6.47 \lt z_{\rm Mg\, {\small II}} \lt 7.42$|⁠ ; |$z_{\rm Mg\, {\small II},median} = 6.72$|⁠) subsamples again yields null detections and 95 per cent upper limits of |$[{\rm Mg/H}] \lt -3.75$| and |$\lt -3.45$|⁠ , respectively. These first measurements set the stage for making the Mg ii forest an emerging tool to precisely constrain the Universe reionization and enrichment history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present near-infrared observations, acquired with the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), of a Lyα-emitting double-clumped nebula at z ≈ 3.25 associated with a damped Lyα absorber (DLA). With the WFC3/F160W data we observe the stellar continuum around 3600 Å in the rest frame of a galaxy embedded in the west clump of the nebula, GW, for which we estimate a star formation rate (SFR) of SFRGW = 5.0 ± 0.4 M⊙ yr−1 and a maximum stellar mass MGW < 9.9 ± 0.7 × 109 M⊙. With the enhanced spatial resolution of HST, we discover the presence of an additional faint source, GE, in the center of the east clump, with SFRGE = 0.70 ± 0.20 M⊙ yr−1 and a maximum stellar mass MGE < 1.4 ± 0.4 × 109 M⊙. We show that the Lyα emission in the two clumps can be explained by recombination following in situ photoionization by the two galaxies, assuming escape fractions of ionizing photons of ≲0.24 for GW and ≲0.34 for GE. The fact that GW is offset by ≈8 kpc from the west clump means we cannot fully rule out the presence of additional fainter star-forming sources, which would further contribute to the photon budget inside this ≈1012 M⊙ galaxy group that extends over a region of 30 × 50 kpc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multiphase circumgalactic medium (CGM) hosts critical processes that affect galaxy evolution such as accretion and outflows. We searched for evidence of these phenomena by using the EW co-rotation fraction (⁠|$f_{\rm EWcorot}$|⁠) to study the kinematic connection between the multiphase CGM and host galaxy rotation. We examined CGM absorption from Hubble Space Telescope / Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (including, but not limited to, Si  ii , C  ii , Si  iii , C  iii , and O  vi) within |$21\le D\le ~276$| kpc of 27 galaxies. We find the median |$f_{\rm EWcorot}$| for all ions is consistent within errors and the |$f_{\rm EWcorot}$| increases with increasing N |$({{{\rm H} \rm{\small I}}})$|⁠. The |$f_{\rm EWcorot}$| of lower ionization gas decreases with increasing |$D/R_{\rm vir}$|⁠ , while O  vi and H  i are consistent with being flat. The |$f_{\rm EWcorot}$| varies minimally as a function of azimuthal angle and is similar for all ions at a fixed azimuthal angle. The larger number of O  vi detections enabled us to investigate where the majority of co-rotating gas is found. Highly co-rotating O  vi primarily resides along the galaxies' major axis. Looking at the |$f_{\rm EWcorot}$| as a function of ionization potential (⁠|${{\rm d}{({f_{\rm EWcorot}})}}/{{\rm d}{(\rm eV)}}$|⁠), we find a stronger co-rotation signature for lower ionization gas. There are suggestions of a connection between the CGM metallicity and major axis co-rotation where low-ionization gas with higher |$f_{\rm EWcorot}$| exhibits lower metallicity and may trace large-scale filamentary inflows. Higher ionization gas with higher |$f_{\rm EWcorot}$| exhibits higher metallicity and may instead trace co-planar recycled gas accretion. Our results stress the importance of comparing absorption originating from a range of ionization phases to differentiate between various gas flow scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical evolution models predict a gradual build-up of 13C in the Universe, based on empirical nuclear reaction rates and assumptions on the properties of stellar populations. However, old metal-poor stars within the Galaxy contain more 13C than is predicted, suggesting that further refinements to the models are necessary. Gas at high-redshift provides important supplementary information at metallicities |$-2\lesssim \left[{\rm Fe/H}\right]\lesssim -1$|⁠ , for which there are only a few measurements in the Galaxy. We obtained new, high-quality, VLT/ESPRESSO observations of the QSO B1331 |$+$| 170 and used them to measure 12C/13C in the damped Lyman- |$\alpha$| system (DLA) at |$z_{\rm abs}=1.776$|⁠ , with |$\left[{\rm Fe/H}\right]$| = −1.27. ai-vpfit , an artificial intelligence tool based on genetic algorithms and guided by a spectroscopic information criterion, was used to explore different possible kinematic structures of the carbon gas. Three hundred independent ai-vpfit models of the absorption system were produced using pre-set 12C/13C values, ranging from 4 to 500. Our results show that |${\rm ^{12}C / ^{13}C}=28.5^{+51.5}_{-10.4}$|⁠ , suggesting a possibility of 13C production at low metallicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the potential of using the low-redshift Lyman |$\alpha$| (Ly  |$\alpha$|⁠) forest surrounding luminous red galaxies (LRGs) as a tool to constrain active galactic nuclei (AGNs) feedback models. Our analysis is based on snapshots from the Illustris and IllustrisTNG simulations at a redshift of |$z=0.1$|⁠. These simulations offer an ideal platform for studying the influence of AGN feedback on the gas surrounding galaxies, as they share the same initial conditions and underlying code but incorporate different feedback prescriptions. Both simulations show significant impacts of feedback on the temperature and density of the gas around massive haloes. Following our previous work, we adjusted the UV background in both simulations to align with the observed number density of Ly  |$\alpha$| lines (⁠|$\rm dN/dz$|⁠) in the intergalactic medium and study the Ly  |$\alpha$| forest around massive haloes hosting LRGs, at impact parameters (⁠|$r_{\perp }$|⁠) ranging from 0.1 to 100 pMpc. Our findings reveal that |$\rm dN/dz$|⁠ , as a function of |$r_{\perp }$|⁠ , is approximately 1.5 to 2 times higher in IllustrisTNG compared to Illustris up to |$r_{\perp }$| of |$\sim 10$| pMpc. To further assess whether existing data can effectively discern these differences, we search for archival data containing spectra of background quasars probing foreground LRGs. Through a feasibility analysis based on these data, we demonstrate that |${\rm dN/dz} (r_{\perp })$| measurements can distinguish between feedback models of IllustrisTNG and Illustris with a precision exceeding 16 |$\sigma$|⁠. This underscores the potential of |${\rm dN/dz} (r_{\perp })$| measurements around LRGs as a valuable benchmark observation for discriminating between different feedback models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broad absorption line (BAL) outflows are commonly detected in active galactic nuclei (AGNs), but their driving mechanism remains poorly constrained. Here, we investigate whether radiation pressure on dust can adequately explain the BAL phenomenon observed in quasars. In the framework of our AGN radiative dusty feedback scenario, we show that dust-driven outflows can reach BAL wind-like velocities (⁠|$v \sim 10^4$| km s |$^{-1}$|⁠) on galactic scales (⁠|$r \lesssim 1$| kpc). This is consistent with recent observations indicating that BAL acceleration typically occurs on scales of |$\sim 10$| pc, and that the majority of BAL outflows are located at galactocentric radii greater than |$\sim 100$| pc. We derive the outflow radial velocity profile and compute the associated outflow momentum rate and kinetic power, which are found to be in agreement with the outflow energetics measured in BAL quasars. Therefore, radiation pressure on dust may account for the observed BAL outflow dynamics and energetics. Furthermore, we consider BAL clouds/clumps (leading to a clumpy BAL flow characterized by a wide range of outflowing velocities), and we analyse how the resulting covering factors affect the shape of the absorption line profiles. We conclude that dust-driven BAL outflows may provide a significant contribution to AGN feedback on galactic scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: At z ≲ 1, shock heating caused by large-scale velocity flows and possibly violent feedback from galaxy formation, converts a significant fraction of the cool gas (T ∼ 104 K) in the intergalactic medium (IGM) into warm–hot phase (WHIM) with T > 105 K, resulting in a significant deviation from the previously tight power-law IGM temperature–density relationship, $T=T_0 (\rho / {\bar{\rho }})^{\gamma -1}$. This study explores the impact of the WHIM on measurements of the low-z IGM thermal state, [T0, γ], based on the b–$N_{{\rm H\,{\small I}}} $ distribution of the Ly α forest. Exploiting a machine learning-enabled simulation-based inference method trained on Nyx hydrodynamical simulations, we demonstrate that [T0, γ] can still be reliably measured from the b–$N_{{\rm H\,{\small I}}} $ distribution at z = 0.1, notwithstanding the substantial WHIM in the IGM. To investigate the effects of different feedback, we apply this inference methodology to mock spectra derived from the IllustrisTNG and Illustris simulations at z = 0.1. The results suggest that the underlying [T0, γ] of both simulations can be recovered with biases as low as |Δlog (T0/K)| ≲ 0.05 dex, |Δγ| ≲ 0.1, smaller than the precision of a typical measurement. Given the large differences in the volume-weighted WHIM fractions between the three simulations (Illustris 38 per cent, IllustrisTNG 10 per cent, and Nyx 4 per cent), we conclude that the b–$N_{{\rm H\,{\small I}}} $ distribution is not sensitive to the WHIM under realistic conditions. Finally, we investigate the physical properties of the detectable Ly α absorbers, and discover that although their T and Δ distributions remain mostly unaffected by feedback, they are correlated with the photoionization rate used in the simulation.

