The Last Eight-Billion Years of Intergalactic CIV Evolution

TL;DR

This study analyzes the evolution of intergalactic CIV absorbers over the last eight billion years using HST UV spectra, revealing a steady increase in mass density since z=5.

Contribution

It provides the first low-redshift survey of CIV doublets with detailed statistical analysis, extending the understanding of intergalactic metal evolution.

Findings

CIV absorber density has not evolved significantly since z=5.

The mass density of CIV has increased steadily from z=5 to 0.

The power-law distribution of column densities is characterized with specific parameters.

Abstract

We surveyed the HST UV spectra of 49 low-redshift quasars for z < 1 CIV candidates, relying solely on the characteristic wavelength separation of the doublet. After consideration of the defining traits of CIV doublets (e.g., consistent line profiles, other associated transitions, etc.), we defined a sample of 38 definite (group G = 1) and five likely (G = 2) doublets with rest equivalent widths W_r for both lines detected at >= 3 sigma. We conducted Monte-Carlo completeness tests to measure the unblocked redshift (dz) and co-moving pathlength (dX) over which we were sensitive to CIV doublets of a range of equivalent widths and column densities. The absorber line density of (G = 1+2) doublets is dN/dX = 4.1+0.7/-0.6 for log N(C^+3) >= 13.2, and dN/dX has not evolved significantly since z = 5. The best-fit power-law to the G = 1 frequency distribution of column densities f(N(C^+3)) = k(N(C^+3)/N_0)^alpha_N has coefficient k = (0.67+0.18/-0.16) x 10^-14 cm^2 and exponent alpha_N = -1.50+0.17/-0.19, where N_0 = 10^14 cm^-2. Using the power-law model of f(N(C^+3)), we measured the C^+3 mass density relative to the critical density: Omega(C^+3) = (6.20+1.82/-1.52) x 10^-8 for 13 <= log N(C^+3) <= 15. This value is a 2.8+/-0.7 increase in Omega(C^+3) compared to the error-weighted mean from several 1 < z < 5 surveys for CIV absorbers. A simple linear regression to Omega(C^+3) over the age of the Universe indicates that Omega(C^+3) has slowly but steadily increased from z = 5 --> 0, with dOmega(C^+3)/dt_age = (0.42+/-0.2) x 10^-8 Gyr^-1.