MUSEQuBES: Unveiling Cosmic Web Filaments at z ≈ 3.6 through Dual Absorption and Emission Line Analysis
According to modern cosmological models, galaxies are embedded within cosmic filaments, which supply a continuous flow of pristine gas, fueling star formation and driving their evolution. However, due to their low density, the direct detection of diffuse gas in cosmic filaments remains elusive. Here...
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2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ada94f |
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| author | Eshita Banerjee Sowgat Muzahid Joop Schaye Sebastiano Cantalupo Sean D. Johnson |
| author_facet | Eshita Banerjee Sowgat Muzahid Joop Schaye Sebastiano Cantalupo Sean D. Johnson |
| author_sort | Eshita Banerjee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | According to modern cosmological models, galaxies are embedded within cosmic filaments, which supply a continuous flow of pristine gas, fueling star formation and driving their evolution. However, due to their low density, the direct detection of diffuse gas in cosmic filaments remains elusive. Here, we report the discovery of an extremely metal-poor ([ X / H ] ≈ −3.7), low-density ( ${\mathrm{log}}_{10}{n}_{{\rm{H}}}/{{\rm{cm}}}^{-3}\,\approx $ −4, corresponding to an overdensity of ≈5) partial Lyman limit system (pLLS) at z ≈ 3.577 along the quasar sightline Q1317–0507, probing cosmic filaments. Additionally, two other low-metallicity ([ X / H ] ≲ −2) absorption systems are detected at similar redshifts, one of which is also a pLLS. Very Large Telescope (VLT) MUSE observations reveal a significant overdensity of Ly α emitters (LAEs) associated with these absorbers. The spatial distribution of the LAEs strongly suggests the presence of an underlying filamentary structure. This is further supported by the detection of a large Ly α -emitting nebula with a surface brightness of $\geqslant 1{0}^{-19}\,\mathrm{erg}\,{\mathrm{cm}}^{-2}\,{{\rm{s}}}^{-1}\,{\mathrm{arcsec}}^{-2}$ , with a maximum projected linear size of ≈260 pkpc extending along the LAEs. This is the first detection of giant Ly α emission tracing cosmic filaments, linked to normal galaxies and likely powered by in situ recombination. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c23ba2a796d544b593ffe94fd8c1fa9a |
| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| series | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-c23ba2a796d544b593ffe94fd8c1fa9a2025-01-27T11:26:59ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052025-01-019792L3210.3847/2041-8213/ada94fMUSEQuBES: Unveiling Cosmic Web Filaments at z ≈ 3.6 through Dual Absorption and Emission Line AnalysisEshita Banerjee0https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7382-3078Sowgat Muzahid1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3938-8762Joop Schaye2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0668-5560Sebastiano Cantalupo3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5804-1428Sean D. Johnson4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9487-8583IUCAA , Post Bag 04, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007, India ; eshitaban18@iucaa.in, sowgat@iucaa.inIUCAA , Post Bag 04, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007, India ; eshitaban18@iucaa.in, sowgat@iucaa.inLeiden Observatory, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9513, NL-2300 AA Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Physics, University of Milan Bicocca , Piazza della Scienza 3, I-20126 Milano, ItalyDepartment of Astronomy, University of Michigan , 1085 S. University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USAAccording to modern cosmological models, galaxies are embedded within cosmic filaments, which supply a continuous flow of pristine gas, fueling star formation and driving their evolution. However, due to their low density, the direct detection of diffuse gas in cosmic filaments remains elusive. Here, we report the discovery of an extremely metal-poor ([ X / H ] ≈ −3.7), low-density ( ${\mathrm{log}}_{10}{n}_{{\rm{H}}}/{{\rm{cm}}}^{-3}\,\approx $ −4, corresponding to an overdensity of ≈5) partial Lyman limit system (pLLS) at z ≈ 3.577 along the quasar sightline Q1317–0507, probing cosmic filaments. Additionally, two other low-metallicity ([ X / H ] ≲ −2) absorption systems are detected at similar redshifts, one of which is also a pLLS. Very Large Telescope (VLT) MUSE observations reveal a significant overdensity of Ly α emitters (LAEs) associated with these absorbers. The spatial distribution of the LAEs strongly suggests the presence of an underlying filamentary structure. This is further supported by the detection of a large Ly α -emitting nebula with a surface brightness of $\geqslant 1{0}^{-19}\,\mathrm{erg}\,{\mathrm{cm}}^{-2}\,{{\rm{s}}}^{-1}\,{\mathrm{arcsec}}^{-2}$ , with a maximum projected linear size of ≈260 pkpc extending along the LAEs. This is the first detection of giant Ly α emission tracing cosmic filaments, linked to normal galaxies and likely powered by in situ recombination.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ada94fQuasar absorption line spectroscopyLyα galaxiesGalaxy evolution |
| spellingShingle | Eshita Banerjee Sowgat Muzahid Joop Schaye Sebastiano Cantalupo Sean D. Johnson MUSEQuBES: Unveiling Cosmic Web Filaments at z ≈ 3.6 through Dual Absorption and Emission Line Analysis The Astrophysical Journal Letters Quasar absorption line spectroscopy Lyα galaxies Galaxy evolution |
| title | MUSEQuBES: Unveiling Cosmic Web Filaments at z ≈ 3.6 through Dual Absorption and Emission Line Analysis |
| title_full | MUSEQuBES: Unveiling Cosmic Web Filaments at z ≈ 3.6 through Dual Absorption and Emission Line Analysis |
| title_fullStr | MUSEQuBES: Unveiling Cosmic Web Filaments at z ≈ 3.6 through Dual Absorption and Emission Line Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | MUSEQuBES: Unveiling Cosmic Web Filaments at z ≈ 3.6 through Dual Absorption and Emission Line Analysis |
| title_short | MUSEQuBES: Unveiling Cosmic Web Filaments at z ≈ 3.6 through Dual Absorption and Emission Line Analysis |
| title_sort | musequbes unveiling cosmic web filaments at z ≈ 3 6 through dual absorption and emission line analysis |
| topic | Quasar absorption line spectroscopy Lyα galaxies Galaxy evolution |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ada94f |
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