We present a new suite of late-end reionization simulations performed with aton-he , a revised version of the GPU-based radiative transfer code aton that includes helium. The simulations are able to reproduce the Ly  |$\alpha$| flux distribution of the E-XQR-30 sample of QSO absorption spectra at |$5 \lesssim z \lesssim 6.2$|⁠ , and show that a large variety of reionization models are consistent with these data. We explore a range of variations in source models and in the early-stage evolution of reionization. Our fiducial reionization history has a mid-point of reionization at |$z = 6.5$|⁠ , but we also explore an 'Early' reionization history with a mid-point at |$z = 7.5$| and an 'Extremely Early' reionization history with a mid-point at |$z = 9.5$|⁠. Haloes massive enough to host observed Ly  |$\alpha$| emitters are highly biased. The fraction of such haloes embedded in ionized bubbles that are large enough to allow high Ly  |$\alpha$| transmission becomes close to unity much before the volume filling factor of ionized regions. For our fiducial reionization history this happens at |$z = 8$|⁠ , probably too late to be consistent with the detection by JWST of abundant Ly  |$\alpha$| emission out to |$z = 11$|⁠. A reionization history in our 'Early' model or perhaps even our 'Extremely Early' model may be required, suggesting a Thomson scattering optical depth in tension with that reported by Planck, but consistent with recent suggestions of a significantly higher value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We derive a mean attenuation curve out to the rest-frame extreme ultraviolet (EUV) for 'BAL dust' – the dust causing the additional extinction of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with broad absorption lines (BALQSOs). In contrast to the normal, relatively flat, mean AGN attenuation curve, BAL dust is well fit by a steeply rising, SMC-like curve. We confirm the shape of the theoretical Weingartner & Draine SMC curve out to 700 Angstroms but the drop in attenuation at still shorter wavelengths is less than predicted. The similar SMC-like attenuation curve for low-ionization BALQSOs (LoBALs) does not support the idea that they are an early phase in the life of an AGN when it is breaking out of a cocoon of star-forming dust. Although the attenuation is only |$E(B - V) \sim 0.03\!-\!0.05$| in the optical, it rises to one magnitude in the EUV, which is an optimum value for radiative acceleration of dusty gas. Because the spectral energy distribution of AGNs peaks in the EUV, the force on the dust dominates the acceleration of BAL gas. Although the shape of the attenuation curve for LoBALs is similar to the shape for HiBALs, the LoBALs on average show negative attenuation in the optical. This is naturally explained if there is more light scattered into our line of sight in LoBALs compared with non-BALQSOs. We suggest that this and partial covering are causes when attenuation curves appear to be steeper in the UV than an SMC curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel dataset that extends our view of the cosmic gas around z ≈ 3 − 4 Lyα emitters (LAEs) in the Muse Analysis of Gas around Galaxies (MAGG) survey by tracing a cool and enriched gas phase through 47 Mg II absorbers identified in newly obtained VLT/X-shooter near-infrared quasar spectra. Jointly with the more ionized gas traced by C IV systems and the neutral H I from previous work, we find that LAEs are distributed inside cosmic structures that contain multiphase gas in composition and temperature. All gas phases are a strong function of the large-scale galaxy environment: the Mg II and the C IV strength and kinematics positively correlate with the number of associated galaxies, and it is ≈3 − 4 times more likely to detect metal absorbers around groups of LAEs than isolated ones. Exploring the redshift evolution, the covering factor of Mg II around groups of LAEs and isolated ones remains approximately constant from z ≈ 3 − 4 to z ≲ 2, but the one of C IV around group galaxies drops by z ≲ 2. Adding the cool enriched gas traced by the Mg II absorbers to the results that we obtained for the H I and C IV gas, we put forward a picture in which LAEs lie along gas filaments that contain high column-density H I systems and are enriched by strong C IV and Mg II absorbers. While the Mg II gas appears to be more centrally concentrated near LAEs, weaker C IV systems instead trace a more diffuse gas phase extended up to larger distances around the galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. Our aim is to present a robust parameter estimation with simulated Lyα forest spectra from Sherwood-Relics simulations suite by using an information-maximizing neural network (IMNN) to extract maximal information from Lyα 1D-transmitted flux in the Fourier space. Methods. We performed 1D estimations using IMNN for intergalactic medium (IGM) thermal parameters T0 and γ at z = 2 − 4, and cosmological parameters σ8 and ns at z = 3 − 4. We compared our results with estimates from the power spectrum using the posterior distribution from a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). We then checked the robustness of IMNN estimates against deviation in spectral noise levels, continuum uncertainties, and instrumental smoothing effects. Using mock Lyα forest sightlines from the publicly available CAMELS project, we also checked the robustness of the trained IMNN on a different simulation. As a proof of concept, we demonstrated a 2D-parameter estimation for T0 and H I photoionization rates, ΓHI. Results. We obtain improved estimates of T0 and γ using IMNN over the standard MCMC approach. These estimates are also more robust against signal-to-noise deviations at z = 2 and 3. At z = 4, the sensitivity to noise deviations is on par with MCMC estimates. The IMNN also provides T0 and γ estimates that are robust against continuum uncertainties by extracting small-scale continuum-independent information from the Fourier domain. In the cases of σ8 and ns, the IMNN performs on par with MCMC but still offers a significant speed boost in estimating parameters from a new dataset. The improved estimates with IMNN are seen for high instrumental resolution (FWHM = 6 km s−1). At medium or low resolutions, the IMNN performs similarly to MCMC, suggesting an improved extraction of small-scale information with IMNN. We also find that IMNN estimates are robust against the choice of simulation. By performing a 2D-parameter estimation for T0 and ΓHI, we also demonstrate how to take forward this approach observationally in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple observations now suggest that the hydrogen reionization may have ended well below redshift six. While there has previously been no conclusive proof of extended neutral islands in the |$z \lt 6$| intergalactic medium, it is possible that such islands give rise to the giant Ly  |$\alpha$| absorption troughs seen in the spectra of high-redshift quasars. Here, we present evidence that the deepest and longest known Ly  |$\alpha$| trough at |$z \,\lt\, 6$|⁠ , towards ULAS J0148 + 0600 (J0148), is associated with damping wing absorption. The evidence comes from a window of strong Ly  |$\alpha$| transmission at the edge of the J0148 proximity zone. We show that the relatively smooth profile of this transmission window is highly unlikely to arise from resonant absorption alone, but is consistent with the presence of a damping wing. We further argue that the damping wing is unlikely to arise from a compact source due to the lack of associated metal lines, and is more likely to arise from an extended neutral island associated with the giant Ly  |$\alpha$| trough. We investigate the physical conditions that may give rise to the strong transmission window, and speculate that it may signal an usually deep void, nearby ionizing sources, and/or the recent passage of an ionization front. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the physical conditions in the local interstellar medium (ISM) and at high redshift by fitting observed column densities of CO and H2 rotational levels and C  i fine-structure levels using photodissociation models calculated with the Meudon PDR code. We analysed CO absorption systems in 28 sight lines in the local ISM and seven damped Lyman-α absorption systems at high redshift, covering |$N({\rm H_2})=10^{19}\!-\!10^{21.5}\,{\rm cm}^{-2}$| and |$N({\rm CO})=10^{13}\!-\!10^{18}\,{\rm cm}^{-2}$|⁠. We constructed a method to accurately calculate CO excitation, incorporating the effects of photon trapping. Our findings indicate that in the local ISM, CO excitation is primarily driven by collisions and excitation due to the CMB radiation. We demonstrated that an increase in CO excitation observed near |$N({\rm CO})\simeq 10^{15}~{\rm cm^{-2}}$|⁠ , is attributed to an increase in gas densities from |${\simeq}100\,{\rm cm}^{-3}$| to |${\simeq}300\!