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2009MNRAS.395.1476R - Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc., 395, 1476-1490 (2009/May-3)
A downturn in intergalactic C IV as redshift 6 is approached.
RYAN-WEBER E.V., PETTINI M., MADAU P. and ZYCH B.J.
Abstract (from CDS):
These results point to a rapid build-up of intergalactic Civ over a period of only ∼300Myr; such a build-up could reflect the accumulation of metals associated with the rising levels of star formation activity from z ∼ 9 indicated by galaxy counts, and/or an increasing degree of ionization of the intergalactic medium (IGM), following the overlap of ionization fronts from star-forming regions. If the value of ΩCiv we derive is typical of the IGM at large, it would imply a metallicity ZIGM≳ 10–4Z☉. The early-type stars responsible for synthesizing these metals would have emitted only about one Lyman continuum photon per baryon prior to z = 5.8; such a background is insufficient to keep the IGM ionized and we speculate on possible factors which could make up the required shortfall.
Abstract Copyright: © 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 RAS
Journal keyword(s): intergalactic medium - quasars: absorption lines - cosmology: observations
Simbad objects: 13
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