Probing quasar lifetimes with proximate $21$-centimetre absorption in the diffuse intergalactic medium at redshifts $z\geq 6$

TL;DR

This paper proposes using 21-cm absorption signatures near high-redshift quasars to constrain their lifetimes, addressing challenges in understanding early black hole growth and quasar activity episodicity.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to estimate quasar lifetimes at high redshift through proximate 21-cm absorption observations, complementing Ly$ ext{ } ext{ } ext{ }$ analyses.

Findings

Proximate 21-cm absorption is detectable in spectra of radio-loud quasars at z ≥ 6.

The extent of 21-cm absorption correlates with quasar lifetime, especially for t_Q ≤ 10^5 yr.

Short quasar lifetimes (≤ 10^5 yr) produce observable 21-cm absorption signatures.

Abstract

Enhanced ionizing radiation in close proximity to redshift $z\gtrsim 6$ quasars creates short windows of intergalactic Ly$\alpha$ transmission blueward of the quasar Ly$\alpha$ emission lines. The majority of these Ly$\alpha$ near-zones are consistent with quasars that have optically/UV bright lifetimes of $t_{\rm Q}\sim 10^{5}-10^{7}\rm\,yr$. However, lifetimes as short as $t_{\rm Q}\lesssim 10^{4}\rm\,yr$ appear to be required by the smallest Ly$\alpha$ near-zones. These short lifetimes present an apparent challenge for the growth of $\sim 10^{9}\rm\,M_{\odot}$ black holes at $z\gtrsim 6$. Accretion over longer timescales is only possible if black holes grow primarily in an obscured phase, or if the quasars are variable on timescales comparable to the equilibriation time for ionized hydrogen. Distinguishing between very young quasars and older quasars that have experienced episodic accretion with Ly$\alpha$ absorption alone is challenging, however. We therefore predict the signature of proximate 21-cm absorption around $z\gtrsim 6$ radio-loud quasars. For modest pre-heating of intergalactic hydrogen by the X-ray background, where the spin temperature $T_{\rm S} \lesssim 10^{2}\rm\,K$ prior to any quasar heating, we find proximate 21-cm absorption should be observable in the spectra of radio-loud quasars. The extent of the proximate 21-cm absorption is sensitive to the integrated lifetime of the quasar. Evidence for proximate 21-cm absorption from the diffuse intergalactic medium within $2-3\rm\,pMpc$ of a (radio-loud) quasar would be consistent with a short quasar lifetime, $t_{\rm Q}\lesssim 10^{5}\rm\,yr$, and would provide a complementary constraint on models for high redshift black hole growth.