-\!1000\,{\rm cm}^{-3}$|⁠. CO absorption systems in the local ISM are characterized by a gas number density of about 10–1000 cm−3, a kinetic temperature of 10–100 K, and an intensity of external UV field ranging from 0.1 to 10 units of Mathis field. Compared to the average gas probed by C  i absorption, the gas detected in CO is denser and colder, while the external UV field remains nearly constant. We observed a negative correlation between the kinetic temperature and both N (CO) and N (H2), with power-law slopes of |$-0.21\pm 0.02$| and |$-0.65\pm 0.05$|⁠ , respectively. At the same time, the gas number density exhibits a positive correlation with N (CO) and N (H2) with slopes of |$0.38\pm 0.02$| and |$1.15\pm 0.05$|⁠ , respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circumgalactic medium (CGM) hosts many physical processes with different kinematic signatures that affect galaxy evolution. We address the CGM–galaxy kinematic connection by quantifying the fraction of H  i that is aligned with galaxy rotation with the equivalent width co-rotation fraction, |$f_{\rm EWcorot}$|⁠. Using 70 quasar sightlines having Hubble Space Telescope /Cosmic Origins Spectrograph H  i absorption (⁠|${12\lt \log (N(\rm{{\rm H}\,{\small I}})/{\rm cm}^{-2})\lt 20}$|⁠) within |$5R_{\rm vir}$| of |$z\lt 0.6$| galaxies we find that |$f_{\rm EWcorot}$| increases with increasing H  i column density. |$f_{\rm EWcorot}$| is flat at |$\sim 0.6$| within |$R_{\rm vir}$| and decreases beyond |$R_{\rm vir}$| to |$f_{\rm EWcorot}$| |$\sim 0.35$|⁠. |$f_{\rm EWcorot}$| also has a flat distribution with azimuthal and inclination angles within |$R_{\rm vir}$|⁠ , but decreases by a factor of two outside of |$R_{\rm vir}$| for minor axis gas and by a factor of 2 for edge-on galaxies. Inside |$R_{\rm vir}$|⁠ , co-rotation dominated H i is located within |$\sim 20$| deg of the major and minor axes. We surprisingly find equal amounts of H  i absorption consistent with co-rotation along both major and minor axes within |$R_{\rm vir}$|⁠. However, this co-rotation disappears along the minor axis beyond |$R_{\rm vir}$|⁠ , suggesting that if this gas is from outflows, then it is bound to galaxies. |$f_{\rm EWcorot}$| is constant over two decades of halo mass, with no decrease for log(M |$_{\rm h}/{\rm M}_{\odot })\gt 12$| as expected from simulations. Our results suggest that co-rotating gas flows are best found by searching for higher column density gas within |$R_{\rm vir}$| and near the major and minor axes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent quasar absorption line observations suggest that reionization may end as late as |$z \approx 5.3$|⁠. As a means to search for large neutral hydrogen islands at |$z\ \lt\ 6$|⁠ , we revisit long dark gaps in the Ly  |$\beta$| forest in Very Large Telescope/X-Shooter and Keck/Echellette Spectrograph and Imager quasar spectra. We stack the Ly  |$\alpha$| forest corresponding to both edges of these Ly  |$\beta$| dark gaps and identify a damping wing-like extended absorption profile. The average redshift of the stacked forest is |$z=5.8$|⁠. By comparing these observations with reionization simulations, we infer that such a damping wing-like feature can be naturally explained if these gaps are at least partially created by neutral islands. Conversely, simulated dark gaps lacking neutral hydrogen struggle to replicate the observed damping wing features. Furthermore, this damping wing-like profile implies that the volume-averaged neutral hydrogen fraction must be |$\langle x_{\rm H\,{\small {I}}} \rangle \ge 6.1 \pm 3.9~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$| at |$z = 5.8$|⁠. Our results offer robust evidence that reionization extends below |$z=6$|⁠. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of the mean free path of Lyman-continuum photons in the intergalactic medium during the epoch of reionization can help constrain the nature of the sources as well as sinks of hydrogen-ionizing radiation. A recent approach to this measurement has been to utilize composite spectra of multiple quasars at |$z\sim 6$|⁠ , and infer the mean free path after correcting the spectra for the presence of quasar proximity zones. This has revealed not only a steep drop in the mean free path from |$z=5$| to |$z=6$|⁠ , but also potentially a mild tension with reionization simulations. We critically examine such direct measurements of the mean free path for biases due to quasar environment, incomplete reionization, and quasar proximity zones. Using cosmological radiative transfer simulations of reionization combined with one-dimensional radiative transfer calculations of quasar proximity zones, we find that the bias in the mean free path due to overdensities around quasars is minimal at |$z\sim 6$|⁠. Patchiness of reionization at this redshift also does not affect the measurements significantly. Fitting our model to the data results in a mean free path of |$\lambda _{\mathrm{mfp}}=1.49^{+0.47}_{-0.52}$|  pMpc at |$z=6$|⁠ , which is consistent with the recent measurements in the literature, indicating robustness with respect to the modelling of quasar proximity zones. We also compare various ways in which the mean free path has been defined in simulations before the end of reionization. Overall, our finding is that recent measurements of the mean free path appear to be robust relative to several sources of potential bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SDSS J083942.11+380526.3 (⁠|$z=2.315$|⁠) is an iron low-ionization broad absorption lines quasar that exhibits visible Balmer absorption lines (H  |$\alpha$|⁠), implying a significant |$n=2$| population. The quasar also shows an array of absorption lines, including O  i , Ni  ii , Fe  ii , Mg  ii , Al  iii  to C  iv , and N v. The high-ionization absorption lines such as C  iv and Si  iv are revealed by slightly blueshifted broad absorption lines troughs. The resonance doublets such as Mg  ii and Al  iii are saturated but did not reached zero intensity which indicates that the broad-line region (BLR) is partially covered. Overall, however, the absorption is predominantly from low-ionization Fe  ii lines, emitted from ground and excited states up to at least 3.814 eV. This implies that the absorbing gas spans the hydrogen ionization front and extends into the partially ionized zone where neutral hydrogen is certainly present. Notably, the hydrogen line spectrum of the quasar shows no signature of expected Ly  |$\alpha$| absorption. Instead, the line spectrum shows an unusual Ly  |$\alpha$| emission characterized by a fully filled emission line spectrum which is a composite of a strong narrow core superposed on a weak broad base. Taking into account the effect of partial covering to BLR, we have extracted a strong Damped Ly α systems (DLA) trough in Ly  |$\alpha$| emission region. To fit the spectrum, we performed photoionized model calculations and compared them to the observations. We found that photoionization modelling using cloudy can successfully reproduce the main characteristics of the quasar spectrum, and the predicted neutral hydrogen column density arising from the clouds responsible for the low-ionization absorption provides a good match to the extracted DLA trough. This indicates that both the DLA and the low-ionization absorption arise from the same medium that is roughly collocated with the dusty torus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present long-slit spectroscopic observations of 40 Galaxy On Top of Quasars (GOTOQs) at |${0.37 \leqslant z \leqslant 1.01}$| using the South African Large Telescope. Using this and available photometric data, we measure the impact parameters of the foreground galaxies to be in the range of 3–16 kpc with a median value of 8.6 kpc. This is the largest sample of galaxies producing Mg  ii absorption at such low impact parameters. These quasar–galaxy pairs are ideal for probing the disc–halo interface. At such impact parameters, we do not find any anticorrelation between rest equivalent width (REW) of Ca  ii , Mn  ii , Fe  ii , Mg  ii , and Mg  i absorption and impact parameter. These sight lines are typically redder than those of strong Mg  ii absorbers, with the colour excess, E (B − V) for our sample ranging from −0.191 to 0.422, with a median value of 0.058. In the E (B − V) versus W 3935 plane, GOTOQs occupy the same region as Ca  ii absorbers. For a given E (B − V), we find larger W 3935 than what has been found in the Milky Way, probably due to a smaller dust-to-gas ratio in GOTOQs. Galaxy parameters could be measured for twelve cases, and their properties seem to follow the trends found for strong Mg  ii absorbers. Measuring the host galaxy properties for the full sample using HST photometry or AO-assisted ground-based imaging is important to gain insights into the relationship between the stellar mass of galaxies and the metal line REW distributions at low impact parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent evidence supporting reionization ending at redshift |$z \lesssim 6$| includes the rapid redshift evolution of the mean free path, |$\lambda _{\rm mfp}$|⁠ , for Lyman-limit photons through the intergalactic medium (IGM) at |$5\lt z\lt 6$|⁠. Here, we investigate |$\lambda _{\rm mfp}$| predicted by the Sherwood–Relics suite of hybrid radiation hydrodynamical simulations. Simulations with comoving volumes of |$40^{3}\, h^{-3}\rm \, cMpc^{3}$| (⁠|$160^{3}\, h^{-3}\rm \, cMpc^{3}$|⁠), calibrated to match the observed Ly |$\alpha$| forest transmission with a late end to reionization at |$z\lt 6$|⁠ , are consistent with recent |$\lambda _{\rm mfp}$| measurements at |$z\lt 5.9$|⁠ , and are |$1.2\sigma$| (⁠|$1.8\sigma$|⁠) above the highest redshift |$\lambda _{\rm mfp}$| measurement at |$z=5.93$|⁠. The majority of the Lyman-limit opacity at the end of reionization