The Sources of intergalactic metals

摘要: We study the clustering properties of metals in intergalactic medium (IGM) as traced by 619 Civ and 81 Siiv absorption components with N ≥ 10 12 cm -2 316 Mg II 82 Fell 11.5 19 high signal-to-noise ratio (60-100 pixel -1 ), high-resolution (R = 45 000) quasar spectra. C IV Si iv trace each other closely their line-of-sight correlation functions ξ(v) exhibit a steep decline at large separations flatter profile below 150 km s , overall bias. These features do not depend on absorber column densities, although there are hints that amplitude ξ CIV (v) increases time over redshift range detected (1.5-3). Carrying out detailed smoothed particle hydrodynamic simulation (2 x 320 3 57 Mpc comoving), we show function cannot be reproduced models which IGM metallicity is constant or local overdensity (Z Δ 2/3 ). However, generally consistent model confined within bubbles typical radius R about sources mass ≥M . derive best-fitting values 2 comoving M ○. z 3. Our lower-redshift (0.5-2) measurements Fe also uncover small separations, but even higher than 1.5-3 measurements, turnover shifted to somewhat smaller distances, 75 Again, these change density, amplitudes increase time. describe an analytic 'bubble' for species, come from regions too compact accurately simulated numerically, deriving 2.4 Equally good fits all four species found similarly biased high-redshift enrichment placed 9 7.5.