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| Format: | Preprint |
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2024
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| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.05214 |
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| _version_ | 1866912062185144320 |
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| author | Goetz, Eric Wang, Chen Shelton, Robin |
| author_facet | Goetz, Eric Wang, Chen Shelton, Robin |
| contents | This paper proposes a new method for estimating the total quantity of material in moving circumgalactic and intergalactic clouds from O VI measurements. We simulate high-velocity clouds (HVCs) with the FLASH hydrodynamic code and track the ionization and recombination of all ionization levels of oxygen as a function of time. We calculate the O VI/oxygen ratio ($f_{\rm O VI}$) in our dynamic NEI clouds, finding that it differs significantly from that in static gas. We find that O VI exists in cool, medium, and hot gas in the clouds. As such, it traces all of the hydrogen rather than merely the ionized hydrogen. The total quantity of hydrogen along a typical observed line of sight through a cloud can be estimated from the observed O VI column density, metallicity, and our $f_{\rm O VI}$. We provide the simulations' $f_{\rm O VI}$, a prescription for finding $f_{\rm O VI}$ for observed dynamic clouds, and a methodology for calculating the total hydrogen column density from this $f_{\rm O VI}$ and an observed O VI column density. As examples, we use our $f_{\rm O VI}$ to estimate the total hydrogen column densities along various observed sight lines through two HVCs, Complex C and the Magellanic Stream, finding that these clouds contain more material than the previous lower limits. We also extend this analysis to {low-redshift} intergalactic O VI clouds, finding that they contain several times more baryonic material than previously thought and therefore may account for a significant fraction of the Universe's baryons. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2410_05214 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | The Observed O VI is Just the Tip of the Iceberg: Estimating the Hidden Material in Circumgalactic and Intergalactic Clouds Goetz, Eric Wang, Chen Shelton, Robin Astrophysics of Galaxies This paper proposes a new method for estimating the total quantity of material in moving circumgalactic and intergalactic clouds from O VI measurements. We simulate high-velocity clouds (HVCs) with the FLASH hydrodynamic code and track the ionization and recombination of all ionization levels of oxygen as a function of time. We calculate the O VI/oxygen ratio ($f_{\rm O VI}$) in our dynamic NEI clouds, finding that it differs significantly from that in static gas. We find that O VI exists in cool, medium, and hot gas in the clouds. As such, it traces all of the hydrogen rather than merely the ionized hydrogen. The total quantity of hydrogen along a typical observed line of sight through a cloud can be estimated from the observed O VI column density, metallicity, and our $f_{\rm O VI}$. We provide the simulations' $f_{\rm O VI}$, a prescription for finding $f_{\rm O VI}$ for observed dynamic clouds, and a methodology for calculating the total hydrogen column density from this $f_{\rm O VI}$ and an observed O VI column density. As examples, we use our $f_{\rm O VI}$ to estimate the total hydrogen column densities along various observed sight lines through two HVCs, Complex C and the Magellanic Stream, finding that these clouds contain more material than the previous lower limits. We also extend this analysis to {low-redshift} intergalactic O VI clouds, finding that they contain several times more baryonic material than previously thought and therefore may account for a significant fraction of the Universe's baryons. |
| title | The Observed O VI is Just the Tip of the Iceberg: Estimating the Hidden Material in Circumgalactic and Intergalactic Clouds |
| topic | Astrophysics of Galaxies |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.05214 |