is attributable to highly ionized Ly |$\alpha$| forest absorbers with neutral hydrogen column densities |$N_{\rm HI} \leq 10^{16}$| – |$10^{17}\rm \, cm^{-2}$|⁠. Resolving these systems is critical for capturing the redshift evolution of |$\lambda _{\rm mfp}$| during the final stages of reionization. After reionization completes, overdense gas will reduce |$\lambda _{\rm mfp}$| by up to 20 per cent around haloes with masses |$M_{\rm h}\sim 10^{9}$| – |$10^{11}h^{-1}\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$|⁠ , but during reionization ionized bubbles will instead boost |$\lambda _{\rm mfp}$| around haloes by up to an order of magnitude when the IGM is as much as 90 per cent neutral by volume. This effect will play an important role in the visibility of Ly |$\alpha$| emitting galaxies at |$z\gtrsim 10$| discovered with JWST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new measurements of the mean transmitted flux in the hydrogen |$\rm {Ly\,\alpha }$| and a relative transmitted flux measurement in |$\rm {Ly\,\beta }$| using 27 008 quasar spectra from the Fourteenth Data Release (DR14) of the Extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. Individual spectra are first combined into 16 composites with mean redshifts in the range of |$2.8\lt z\lt 4.9$|⁠. We then apply Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) inference to produce a piecewise fit of the effective |$\tau _{\rm {Ly\,\alpha }}$| (corrected for metal lines and optically thick absorption) assuming a spline point distribution. We also perform a relative |$\Delta \tau _{\rm {Ly\,\beta }}$| measurement with the same data set, finding |$\Delta \tau _{\rm {Ly\,\beta }}\lt 0.35$| at |$z\lt 4.8$|⁠. The 6–8  per cent precision measurements in the rest frame 1075–1150 Å at |${\it z} \ \lt \rm {4.0}$| and 10–12 per cent precision measurements in the same region at |${\it z} \ \gt \rm {4.0}$| on |$\tau _{\rm {Ly\,\alpha }}$|⁠ , and our determinations of |$\Delta \tau _{\rm {Ly\,\beta }}$|⁠ , are dominated by systematic errors, likely arising from bias and uncertainties in estimates of the quasar continuum. Our |$\tau _{\rm {Ly\,\alpha }}$| values show a smooth increase by a factor of 5 over the redshift range |$z=2.4-4.4$|⁠. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to theoretically understand dust properties in the circumgalactic medium (CGM), we construct a dust evolution model that incorporates the evolution of grain size distribution. We treat the galaxy and the CGM as separate one-zone objects, and consider the mass exchange between them. We take into account dust production and interstellar dust processing for the galaxy based on our previous models, and newly incorporate sputtering in the hot phase and shattering in the cool phase for the CGM. We find that shattering increases the dust destruction (sputtering) efficiency in the CGM. The functional shape of the grain size distribution in the CGM evolves following that in the galaxy, but it is sensitive to the balance between sputtering and shattering in the CGM. For an observational test, we discuss the wavelength dependence of the reddening in the CGM traced by background quasar colors, arguing that, in order to explain the observed reddening level, a rapid inflow from the CGM to the galaxy is favored because of quick dust/metal enrichment. Small grain production by shattering in the CGM also helps to explain the rise of dust extinction toward short wavelengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broad Absorption Line Quasars (BALQSOs) represent a significant phenomenon in the realm of quasar astronomy, displaying distinct blueshifted broad absorption lines. These enigmatic objects serve as invaluable probes for unraveling the intricate structure and evolution of quasars, shedding light on the profound influence exerted by supermassive black holes on galaxy formation. The proliferation of large-scale spectroscopic surveys such as LAMOST (the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope), SDSS (the Sloan Digital Sky Survey), and DESI (the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument) has exponentially expanded the repository of quasar spectra at our disposal. In this study, we present an innovative approach to streamline the identification of BALQSOs, leveraging the power of dimensionality reduction and machine-learning algorithms. Our dataset is meticulously curated from the SDSS Data Release 16 (DR16), amalgamating quasar spectra with classification labels sourced from the DR16Q quasar catalog. We employ a diverse array of dimensionality-reduction techniques, including principal component analysis (PCA), t-Distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE), locally linear embedding (LLE), and isometric mapping (ISOMAP), to distill the essence of the original spectral data. The resultant low-dimensional representations serve as inputs for a suite of machine-learning classifiers, including the robust XGBoost and Random Forest models. Through rigorous experimentation, we unveil PCA as the most effective dimensionality-reduction methodology, adeptly navigating the intricate balance between dimensionality reduction and preservation of vital spectral information. Notably, the synergistic fusion of PCA with the XGBoost classifier emerges as the pinnacle of efficacy in the BALQSO classification endeavor, boasting impressive accuracy rates of |$97.60\%$| by 10-cross validation and |$96.92\%$| on the outer test sample. This study not only introduces a novel machine-learning-based paradigm for quasar classification but also offers invaluable insights transferrable to a myriad of spectral classification challenges pervasive in the realm of astronomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the links between different phases of outflows from active galactic nuclei is a key goal in extragalactic astrophysics. Here, we compare [O  iii ]  |$\lambda \lambda$| 4960, 5008 outflow signatures in quasars with and without broad absorption lines (BALs), aiming to test how the broad absorption troughs seen in the rest-frame ultraviolet are linked to the narrow line region outflows seen in the rest-frame optical. We present new near-infrared spectra from Magellan/FIRE that cover [O  iii ] in 12 quasars with |$2.1\lt z\lt 2.3$|⁠ , selected to have strong outflow signatures in C  iv |$\lambda$| 1550. Combining with data from the literature, we build a sample of 73 BAL, 115 miniBAL, and 125 non-BAL quasars with |$1.5\lt z\lt 2.6$|⁠. The strength and velocity width of [O  iii ] correlate strongly with the C  iv emission properties, but no significant difference is seen in the [O  iii ] emission-line properties between the BALs, non-BALs, and miniBALs once the dependence on C  iv emission is taken into account. A weak correlation is observed between the velocities of C  iv BALs and [O  iii ] emission, which is accounted for by the fact that both outflow signatures correlate with the underlying C  iv emission properties. Our results add to the growing evidence that BALs and non-BALs are drawn from the same parent population and are consistent with a scenario wherein BAL troughs are intermittent tracers of persistent quasar outflows, with a part of such outflow becoming optically thick along our line of sight for sporadic periods of time within which BALs are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, models of the quasar luminosity function (QLF) rooted on large observational compilations have been produced that, unlike their predecessors, feature a smooth evolution with time. This bypasses the need to assume an ionizing emissivity evolution when simulating helium reionization with observations-based QLF, thus yielding more robust constraints. We combine one such QLF with a cosmological hydrodynamical simulation and 3D multifrequency radiative transfer. The simulated reionization history is consistently delayed in comparison to most other models in the literature. The predicted intergalactic medium temperature is larger than the observed one at |$z \lesssim 3$|⁠. Through forward modelling of the He  ii Lyman  |$\alpha$| forest, we show that our model produces an extended helium reionization and successfully matches the bulk of the observed effective optical depth distribution, although it overionizes the Universe at |$z\lesssim 2.8$| as the effect of small-scale Lyman Limit Systems not being resolved. We thoroughly characterize transmission regions and dark gaps in He  ii Lyman  |$\alpha$| forest sightlines. We quantify their sensitivity to the helium reionization, opening a new avenue for further observational studies of this epoch. Finally, we explore the implications for helium reionization of the large number of active galactic nuclei revealed at |$z\gtrsim 5$| by JWST. We find that such modifications do not affect any observable at |$z\le 4$|⁠ , except in our most extreme model, indicating that the observed abundance of high- z AGNs does not bear consequences for helium reionization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study of the properties of a new class of circumgalactic medium absorbers identified in the Ly α forest: 'Strong, Blended Lyman-α' (or SBLA) absorption systems. We study SBLAs at 2.4 < z < 3.1 in SDSS-IV/eBOSS spectra by their strong extended Ly α absorption complexes covering 138 |$\, \, {\rm km}\, {\rm s}^{-1}$| with an integrated |$\log (N_{\rm H\, {\small I}}/\mathrm{cm}^{-2}) =16.04$| |$\substack{+0.05 \\ -0.06}$| and Doppler parameter b = 18.1 |$\substack{+0.7 \\ -0.4}$| |$\, \, {\rm km}\, {\rm s}^{-1}$|⁠. Clustering with the Ly α forest provides a large-scale structure bias of b = 2.34 ± 0.06 and halo mass estimate of |$M_h \approx 10^{12}\, h^{-1}\, {\rm M_{\odot }}$| for our SBLA sample. We measure the ensemble mean column densities of 22 metal features in the SBLA composite spectrum and find that no single-population multiphase model for them is viable. We therefore explore the underlying SBLA population by forward modelling the SBLA absorption distribution. Based on covariance measurements and favoured populations we find that ≈25 per cent of our SBLAs have stronger metals. Using silicon only we find that our strong metal SBLAs trace gas with a log (n H/cm−3) > −2.40 for T = 103.5 K and show gas clumping on <210 parsec scales. We fit multiphase models to this strong subpopulation and find a low ionization phase with n H = 1 cm−3, T = 103.5 K, and [X/H] = 0.8, an intermediate ionization phase with log (n H/cm−3) = −3.05, T = 103.5 K and [X/H] = −0.8, and a poorly constrained higher ionization phase. We find that the low ionization phase favours cold, dense super-solar metallicity gas with a clumping scale of just 0.009 parsecs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Absorption line spectroscopy using background quasars can provide strong constraints on galactic outflows. In this paper we investigate possible scaling relations between outflow properties, namely outflow velocity Vout, mass ejection rate Ṁout, and mass loading factor η, and the host galaxy properties, such as star formation rate (SFR), SFR surface density, redshift, and stellar mass, using galactic outflows probed by background quasars from MEGAFLOW and other surveys. We find that Vout (η) is (anti-)correlated with SFR and SFR surface density. We extend the formalism of momentum-driven outflows from a previous study to show that it applies not only to "down-the-barrel" studies, but also to winds probed by background quasars, suggesting a possible universal wind formalism. Under this formalism, we find a clear distinction between strong and weak outflows where strong outflows seem to have tighter correlations with galaxy properties (SFR or galaxy stellar mass) than weak outflows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a new, rare detection of H I 21 cm absorption associated with a quasar (only six quasars are known at 1 < z < 2) toward J2339−5523 at zem = 1.3531, discovered through the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS). The absorption profile is broad (∼400 km s−1), and the peak is redshifted by ∼200 km s−1 from zem. Interestingly, optical/far-UV spectra of the quasar from the Magellan-MIKE/HST-COS spectrographs do not show any absorption features associated with the 21 cm absorption, despite the coincident presence of the optical quasar and the radio core inferred from a flat-spectrum component with a flux density of ∼65 mJy at high frequencies (> 5 GHz). The simplest explanation would be that no large H I column (N(H I) > 1017 cm−2) is present toward the radio core and the optical active galactic nucleus. Based on the joint optical and radio analysis of a heterogeneous sample of 16 quasars (zmedian = 0.7) and 19 radio galaxies (zmedian = 0.4) with H I 21 cm absorption detection and matched in 1.4 GHz luminosity (L1.4 GHz), a consistent picture emerges according to which quasars primarily trace the gas in the inner circumnuclear disk and cocoon created by the interaction of the jet with interstellar medium. They (i.e., quasars) exhibit a L1.4 GHz – ΔVnull correlation and a frequent mismatch of the radio and optical spectral lines. The radio galaxies show no such correlation and likely trace the gas from the cocoon and the galaxy-wide interstellar medium outside the photoionization cone. The analysis presented here demonstrates the potential of radio spectroscopic observations to reveal the origin of the absorbing gas associated with active galactic nuclei that may be missed in optical observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent observations and simulations reveal that the circumgalactic medium (CGM) surrounding galaxies is multiphase, with the gas temperatures spanning a wide range at most radii, ∼104 K to the virial temperature (∼106 K for Milky Way). Traditional CGM models using simple density profiles are inadequate at reproducing observations that indicate a broad temperature range. Alternatively, a model based on probability distribution functions (PDFs) with parameters motivated by simulations can better match multiwavelength observations. In this work, we use log-normal distributions, commonly seen in the simulations of the multiphase interstellar and circumgalactic media, to model the multiphase CGM. We generalize the isothermal background model by Faerman et al. to include more general CGM profiles. We extend the existing probabilistic models from 1D-PDFs in temperature to 2D-PDFs in density–temperature phase space and constrain its parameters using a Milky Way-like Illustris TNG50-1 halo. We generate various synthetic observables such as column densities of different ions, UV/X-ray spectra, and dispersion and emission measures. X-ray and radio (Fast Radio Burst) observations mainly constrain the hot gas properties. However, interpreting cold/warm phase diagnostics is not straightforward since these phases are patchy, with inherent variability in intercepting these clouds along arbitrary lines of sight. We provide a tabulated comparison of model predictions with observations and plan to expand this into a comprehensive compilation of models and data. Our modelling provides a simple analytical framework that is useful for describing important aspects of the multiphase CGM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gemini High-resolution Optical SpecTrograph (GHOST) is a new Echelle spectrograph available on the Gemini-South telescope as of Semester 2024A. We present the first high-resolution spectrum of the quasar J1449−1227 (redshift z em = 3.27) using data taken during the commissioning of GHOST. The observed quasar hosts an intervening iron-poor {[Fe/H] = −2.5} damped Lyman α system (DLA) at redshift z = 2.904. Taking advantage of the high spectral resolving power of GHOST (R ≈ 55 000), we are able to accurately model the metal absorption lines of the metal-poor DLA and find a supersolar [Si/Fe], suggesting that the DLA gas is in an early stage of chemical enrichment. Using simple ionization models, we find that the large range in the C  iv /Si  iv column density ratio of individual components within the DLA's high-ionization absorption profile can be reproduced by several metal-poor Lyman limit systems surrounding the low-ionization gas of the DLA. It is possible that this metal-poor DLA resides within a complex system of metal-poor galaxies or filaments with inflowing gas. The high spectral resolution, wavelength coverage, and sensitivity of GHOST make it an ideal spectrograph for characterizing the chemistry and kinematics of quasar absorption lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While most galaxies live in group environments where they undergo an accelerated evolution, the characteristics of their circumgalactic medium (CGM) remain uncertain. We present an analysis of the CGM of two galaxy groups in different stages of interaction: (G1) a close pair of galaxies (z  = 0.043) separated by 87 kpc that do not show signs of interactions and (G2) four merging galaxies (z  = 0.098) separated by 10 kpc. We present spatially resolved Keck/Keck Cosmic Web Imager galaxy observations and Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/COS quasar spectra (G1 at 48 kpc and G2 at 100 kpc away) to quantify both the resolved galaxy and CGM properties in these two different group environments. G1 contains two typical star-forming galaxies with no evidence of strong outflows. G2 contains two star-forming, one post-starburst and one quiescent galaxy. Both groups have a range of CGM-detected metal lines (H  i , C  ii , Si  ii , Si  iii , N  v , and O  vi). Despite G2 being twice as far from the quasar, G2 has |$\log (N({{{\rm H}{\small I}}})/{\rm cm}^{-2})=17.33$|⁠ , compared to |$\log (N({{{\rm H}{\small I}}})/{\rm cm}^{-2})=16.43$| for G1. We find that the CGM of the merging galaxies (G2) is more kinematically complex, is in a higher ionization state, spans a wider range of metallicities and column densities, has smaller cloud sizes, and is inconsistent with the simple superposition model that seems to match well with G1. We conclude that the complexity of the CGM in merging galaxies surpasses that of not strongly interacting galaxies, suggesting that mergers play a significant role in shaping the intricate structure of the CGM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: The Ly α forest (LAF) at z > 5 probes the thermal and reionization history of the intergalactic medium (IGM) and the nature of dark matter, but its interpretation requires comparison to cosmological hydrodynamical simulations. At high-z, convergence of these simulations is more exacting since transmission is dominated by underdense voids that are challenging to resolve. With evidence mounting for a late end to reionization, small structures down to the sub-kpc level may survive to later times than conventionally thought due to the reduced time for pressure smoothing to impact the gas, further tightening simulation resolution requirements. We perform a suite of simulations using the Eulerian cosmological hydrodynamics code Nyx, spanning domain sizes of 1.25 − 10 h−1 Mpc  and 5 − 80 h−1 kpc  cells, and explore the interaction of these variables with the timing of reionization on the properties of the matter distribution and the simulated LAF at z = 5.5. In observable Ly α power, convergence within 10 per cent is achieved for k < 0.1 s km–1, but larger k shows deviation of up to 20 per cent. While a later reionization retains more small structure in the density field, because of the greater thermal broadening there is little difference in the convergence of LAF power between early (z = 9) and later (z = 6) reionizations. We conclude that at z ∼ 5.5, resolutions of 10 kpc are necessary for convergence of LAF power at k < 0.1 s km–1, while higher-k modes require higher resolution, and that the timing of reionization does not significantly impact convergence given realistic photoheating.

