2016/02/19 by Marijana Smailagić, Miroslav Mićić, Miroslav Micic +2
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics #Dark matter #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Galaxy #Galaxy formation and evolution #Halo #Intergalactic medium #Intergalactic travel #Luminosity #Luminosity function #Optics #Physics #Radiation #Radio Astronomy Observations and Technology #Redshift #Star formation #astro-ph.GA
paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/mnras/stw462
19 pages, 19 figures, submitted to MNRAS
arxiv created 2016/02/19 · openalex publication_date 2016/03/01 · arxiv updated 2016/03/16 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
In this work, we model the observed evolution in comoving number density of Lyman α blobs (LABs) as a function of redshift. Our model calculates LAB emission both from cooling radiation from the intergalactic gas accreting on to galaxies and from star formation (SF). We have used a dark matter (DM) cosmological simulation to which we applied empirical recipes for Ly α emission produced by cooling radiation and SF in every halo. Unlike previous work, the simulated volume in the DM simulation is large enough to produce an average LAB number density. For a range of redshifts, z ∼ 1–7, we compare our results with the observed luminosity functions of LABs and Lyman α emitters. Our cooling radiation luminosities appear to be too small to explain LAB luminosities at all redshifts. In contrast, for SF we obtained a good agreement with observed luminosity functions at all redshifts studied. We also discuss uncertainties that could influence the results obtained.