High-resolution spectroscopy from 3050 to 10000 Å of the Hubble Deep Field South QSO J2233-606 with UVES at the ESO very large telescope

We report on high-resolution observations (R similar or equal to 45,000) of the Hubble Deep Field South QSO J2233-606 obtained with the VLT UV-Visual Echelle Spectrograph. We present spectral data for the wavelength region 3050 Angstrom < lambda < 10000 Angstrom. The signal-to-noise ratio of the final spectrum is about 50 per resolution element at 4000 Angstrom, 90 at 5000 Angstrom 80 at 6000 Angstrom and 40 at 8000 Angstrom Redshifts, column densities, and Doppler widths of the absorption features have been determined with Voigt profile fitting. A total of 621 lines have been measured. In particular, 270 Ly alpha lines, 41 Ly beta lines, and 24 systems containing metal lines have been identified. Together with other data in the literature, the present spectrum confirms that the evolution of the number density of Ly alpha lines with log N(H I) > 14 has an upturn at z similar to 1.4-1.6.