The abundance, temperature, and clustering of metals in the intergalactic medium are important parameters for understanding their cosmic evolution and quantifying their impact on cosmological analysis with the Ly α forest. The properties of these systems are typically measured from individual quasar spectra redward of the quasar's Ly α emission line, yet that approach may provide biased results due to selection effects. We present an alternative approach to measure these properties in an unbiased manner with the two-point statistics commonly employed to quantify large-scale structure. Our model treats the observed flux of a large sample of quasar spectra as a continuous field and describes the one-dimensional, two-point statistics of this field with three parameters per ion: the abundance (column density distribution), temperature (Doppler parameter), and clustering (cloud-cloud correlation function). We demonstrate this approach on multiple ions (e.g. C IV, Si IV, and Mg II) with early data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) and high-resolution spectra from the literature. Our initial results show some evidence that the C IV abundance is higher than previous measurements and evidence for abundance evolution over time. The first full year of DESI observations will have over an order of magnitude more quasar spectra than this study. In a future paper, we will use those data to measure the growth of clustering and its impact on the Ly α forest, as well as test other DESI analysis infrastructure such as the pipeline noise estimates and the resolution matrix.

C  i absorbers play an important role as indicators for exploring the presence of cold gas in the interstellar medium of galaxies. However, the current data base of C  i absorbers is very limited due to their weak absorption feature and rarity. Here, we report results from a search of C  i λλ1560, 1656 absorption lines using Mg  ii absorbers as signposts with modified deep learning algorithms, which provides a very quick way to search for weak C  i absorber candidates. A total of 107 C  i absorbers were detected, which nearly doubles the size of previously known samples. In addition, we found 17 C  i absorbers to be associated with 2175 Å dust absorbers (2DAs), i.e. about 16 per cent C  i absorbers are associated with 2DAs. Comparing the average dust depletion patterns of C  i absorbers with those of damped Lyman α absorbers (DLAs), Mg  ii absorbers, Ca  ii absorbers, and 2175 Å dust absorbers (2DAs) shows that C  i absorbers generally have environments with more dust than DLAs, Mg  ii , and Ca  ii absorbers, but similar to dust in 2DAs. Similarity between the dust depletion pattern of C  i absorbers to that of the warm disc in the Milky Way indicates that C  i absorption clouds are possibly associated with disc components in distant galaxies. Therefore, C  i absorbers are confirmed to be excellent probes to trace cold gas and dust in the Universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pervasive presence of warm gas in galaxy haloes suggests that the circumgalactic medium (CGM) is multiphase in its ionization structure and complex in its kinematics. Some recent state-of-the-art cosmological galaxy simulations predict an azimuthal dependence of CGM metallicities. We investigate the presence of such a trend by analysing the distribution of gas properties in the CGM around 47 z < 0.7 galaxies from the Multiphase Galaxy Halos Survey determined using a cloud-by-cloud, multiphase, ionization modelling approach. We identify three distinct populations of absorbers: cool clouds (T ∼ 104.1 K) in photoionization equilibrium, warm–hot collisionally ionized clouds (T ∼ 104.5–105 K) affected by time-dependent photoionization, and hotter clouds (T ∼ 105.4–106 K) with broad O  vi and Ly α absorption consistent with collisional ionization. We find that fragmentation can play a role in the origin of cool clouds, that warm–hot clouds are out of equilibrium due to rapid cooling, and that hotter clouds are representative of virialized halo gas in all but the lowest mass galaxies. The metallicities of clouds do not depend on the azimuthal angle or other galaxy properties for any of these populations. At face value, this disagrees with the simplistic model of the CGM with bipolar outflows and cold-mode planar accretion. However, the number of clouds per sightline is significantly larger close to the minor and major axes. This implies that the processes of outflows and accretion are contributing to these CGM cloud populations, and our sightlines are probing gas of mixed origins at all azimuthal angles in these low-redshift galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the effect of ionizing ultraviolet background (UVB) on the redshift space clustering of low- z (z ≤ 0.5) O  vi absorbers using the Sherwood simulations incorporating 'WIND' (i.e. outflows driven by stellar feedback)-only and 'WIND + AGN (active galactic nucleus)' feedback. These simulations show positive clustering signals up to a scale of 3 Mpc. We find that the effect of feedback is restricted to small scales (i.e. ≤2 Mpc or ≈200 km s−1 at z ∼ 0.3) and 'WIND'-only simulations produce a stronger clustering signal compared to simulations incorporating 'WIND + AGN' feedback. How the clustering signal is affected by the assumed UVB depends on the feedback processes assumed. For the simulations considered here, the effect of the UVB is confined to even smaller scales (i.e. <1 Mpc or ≈100 km s−1 at z ∼ 0.3). These scales are also affected by exclusion caused by line blending. Therefore, our study suggests that clustering at intermediate scales (i.e. 1–2 Mpc for simulations considered here) together with the observed column density distribution can be used to constrain the effect of feedback in simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A substantial fraction of quasars display broad absorption lines (BALs) in their rest-frame ultraviolet spectra. While the origin of BALs is thought to be related to the accretion disc wind, it remains unclear whether the observed ratio of BAL to non-BAL quasars is a result of orientation. We conducted observations of 48 BAL quasars and the same number of non-BAL quasars at 322 MHz using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope. Combined with previous flux measurements ranging from MHz to GHz frequencies, we compared continuum radio spectra between the two quasar groups. These data offer insights into low-frequency radio properties that have been difficult to investigate with previous observations only at GHz frequencies. Our results show that 73 ± 13 per cent of the BAL quasars exhibit steep or peaked spectra, a higher proportion than the 44 ± 14 per cent observed in the non-BAL quasars. In contrast, there are no discernible differences between the two quasar groups in the radio luminosity, peak frequency, and spectral index distributions of sources with steep or peaked spectra and sources with flat or inverted spectra. Generally, as the jet axis and line of sight become closer to parallel, quasars exhibit flat or inverted spectra rather than steep or peaked spectra. Therefore, these results suggest that BAL quasars are more frequently observed farther from the jet axis than non-BAL quasars. However, given that a certain proportion of BAL quasars exhibit flat or inverted spectra, more than the simple orientation scenario is required to elucidate the radio properties of BAL quasars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intervening metal absorbers in quasar spectra at z > 6 can be used as probes to study the chemical enrichment of the Universe during the Epoch of Reionization. This work presents the comoving line densities (d n /d X) of low-ionization absorbers, namely, Mg  ii (2796 Å), C  ii (1334 Å), and O   i (1302 Å) across 2 < z < 6 using the E-XQR-30 metal absorber catalogue prepared from 42 XSHOOTER quasar spectra at 5.8 < z < 6.6. Here, we analyse 280 Mg  ii (1.9 < z < 6.4), 22 C  ii (5.2 < z < 6.4), and 10 O  i (5.3 < z < 6.4) intervening absorbers, thereby building up on previous studies with improved sensitivity of 50 per cent completeness at an equivalent width of W > 0.03 Å. For the first time, we present the