Infrared and millimetre-wavelength evidence for cold accretion within a z = 2.83 Lyman-alpha blob

TL;DR

This study uses infrared and millimetre observations to investigate a z=2.83 Lyman-alpha blob, providing evidence that its ionization is due to cold accretion rather than active galactic nuclei or intense star formation.

Contribution

It presents multi-wavelength observational evidence supporting cold accretion as the ionization mechanism in a high-redshift Lyman-alpha blob, challenging models that invoke AGN or starburst activity.

Findings

No significant AGN activity detected.

Star formation rate estimated to be below 550 solar masses per year.

The galaxy's stellar mass is approximately 3.4 to 4.4 x 10^11 solar masses.

Abstract

This paper discusses infrared and millimetre-wavelength observations of a Lyman-alpha blob discovered by Smith & Jarvis, a candidate for ionization by the cold accretion scenario discussed in Fardal et al. and Dijkstra et al. We have observed the counterpart galaxy at infrared wavelengths in deep observations with the Spitzer Space Telescope using the IRAC 3.6, 4.5, 5.8 & 8.0 micron and MIPS 24 micron bands, as well as using the Max-Planck Millimeter Bolometer Array at a wavelength of 1.2mm with the IRAM 30 metre telescope. These observations probe the > 95kpc Lyman-alpha halo for the presence of obscured AGN components or the presence of a violent period of star formation invoked by other models of ionisation for these mysterious objects. 24 micron observations suggest that an obscured AGN would be insufficiently luminous to ionize the halo, and that the star formation rate within the halo may be as low as <140 Msolar/yr depending on the model SED used. This is reinforced by our observations at 1.2mm using MAMBO-2, which yield an upper limit of SFR <550 Msolar/yr from our non-detection to a 3 sigma flux limit of 0.86 mJy/beam. Finding no evidence for either AGN or extensive star formation, we conclude that this halo is ionised by a cold accretion process. We derive model SEDs for the host galaxy, and use the Bruzual & Charlot and Maraston libraries to show that the galaxy is well described by composite stellar populations of total mass 3.42 +/- 0.13 x 10^11 Msolar or 4.35 +/- 0.16 x 10^11 Msolar depending on the model SEDs used.