The Lyman alpha reference sample: Extended Lyman alpha halos produced at low dust content

M. Hayes; G. Östlin; D. Schaerer; A. Verhamme; J.M. Mas-Hesse; A. Adamo; H. Atek; J.M. Cannon; F. Duval; L. Guaita; E.C. Herenz; D. Kunth; Peter Laursen; J. Melinder; I. Orlitová; H. Otí-Floranes; A. Sandberg

doi:10.1088/2041-8205/765/2/L27

The Lyman alpha reference sample: Extended Lyman alpha halos produced at low dust content

M. Hayes, G. Östlin, D. Schaerer, A. Verhamme, J.M. Mas-Hesse, A. Adamo, H. Atek, J.M. Cannon, F. Duval, L. Guaita, E.C. Herenz, D. Kunth, Peter Laursen, J. Melinder, I. Orlitová, H. Otí-Floranes, A. Sandberg

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Abstract

We report on new imaging observations of the Lyman alpha emission line (Lyα), performed with the Hubble Space Telescope, that comprise the backbone of the Lyman alpha Reference Sample. We present images of 14 starburst galaxies at redshifts 0.028 < z < 0.18 in continuum-subtracted Lyα, Hα, and the far ultraviolet continuum. We show that Lyα is emitted on scales that systematically exceed those of the massive stellar population and recombination nebulae: as measured by the Petrosian 20% radius, R _P20, Lyα radii are larger than those of Hα by factors ranging from 1 to 3.6, with an average of 2.4. The average ratio of Lyα-to-FUV radii is 2.9. This suggests that much of the Lyα light is pushed to large radii by resonance scattering. Defining the Relative Petrosian Extension of Lyα compared to Hα, ξ_Lyα = R ^Lyα _P20/R ^Hα _P20, we find ξ_Lyα to be uncorrelated with total Lyα luminosity. However, ξ_Lyα is strongly correlated with quantities that scale with dust content, in the sense that a low dust abundance is a necessary requirement (although not the only one) in order to spread Lyα photons throughout the interstellar medium and drive a large extended Lyα halo.

Original language	English
Article number	L27
Journal	The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	765
Issue number	2
ISSN	2041-8205
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/765/2/L27
Publication status	Published - 10 Mar 2013

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Hayes, M., Östlin, G., Schaerer, D., Verhamme, A., Mas-Hesse, J. M., Adamo, A., Atek, H., Cannon, J. M., Duval, F., Guaita, L., Herenz, E. C., Kunth, D., Laursen, P., Melinder, J., Orlitová, I., Otí-Floranes, H., & Sandberg, A. (2013). The Lyman alpha reference sample: Extended Lyman alpha halos produced at low dust content. The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 765(2), [L27]. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/765/2/L27

Hayes, M, Östlin, G, Schaerer, D, Verhamme, A, Mas-Hesse, JM, Adamo, A, Atek, H, Cannon, JM, Duval, F, Guaita, L, Herenz, EC, Kunth, D, Laursen, P, Melinder, J, Orlitová, I, Otí-Floranes, H & Sandberg, A 2013, 'The Lyman alpha reference sample: Extended Lyman alpha halos produced at low dust content', The Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 765, no. 2, L27. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/765/2/L27

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abstract = "We report on new imaging observations of the Lyman alpha emission line (Lyα), performed with the Hubble Space Telescope, that comprise the backbone of the Lyman alpha Reference Sample. We present images of 14 starburst galaxies at redshifts 0.028 < z < 0.18 in continuum-subtracted Lyα, Hα, and the far ultraviolet continuum. We show that Lyα is emitted on scales that systematically exceed those of the massive stellar population and recombination nebulae: as measured by the Petrosian 20% radius, R P20, Lyα radii are larger than those of Hα by factors ranging from 1 to 3.6, with an average of 2.4. The average ratio of Lyα-to-FUV radii is 2.9. This suggests that much of the Lyα light is pushed to large radii by resonance scattering. Defining the Relative Petrosian Extension of Lyα compared to Hα, ξLyα = R Lyα P20/R Hα P20, we find ξLyα to be uncorrelated with total Lyα luminosity. However, ξLyα is strongly correlated with quantities that scale with dust content, in the sense that a low dust abundance is a necessary requirement (although not the only one) in order to spread Lyα photons throughout the interstellar medium and drive a large extended Lyα halo.",