comoving line densities of 131 weak (W < 0.3 Å) intervening Mg  ii absorbers at 1.9 < z < 6.4 which exhibit constant evolution with redshift similar to medium (0.3 < W < 1.0 Å) absorbers. However, the cosmic mass density of Mg  ii – dominated by strong Mg  ii systems – traces the evolution of global star formation history from redshift 1.9 to 5.5. E-XQR-30 also increases the absorption path-length by a factor of 50 per cent for C  ii and O  i whose line densities show a rising trend towards z > 5, in agreement with previous works. In the context of a decline in the metal enrichment of the Universe at z > 5, the overall evolution in the incidence rates of absorption systems can be explained by a weak – possibly soft fluctuating – ultraviolet background. Our results, thereby, provide evidence for a late reionization continuing to occur in metal-enriched and therefore, biased regions in the Universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Unusually, there are still certain characteristics of the changing-look (CL) active galactic nuclei (AGNs) that remain undetected. Consequently, the trigger mechanism behind the CL phenomenon observed in partial AGNs remains unknown. Aims. We explore the light curve and spectral energy distribution (SED) of the CL blazar OQ 334 as obtained by Fermi-LAT. Methods. By examining the variability of the equivalent width (EW), we categorise the Fermi-LAT light curves of OQ 334 during the epoch of MJD 54628−58677 into seven distinct epochs, including the flat spectrum radio quasar (FSRQ) state, the transition state, and the BL Lac state. We obtained both a Fermi-LAT SED and a multi-wavelength SED for each of these distinct epochs. Results. The source exhibits a transformation from a quiescent state to a highly active state, as evidenced by the variability of the EW. The multi-wavelength SEDs display a prominent external Compton characteristic, even though the Fermi-LAT SED reveals both a FSRQ and a BL Lac state across the seven different epochs. To gain further insights, we employed a leptonic model that takes into account the soft photon fields originating from both synchrotron radiation and the external environment. By simulating the multi-wavelength SEDs for each epoch, we uncover the following results. Firstly, the energy density of the external photon fields evolves in an oscillatory manner over the seven different epochs. Also, the energy density of the external photon fields in the BL Lac state is lower than that in the FSRQ state. Conclusions. These findings suggest that the CL blazar represents a unique phase in the blazar sequence. Considering that the energy density of the external photon fields is proportional to the accretion rate, we propose that evidence for the interconversion of advection-dominated accretion flow (ADAF) discs and standard Shakura–Sunyaev discs (SSDs), – as variations in accretion modes in the CL blazar – can be obtained through observations by Fermi-LAT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have identified a broad absorption line (BAL) outflow in the HST /STIS spectrum of the quasar QSO B0254-3327B at velocity v  = −3200 km s−1. The outflow has absorption troughs from ions such as Ne  viii , Na  ix , Si  xii , and Ne  v. We also report the first detection of S  xiv absorption troughs, implying very high ionization. Via measurement of the ionic column densities, photoionization analysis, and determination of the electron number density of the outflow, we found the kinetic luminosity of the outflow system to be up to ∼1 per cent of the quasar's Eddington luminosity, or ∼5 per cent of the bolometric luminosity, making it a potential contributor to AGN feedback. A solution with two ionization phases was needed, as a single phase was not sufficient to satisfy the constraints from the measured ionic column densities. We find that the ionization parameter of the very high-ionization phase of the outflow is within the expected range of an X-ray warm absorber. We also examined the physical properties of the outflow of Q0254-334 along with previously studied extreme UV outflows, with a total sample of 24 outflow systems, finding a weak negative correlation between outflow velocity and distance from the central source, with larger distances corresponding to slower velocities. The very high-ionization phase of the Q0254-334 outflow has one of the highest ionization parameters of UV absorption outflows to date, which we attribute to the presence of S  xiv. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Quasar outflows are often analyzed to determine their ability to contribute to active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback. We identified a broad absorption line (BAL) outflow in the VLT/UVES spectrum of the quasar SDSS J1321−0041. The outflow shows troughs from Fe II, and is thus categorized as an FeLoBAL. This outfow is unusual among the population of FeLoBAL outflows, as it displays C II and Si II BALs. Aims. Outflow systems require a kinetic luminosity above ∼0.5% of the quasar's luminosity to contribute to AGN feedback. For this reason, we analyzed the spectrum of J1321−0041 to determine the outflow's kinetic luminosity, as well as the quasar's bolometric luminosity. Methods. We measured the ionic column densities from the absorption troughs in the spectrum and determined the hydrogen column density and ionization parameter using those column densities as our constraints. We also determined the electron number density, ne, based on the ratios between the excited-state and resonance-state column densities of Fe II and Si II. This allowed us to find the distance of the outflow from its central source, as well as its kinetic luminosity. Results. We determined the kinetic luminosity of the outflow to be 8.4−5.4+13.7 × 1045 erg s−1 8. 4 − 5.4 + 13.7 × 10 45 erg s − 1 $ 8.4^{+13.7}_{-5.4}\times 10^{45}\,\mathrm{erg\,s}^{-1} $ and the quasar's bolometric luminosity to be 1.72 ± 0.13 × 1047 erg s−1, resulting in a ratio of Ėk/LBol = 4.8−3.1+8.0% E ˙ k / L Bol = 4. 8 − 3.1 + 8.0 % $ \dot{E}_{\mathrm{k}}/L_{\mathrm{Bol}}=4.8^{+8.0}_{-3.1}\% $. We conclude that this outflow has a sufficiently high kinetic luminosity to contribute to AGN feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primordial abundances of light elements are sensitive to the physics of the early Universe and can directly constrain cosmological quantities, such as the baryon-to-photon ratio |$\eta _{10}$|⁠ , the baryon density, and the number of neutrino families. Deuterium is especially suited for these studies: its primordial abundance is sensitive and monotonically dependent on |$\eta _{10}$|⁠ , allowing an independent measurement of the cosmic baryon density that can be compared, for instance, against the Planck satellite data. The primordial deuterium abundance can be measured in high H  i column density absorption systems towards distant quasars. We report here a new measurement, based on high-resolution ESPRESSO data, of the primordial D  i abundance of a system at redshift |$z \sim 3.572$|⁠ , towards PKS1937-101. Using only ESPRESSO data, we find a D /H ratio of |$2.638\pm 10^{-5}$|⁠ , while including the available UVES data improves the precision, leading to a ratio of |$2.608 \pm 10^{-5}$|⁠. The results of this analysis agree with those of the most precise existing measurements. We find that the relatively low column density of this system (⁠|$\log {N_{\rm H_I}/ {\rm cm}^{-2}}\sim 18$|⁠) introduces modelling uncertainties, which become the main contributor to the error budget. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: We present a new approach to measure the power-law temperature density relationship $T=T_0 (\rho/ \bar{\rho })^{\gamma -1}$ and the UV background photoionization rate $\Gamma _{{{{\rm H\, {\small I}}}}{}}$ of the intergalactic medium (IGM) based on the Voigt profile decomposition of the Ly α forest into a set of discrete absorption lines with Doppler parameter b and the neutral hydrogen column density $N_{\rm H\, {\small I}}$. Previous work demonstrated that the shape of the $b-N_{{{{\rm H\, {\small I}}}}{}}$ distribution is sensitive to the IGM thermal parameters T0 and γ, whereas our new inference algorithm also takes into account the normalization of the distribution, i.e. the line-density dN/dz, and we demonstrate that precise constraints can also be obtained on $\Gamma _{{{{\rm H\, {\small I}}}}{}}$. We use density-estimation likelihood-free inference (DELFI) to emulate the dependence of the $b-N_{{{{\rm H\, {\small I}}}}{}}$ distribution on IGM parameters trained on an ensemble of 624 nyx hydrodynamical simulations at z = 0.1, which we combine with a Gaussian process emulator of the normalization. To demonstrate the efficacy of this approach, we generate hundreds of realizations of realistic mock HST/COS data sets, each comprising 34 quasar sightlines, and forward model the noise and resolution to match the real data. We use this large ensemble of mocks to extensively test our inference and empirically demonstrate that our posterior distributions are robust. Our analysis shows that by applying our new approach to existing Ly α forest spectra at z ≃ 0.1, one can measure the thermal and ionization state of the IGM with very high precision ($\sigma _{\log T_0} \sim 0.08$ dex, σγ ∼ 0.06, and $\sigma _{\log \Gamma _{{{{\rm H\, {\small I}}}}{}}} \sim 0.07$ dex).

