Metal enrichment and evolution in four z > 6.5 quasar sightlines observed with JWST/NIRSpec

TL;DR

This study uses JWST/NIRSpec spectra of four high-redshift quasars to analyze metal absorption lines, revealing evolution in ionization states and evidence of early supernova enrichment during the epoch of reionization.

Contribution

First detailed JWST/NIRSpec spectra of multiple z>6.5 quasars, identifying numerous metal absorption systems and analyzing their implications for early universe metal enrichment and ionization.

Findings

Increase in low-ionization metal systems at z>6

Transition from high- to low-ionization states around z≈6

Detection of metals produced by Pop III supernovae

Abstract

We present JWST/NIRSpec R~2700 spectra of four high-redshift quasars: VDES J0020-3653 (z = 6.860), DELS J0411-0907 (z = 6.825), UHS J0439+1634 (z = 6.519) and ULAS J1342+0928 (z = 7.535). The exquisite data quality, signal-to-noise ratio of 50-200, and large $0.86\!~\mu{\rm m}\le \lambda \le 5.5\!~\mu{\rm m}$ spectral coverage allows us to identify between 13 and 17 intervening and proximate metal absorption line systems in each quasar spectrum, with a total number of 61 absorption-line systems detected at 2.42<z<7.48 including the highest redshift intervening OI 1302 and MgII systems at z=7.37 and z=7.44. We investigate the evolution of the metal enrichment in the epoch of reionization at z>6 and find: i) A continued increase of the low-ionization OI, CII, and SiII incidence, ii) Decreasing high-ionization CIV and SiIV incidence with a transition from predominantly high- to low-ionization at $z\approx6.0$, and iii) a constant MgII incidence across all redshifts. The observations support a change in the ionization state of the intergalactic medium in the EoR rather than a change in metallicity. The abundance ratio of [Si/O] in five z>6 absorption systems show enrichment signatures produced by low-mass Pop III pair instability supernovae, and possibly Pop III hypernovae. In the Gunn-Peterson troughs we detect transmission spikes where Ly$\alpha$ photons can escape. From 22 absorption systems at z>5.7, only a single low-ionization system out of 13 lies within 2000 km/s from a spike, while four high-ionization systems out of nine lie within ~2000 km/s from a spike. This confirms that galaxies responsible for the heavy elements that are transported into the circumgalactic medium lie in predominantly in high-density, neutral environments, while lower density environments are ionized without being polluted by metals at $z\approx$ 6-7. [abridged]