Published by
EDP Sciences
EDP Sciences Journals List
Subscriber Authentication Point
Home All issues Volume 468/ 2 Article
Free access
Issue A&A
Volume 468, Number 2, June III 2007
Page(s) 587 - 601
Section Extragalactic astronomy
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20066410



A&A 468, 587-601 (2007)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20066410

An integral field spectroscopic survey for high redshift damped Lyman-$\alpha$ galaxies

L. Christensen1, L. Wisotzki2, M. M. Roth2, S. F. Sánchez3, A. Kelz2, and K. Jahnke4

1  European Southern Observatory, Casilla 19001, Santiago 19, Chile
    e-mail: lichrist@eso.org
2  Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam, An der Sternwarte 16, 14482 Potsdam, Germany
3  Centro Astronómico Hispano Alemán de Calar Alto, Calle Jesús Durbán Remón 2,2 04004 Almería, Spain
4  Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany

(Received 16 September 2006 / Accepted 8 March 2007)

Abstract
Aims.We search for galaxy counterparts to damped Lyman-$\alpha$ absorbers (DLAs) at z > 2 towards nine quasars, which have 14 DLAs and 8 sub-DLAs in their spectra.
Methods.We use integral field spectroscopy to search for Ly$\alpha$ emission line objects at the redshifts of the absorption systems.
Results.Besides recovering two previously confirmed objects, we find six statistically significant candidate Ly$\alpha$ emission line objects. The candidates are identified as having wavelengths close to the DLA line where the background quasar emission is absorbed. In comparison with the six currently known Ly$\alpha$ emitting DLA galaxies the candidates have similar line fluxes and line widths, while velocity offsets between the emission lines and systemic DLA redshifts are larger. The impact parameters are larger than 10 kpc, and lower column density systems are found at larger impact parameters.
Conclusions.Assuming that a single gas cloud extends from the QSO line of sight to the location of the candidate emission line, we find that the average candidate DLA galaxy is surrounded by neutral gas with an exponential scale length of ~5 kpc.


Key words: galaxies: formation -- galaxies: high-redshift -- galaxies: quasars: absorption lines



© ESO 2007

What is OpenURL?

The OpenURL standard is a protocol for transmission of metadata describing the resource that you wish to access. An OpenURL link contains article metadata and directs it to the OpenURL server of your choice. The OpenURL server can provide access to the resource and also offer complementary services (specific search engine, export of references...). The OpenURL link can be generated by different means.
  • If your librarian has set up your subscription with an OpenURL resolver, OpenURL links appear automatically on the abstract pages.
  • You can define your own OpenURL resolver with your EDPS Account. In this case your choice will be given priority over that of your library.
  • You can use an add-on for your browser (Firefox or I.E.) to display OpenURL links on a page (see http://www.openly.com/openurlref/). You should disable this module if you wish to use the OpenURL server that you or your library have defined.