Faint LAEs near z > 4.7 C IV absorbers revealed by MUSE

We present the results from the search for Lyman alpha emitters (LAEs) in the proximity of 11 C IV absorption systems at z > 4.7 in the spectrum of the QSO J1030+0524, using data from Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer. We have found multiple LAE candidates close to four C IV systems at Z(C IV) = 4.94-5.74 with log(10)(N-C IV[cm(-2)]) > 13.5. At z = 5-6, C IV systems with W-0(C IV) > 0.2 angstrom seem more likely to have galaxies with Ly alpha emission within rho < 200 proper kpc (4/5 cases) than the C IV systems with W-0(C IV) < 0.2 angstrom (0/6 cases). The impact parameter of LAE-C IV systems with equivalent widths W-0(C IV) > 0.5 angstrom is in the range 11 less than or similar to rho less than or similar to 200 proper kpc (pkpc). Furthermore, all candidates are in the luminosity range 0.18-1.15 L-Ly alpha* (z = 5.7), indicating that the environment of C IV systems within 200 pkpc is populated by the faint end of the Ly alpha luminosity function. We report a 0.28 L-Ly alpha* galaxy at a separation of rho = 11 pkpc from a strong C IV absorption (log(10)(N-C IV[cm(-2)]) = 14.52) at z(C IV) = 5.72419. The prevalence of sub-L-Ly alpha* galaxies in the proximity of z > 4.9 C IV systems suggest that the absorbing material is rather young, likely ejected in the recent past of the identified galaxies. The connection between faint LAEs and high-ionization absorption systems reported in this work is potentially a consequence of the role of low-mass galaxies in the early evolution of the circum-galactic and intergalactic media.

Automated summary

This study presents the discovery of multiple Lyman alpha emitter candidates near C IV absorption systems in the spectrum of the QSO J1030+0524, revealing a connection between C IV systems and Ly alpha emitting galaxies. The results suggest that the equivalent width of C IV systems may influence the presence of Ly alpha emitting galaxies, with low-luminosity LAEs near C IV absorption systems indicating the environment of early galaxies.