Scattered Emission from z~1 Galactic Outflows

TL;DR

This study uses high-resolution spectroscopy to map Mg II emission in a z~1 galaxy, revealing the structure, density, and mass flux of its galactic outflow, and suggesting scattering halos are common in such galaxies.

Contribution

It provides the first resolved mapping of Mg II scattered emission in a galaxy at z~1, deriving outflow properties and proposing scattering halos as a typical feature.

Findings

Mg II emission extends beyond the galaxy’s continuum and [O II] emission.

Estimated outflow mass flux is 330-500 solar masses per year.

Confined warm clouds with hot winds imply a mass-loading factor near unity.

Abstract

Mapping Mg II resonance emission scattered by galactic winds offers a means to determine the spatial extent and density of the warm outflow. Using Keck/LRIS spectroscopy, we have resolved scattered Mg II emission to the east of 32016857, a star-forming galaxy at z =0.9392 with an outflow. The Mg II emission from this galaxy exhibits a P-Cygni profile, extends further than both the continuum and [O II] emission along the eastern side of the slit, and has a constant Doppler shift along the slit which does not follow the velocity gradient of the nebular [O II] emission. Using the Sobolev approximation, we derive the density of Mg+ ions at a radius of 12 to 18 kpc in the outflow. We model the ionization correction and find that much of the outflowing Mg is in Mg++. We estimate that the total mass flux could be as large as 330 - 500 solar masses per year, with the largest uncertainties coming from the depletion of Mg onto grains and the clumpiness of the warm outflow. We show that confining the warm clouds with a hot wind reduces the estimated mass flux of the warm outflow and indicates amass-loading factor near unity in the warm phase alone. Based on the high blue luminosities that distinguish 32016857 and TKRS 4389, described by Rubin et al. 2011, from other galaxies with P-Cygni emission, we suggest that, as sensitivity to diffuse emission improves, scattering halos may prove to be a generic property of star-forming galaxies at intermediate redshifts.