The gravitationally lensed quasar J014516.6-094517 at z  = 2.719 has been observed with the ESPRESSO instrument at the ESO VLT to obtain high-fidelity spectra of the two images A and B with a resolving power R  = 70 000. At the redshifts under investigation (2.1 ≲ z ≲ 2.7), the Lyman forests along the two sightlines are separated by sub-kiloparsec physical distances and exhibit a strong correlation. We find that the two forests are indistinguishable at the present level of signal-to-noise ratio and do not show any global velocity shift, with the cross-correlation peaking at Δ v  = 12 ± 48 |$\rm m~s^{-1}$|⁠. The distribution of the difference in velocity of individual Ly α features is compatible with a null average and a mean absolute deviation of 930 |$\rm m~s^{-1}$|⁠. Significant differences in N H  i column density are not detected, putting a limit to the RMS fluctuation in the baryon density on ≲1 proper kpc scales of Δρ/ρ ≲ 3 per cent. On the other hand, metal lines show significant differences both in velocity structure and in column density. A toy model shows that the difference in velocity of the metal features between the two sightlines is compatible with the motions of the baryonic component associated with dark matter haloes of typical mass M ≃ 2 × 1010 M⊙, also compatible with the observed incidence of the metal systems. The present observations confirm the feasibility of the Sandage test of the cosmic redshift drift with high-fidelity spectroscopy of the Lyman forest of distant, bright quasars, but also provide an element of caution about the intrinsic noise associated with the usage of metal features for the same purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical processes by which gas is accreted onto galaxies, transformed into stars, and then expelled from galaxies are of paramount importance to galaxy evolution studies. Observationally constraining each of these baryonic components in the same system, however, is challenging. Furthermore, simulations indicate that the stellar mass of galaxies is a key factor influencing CGM properties. Indeed, absorption lines detected against background quasars offer the most compelling way to study the cold gas in the circumgalactic medium (CGM). The MUSE-ALMA Haloes survey is composed of quasar fields covered with VLT/MUSE observations, comprising 32 H  i absorbers at 0.2 < z < 1.4 and 79 associated galaxies, with available or upcoming molecular gas measurements from ALMA. We use a dedicated 40-orbit HST UVIS and IR WFC3 broad-band imaging campaign to characterize the stellar content of these galaxies. By fitting their spectral energy distribution, we establish they probe a wide range of stellar masses: 8.1 < log (M */M⊙) < 12.4. Given their star formation rates, most of these objects lie on the main sequence of galaxies. We also confirm a previously reported anticorrelation between the stellar masses and CGM hydrogen column density N  (H  i), indicating an evolutionary trend where higher mass galaxies are less likely to host large amounts of H  i gas in their immediate vicinity up to 120 kpc. Together with other studies from the MUSE-ALMA Haloes survey, these data provide stellar masses of absorber hosts, a key component of galaxy formation and evolution, and observational constraints on the relation between galaxies and their surrounding medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quasar winds can shock and sweep up ambient interstellar medium (ISM) gas, contributing to galactic quenching. We combine and extend past models of energy-conserving shock bubbles around quasars, investigate model implications from an observational standpoint, and test model predictions using new high-resolution spectroscopic observations of the broad absorption-line quasar SDSS J030000.56+004828.0 (J0300). Even with constant energy input from the wind, a bubble's expansion decelerates over time as more ISM gas is swept up. Our new observations enable a direct search for this deceleration. We obtain the tightest reported 3σ limit on the average rest-frame deceleration (or acceleration) of a quasar outflow: | a | < 0.1 km s−1 yr−1 (<3 × 10−4 cm s−2) in the relatively low-velocity Ca  ii outflow of J0300 over 9.65 rest-frame years. We can satisfy these limits with certain parameter choices in our model, but the large velocity range of the Ca  ii absorption in J0300 rules out the hypothesis that such gas shares the velocity of the swept-up ISM gas in a self-similar shock bubble. We investigate the possibility of ram-pressure acceleration of preexisting ISM clouds and conclude that the velocity range seen in Ca  ii in J0300 is potentially consistent with such an explanation. The Ca  ii -absorbing gas clouds in J0300 have been inferred to have high densities by Choi et al. in which case they can only have been accelerated to their current speeds if they were originally at least an order of magnitude less dense than they are today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Searches for space–time variations of fundamental constants have entered an era of unprecedented precision. New, high-quality quasar spectra require increasingly refined analytical methods. In this paper, a continuation in a series to establish robust and unbiased methodologies, we explore how convergence criteria in non-linear least-squares optimization impact on quasar absorption system measurements of the fine structure constant α. Given previous claims for high-precision constraints, we critically examine the veracity of a so-called blinding approach, in which α is fixed at the terrestrial value during the model building process, releasing it as a free parameter only after the 'final' absorption system kinematic structure has been obtained. We show that this approach results in such small consecutive parameter steps during minimization that convergence is unlikely to be reached, even after as many as 1000 iterations. The fix is straightforward: α must be treated as a free parameter from the earliest possible stages of absorption system model building. The implication of the results presented here is that all previous measurements that have used initially fixed α should be reworked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory of Big Bang nucleosynthesis, coupled with an estimate of the primordial deuterium abundance (D/H)pr, offers insights into the baryon density of the Universe. Independently, the baryon density can be constrained during a different cosmological era through the analysis of cosmic microwave background anisotropy. The comparison of these estimates serves as a rigorous test for the self-consistency of the standard cosmological model and stands as a potent tool in the quest for new physics beyond the standard model of particle physics. For a meaningful comparison, a clear understanding of the various systematic errors affecting deuterium measurements is crucial. Given the limited number of D/H measurements, each new estimate carries significant weight. This study presents the detection of D  i absorption lines in a metal-poor sub-Damped Lyman-α system (⁠|$\rm [O/H]=-1.71\pm 0.02$|⁠ , log  N (H  i) = 19.304 ± 0.004) at z abs = 3.42 towards the quasar SDSS J133254.51+005250.6. Through simultaneous fitting of H  i and D  i Lyman-series lines, as well as low-ionization metal lines, observed at high spectral resolution and high signal-to-noise using VLT/UVES and Keck/HIRES, we derive log (D  i /H  i) = −4.622 ± 0.014, accounting for statistical and systematic uncertainties of 0.008dex and 0.012 dex, respectively. Thanks to negligible ionization corrections and minimal deuterium astration at low metallicity, this D/H ratio provides a robust measurement of the primordial deuterium abundance, consistent and competitive with previous works. Incorporating all prior measurements, the best estimate of the primordial deuterium abundance is constrained as: (D/H)pr = (2.533 ± 0.024) × 10−5. This represents a 5 per cent improvement in precision over previous studies and reveals a moderate tension with the expectation from the standard model (≈2.2σ). This discrepancy underscores the importance of further measurements in the pursuit of new physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]