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Abstract The Ovi1032, 1038 Å line is a key probe of cooling gas in the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of galaxies but has been observed to date primarily in absorption along single sight lines. We present deep Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Solar Blind Channel of the Advanced Camera for Surveys observations of the compact, massive starburst Makani. Makani hosts a 100 kpc, [Oii]-emitting galactic wind driven by two episodes of star formation over 400 Myr. We detect Oviand Lyαemission across the [Oii] nebula with similar morphology and extent, out tor≈ 50 kpc. Using differential narrowband imaging, we separate Lyαand Oviand show that the Oviemission is comparable in brightness to [Oii], withLO VI= 4 × 1042erg s−1. The similar hourglass morphology and size of [Oii] and Oviimplicate radiative cooling atT= 105.5K in a hot–cold interface. This may occur as theT> 107K CGM—or the hot fluid driving the wind—exchanges mass with theT≈ 104K clouds entrained in (or formed by) the wind. The optical/UV line ratios may be consistent with shock ionization, although uncertain attenuation and Lyαradiative transfer complicate the interpretation. The detection of Oviin Makani lies at the bleeding edge of the UV imaging capabilities of HST and provides a benchmark for future emission-line imaging of the CGM with a wide-area UV telescope.
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Absorption-based circumgalactic medium line emission estimates
ABSTRACT Motivated by integral field units (IFUs) on large ground telescopes and proposals for ultraviolet-sensitive space telescopes to probe circumgalactic medium (CGM) emission, we survey the most promising emission lines and how such observations can inform our understanding of the CGM and its relation to galaxy formation. We tie our emission estimates to both HST/COS absorption measurements of ions around z ≈ 0.2 Milky Way mass haloes and models for the density and temperature of gas. We also provide formulas that simplify extending our estimates to other samples and physical scenarios. We find that O iii 5007 Å and N ii 6583 Å, which at fixed ionic column density are primarily sensitive to the thermal pressure of the gas they inhabit, may be detectable with KCWI and especially IFUs on 30 m telescopes out to half a virial radius. O v 630 Å and O vi 1032,1038 Å are perhaps the most promising ultraviolet lines, with models predicting intensities >100 γ cm−2 s−1 sr−1 in the inner 100 kpc of Milky Way-like systems. A detection of O vi would confirm the collisionally ionized picture and constrain the density profile of the CGM. Other ultraviolet metal lines constrain the amount of gas that is actively cooling and mixing. We find that C iii 978 Å and C iv 1548 Å may be detectable if an appreciable fraction of the observed O vi column is associated with mixing or cooling gas. H α emission within $$100\,$$ kpc of Milky Way-like galaxies is within reach of current IFUs even for the minimum signal from ionizing background fluorescence, while hydrogen n > 2 Ly-series lines are too weak to be detectable.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2007012
- PAR ID:
- 10371295
- Publisher / Repository:
- Oxford University Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Volume:
- 516
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 0035-8711
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 3049-3067
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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