A possible Chandra and Hubble Space Telescope detection of extragalactic WHIM towards PG 1116+215

TL;DR

This study combines data from HST, Chandra, XMM-Newton, and SDSS to suggest the detection of warm-hot intergalactic medium (WHIM) at z≈0.09 along the sightline to PG 1116+215, indicating a multi-temperature WHIM presence.

Contribution

First multi-instrument analysis indicating a probable detection of extragalactic WHIM at z≈0.09 towards PG 1116+215, linking UV and X-ray absorption features with galaxy structures.

Findings

Detection of OVIII K-alpha absorption at 5.2 sigma confidence.

Evidence of galaxy filament intersecting the sightline.

Indications of a multi-temperature WHIM at z=0.091-0.093.

Abstract

(Abridged) We have analyzed Chandra LETG and XMM-Newton RGS spectra towards the z=0.177 quasar PG 1116+215, a sightline that is rendered particularly interesting by the HST detection of several OVI and HI broad Lyman-alpha absorption lines that may be associated with the warm-hot intergalactic medium. We performed a search for resonance K-alpha absorption lines from OVII and OVIII at the redshifts of the detected far-ultraviolet lines. We detected an absorption line in the Chandra spectra at 5.2 sigma confidence level at wavelengths corresponding to OVIII K-alpha at z=0.0911+-0.0004+-0.0005 (statistical followed by systematic error). This redshift is within 3 sigma of that of a HI broad Lyman-alpha of b=130 km/s at z=0.09279+-0.00005. We have also analyzed the available XMM-Newton RGS data towards PG 1116+215. Unfortunately, the XMM-Newton data are not suitable to investigate this line because of instrumental features at the wavelengths of interest. At the same redshift, the Chandra and XMM-Newton spectra have OVII K-alpha absorption line features of significance 1.5 sigma and 1.8 sigma, respectively. We also analyzed the available SDSS spectroscopic galaxy survey data towards PG 1116+215 in the redshift range of interest. We found evidence for a galaxy filament that intersects the PG 1116+215 sightline and additional galaxy structures that may host WHIM. The combination of HST, Chandra, XMM-Newton and SDSS data indicates that we have likely detected a multi-temperature WHIM at z=0.091-0.093 towards PG 1116+215.