METAL ABUNDANCES AND KINEMATICS OF A HIGH-REDSHIFT GALAXY OBTAINED WITH THE KECK TELESCOPE

被引:71
作者
WOLFE, AM
FAN, XM
TYTLER, D
VOGT, SS
KEANE, MJ
LANZETTA, KM
机构
[1] UNIV CALIF SAN DIEGO,CTR ASTROPHYS & SPACE SCI,LA JOLLA,CA 92093
[2] UNIV CALIF SANTA CRUZ,LICK OBSERV,UCO,SANTA CRUZ,CA 95064
[3] SUNY STONY BROOK,ASTRON PROGRAM,STONY BROOK,NY 11794
关键词
GALAXIES; ABUNDANCES; FORMATION; QUASARS; ABSORPTION LINES;
D O I
10.1086/187604
中图分类号
P1 [天文学];
学科分类号
0704 ;
摘要
We use the Keck 10 m telescope and its high-resolution echelle spectrometer (HIRES) to obtain accurate high-resolution spectra of a quasar to determine element abundances of a probable foreground young galaxy with redshift z = 2.309. Precise measurements of absorption lines lead to the first accurate abundance determinations on Zn, Cr, and Ni at large redshifts. We find that [Zn/H] = -1.55 +/- 0.11, while [Cr/H] = -1.79 +/- 0.10 and [Ni/H] = -2.13 +/- 0.08. The Zn abundance indicates low metallicity, while the Cr and Ni abundances are consistent with depletion of these elements onto grains. We also find [O/H] < 0.97. Therefore, the galaxy is more metal-deficient than the oldest disk stars in the Galaxy. The kinematic evidence is consistent with a thick disk of gas with rotation speed and radius comparable to the rotation speeds and radii of current luminous spiral galaxies. Therefore, a rotationally supported disk may be in place at z > 2.
引用
收藏
页码:L101 / L104
页数:4
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