author = "M. Hayes and G. {\"O}stlin and D. Schaerer and A. Verhamme and J.M. Mas-Hesse and A. Adamo and H. Atek and J.M. Cannon and F. Duval and L. Guaita and E.C. Herenz and D. Kunth and Peter Laursen and J. Melinder and I. Orlitov{\'a} and H. Ot{\'i}-Floranes and A. Sandberg",

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doi = "10.1088/2041-8205/765/2/L27",

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T1 - The Lyman alpha reference sample

T2 - Extended Lyman alpha halos produced at low dust content

AU - Hayes, M.

AU - Östlin, G.

AU - Schaerer, D.

AU - Verhamme, A.

AU - Mas-Hesse, J.M.

AU - Adamo, A.

AU - Atek, H.

AU - Cannon, J.M.

AU - Duval, F.

AU - Guaita, L.

AU - Herenz, E.C.

AU - Kunth, D.

AU - Laursen, Peter

AU - Melinder, J.

AU - Orlitová, I.

AU - Otí-Floranes, H.

AU - Sandberg, A.

PY - 2013/3/10

Y1 - 2013/3/10

N2 - We report on new imaging observations of the Lyman alpha emission line (Lyα), performed with the Hubble Space Telescope, that comprise the backbone of the Lyman alpha Reference Sample. We present images of 14 starburst galaxies at redshifts 0.028 < z < 0.18 in continuum-subtracted Lyα, Hα, and the far ultraviolet continuum. We show that Lyα is emitted on scales that systematically exceed those of the massive stellar population and recombination nebulae: as measured by the Petrosian 20% radius, R P20, Lyα radii are larger than those of Hα by factors ranging from 1 to 3.6, with an average of 2.4. The average ratio of Lyα-to-FUV radii is 2.9. This suggests that much of the Lyα light is pushed to large radii by resonance scattering. Defining the Relative Petrosian Extension of Lyα compared to Hα, ξLyα = R Lyα P20/R Hα P20, we find ξLyα to be uncorrelated with total Lyα luminosity. However, ξLyα is strongly correlated with quantities that scale with dust content, in the sense that a low dust abundance is a necessary requirement (although not the only one) in order to spread Lyα photons throughout the interstellar medium and drive a large extended Lyα halo.

AB - We report on new imaging observations of the Lyman alpha emission line (Lyα), performed with the Hubble Space Telescope, that comprise the backbone of the Lyman alpha Reference Sample. We present images of 14 starburst galaxies at redshifts 0.028 < z < 0.18 in continuum-subtracted Lyα, Hα, and the far ultraviolet continuum. We show that Lyα is emitted on scales that systematically exceed those of the massive stellar population and recombination nebulae: as measured by the Petrosian 20% radius, R P20, Lyα radii are larger than those of Hα by factors ranging from 1 to 3.6, with an average of 2.4. The average ratio of Lyα-to-FUV radii is 2.9. This suggests that much of the Lyα light is pushed to large radii by resonance scattering. Defining the Relative Petrosian Extension of Lyα compared to Hα, ξLyα = R Lyα P20/R Hα P20, we find ξLyα to be uncorrelated with total Lyα luminosity. However, ξLyα is strongly correlated with quantities that scale with dust content, in the sense that a low dust abundance is a necessary requirement (although not the only one) in order to spread Lyα photons throughout the interstellar medium and drive a large extended Lyα halo.

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VL - 765

JO - The Astrophysical Journal Letters

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The Lyman alpha reference sample: Extended Lyman alpha halos produced at low dust content

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