Improved constraints on the neutral intergalactic hydrogen surrounding quasars at redshifts z > 6

被引：70

作者：

Wyithe, JSB ^{[1
]}

Loeb, A

Carilli, C

机构：

[1] Univ Melbourne, Parkville, Vic 3010, Australia

[2] Harvard Univ, Dept Astron, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA

[3] Natl Radio Astron Observ, Socorro, NM 87801 USA

来源：

ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL | 2005年 / 628卷 / 02期

关键词：

cosmology : theory; galaxies : formation; intergalactic medium;

D O I：

10.1086/430874

中图分类号：

P1 [天文学];

学科分类号：

0704 ;

摘要：

We analyze the evolution of H II regions around the seven known SDSS quasars at z > 6. The comparison between the observed and model radii of the H II regions generated by these quasars individually suggests that the surrounding intergalactic hydrogen is significantly neutral. When all constraints are combined, the existing quasar sample implies a volume-averaged neutral fraction that is larger than 10% at z > 6. This limited sample permits a preliminary analysis of the correlations between the quasar parameters, the sizes of their H II regions, and the associated constraints on the neutral hydrogen fraction. We find no evidence in these correlations to contradict the interpretation that the red side of the Gunn-Peterson trough corresponds to the boundary between an H II region and a partially neutral IGM.

引用

页码：575 / 582

页数：8

共 57 条

[1]

[Anonymous], APJ

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