Studying Quasar Absorber Host Galaxy Properties Using Image Stacking Technique

TL;DR

This study uses image stacking to analyze properties of quasar absorber host galaxies, revealing differences in their star formation and spatial distribution at various redshifts, aiding understanding of galaxy evolution.

Contribution

Introduces a novel stacking method with PCA-based PSF modeling to statistically analyze absorber host galaxies across redshifts, providing new insights into their properties.

Findings

Low redshift Mg II hosts are likely transitioning star-forming galaxies.

Impact parameter of 2DAs is significantly smaller than Mg II absorbers.

2DAs are associated with galaxy disk components, useful for studying galaxy precursors.

Abstract

Studying the stellar mass, age, luminosity, star-formation rate, and impact parameter of quasar absorber host galaxies can aid in the understanding of galaxy formation and evolution as well as in testing their models. We derive the Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) and impact parameter limits of low redshift ($z_{abs} = 0.37 - 0.55$) Mg II absorbers and of higher redshift ($z_{abs} = 1.0 - 2.5$) 2175 \AA\ dust absorbers (2DAs). We use an imaging stacking technique to statistically boost the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to increase detection of the absorber host galaxies. The point spread function of the background quasar is modeled with Principal Component Analysis (PCA). This method efficiently reduces the uncertainty of traditional PSF modeling. Our SED for Mg II absorbers indicates that low redshift Mg II absorber host galaxies are likely star-forming galaxies transitioning into red quiescent galaxies, with a low star formation rate of 2.2 $M_\odot$ $yr^{-1}$. From the stacked images and simulations, we show that the average impact parameter of 2DAs is > 5 times smaller than that of Mg II absorbers, at < 7 kpc instead of Mg II absorbers' 48 kpc, indicating that 2DAs are likely associated with disk components of high redshift galaxies. This means that 2DAs are likely good probes to study precursors to the Milky Way.