%0 Generic %1 decarli2020search %A Decarli, Roberto %A Arrigoni-Battaia, Fabrizio %A Hennawi, Joseph F. %A Walter, Fabian %A Prochaska, Jason X. %A Cantalupo, Sebastiano %D 2020 %K library %T A search for dust and molecular gas in enormous Ly$\alpha$ nebulae at $z2$ %U http://arxiv.org/abs/2012.04675 %X Enormous Ly$\alpha$ nebulae, extending over 300-500\,kpc around quasars, represent the pinnacle of galaxy and cluster formation. Here we present IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer observations of the enormous Ly$\alpha$ nebulae `Slug' ($z$=$2.282$) and `Jackpot' ($z$=$2.041$). Our data reveal bright, synchrotron emission associated with the two radio-loud AGN embedded in the targeted nebulae, as well as molecular gas, as traced via the CO(3-2) line, in three galaxies (two sources in the Slug, and one in the Jackpot). All of the CO emission is associated with galaxies detected in their rest-frame UV stellar emission. The total mass in molecular gas of these three galaxies $\sim (3-5)\times10^10$ M$_ødot$ is comparable with the total ionized gas mass responsible for the diffuse nebular emission. Our observations place limits on the molecular gas emission in the nebulae: The molecular gas surface density is $\Sigma_H2<12-25$ M$_ødot$ pc$^-2$ for the Slug nebula and $\Sigma_H2<34-68$ M$_ødot$ pc$^-2$ for the Jackpot nebula. These are consistent with the expected molecular gas surface densities, as predicted via photoionization models of the rest-frame UV line emission in the nebulae, and via Ly$\alpha$ absorption in the Jackpot nebula. Compared to other radio--loud quasars at $z>1$, and high-redshift radio--loud galaxies, we do not find any strong trends relating the molecular gas reservoirs, the radio power, and the Ly$\alpha$ luminosities of these systems. The significant step in sensitivity required to achieve a detection of the molecular gas from the nebulae, if present, will require a substantial time investment with JVLA, NOEMA, or ALMA.

@misc{decarli2020search, abstract = {Enormous Ly$\alpha$ nebulae, extending over 300-500\,kpc around quasars, represent the pinnacle of galaxy and cluster formation. Here we present IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer observations of the enormous Ly$\alpha$ nebulae `Slug' ($z$=$2.282$) and `Jackpot' ($z$=$2.041$). Our data reveal bright, synchrotron emission associated with the two radio-loud AGN embedded in the targeted nebulae, as well as molecular gas, as traced via the CO(3-2) line, in three galaxies (two sources in the Slug, and one in the Jackpot). All of the CO emission is associated with galaxies detected in their rest-frame UV stellar emission. The total mass in molecular gas of these three galaxies [$\sim (3-5)\times10^{10}$ M$_\odot$] is comparable with the total ionized gas mass responsible for the diffuse nebular emission. Our observations place limits on the molecular gas emission in the nebulae: The molecular gas surface density is $\Sigma_{\rm H2}<12-25$ M$_\odot$ pc$^{-2}$ for the Slug nebula and $\Sigma_{\rm H2}<34-68$ M$_\odot$ pc$^{-2}$ for the Jackpot nebula. These are consistent with the expected molecular gas surface densities, as predicted via photoionization models of the rest-frame UV line emission in the nebulae, and via Ly$\alpha$ absorption in the Jackpot nebula. Compared to other radio--loud quasars at $z>1$, and high-redshift radio--loud galaxies, we do not find any strong trends relating the molecular gas reservoirs, the radio power, and the Ly$\alpha$ luminosities of these systems. The significant step in sensitivity required to achieve a detection of the molecular gas from the nebulae, if present, will require a substantial time investment with JVLA, NOEMA, or ALMA.}, added-at = {2020-12-10T07:23:04.000+0100}, author = {Decarli, Roberto and Arrigoni-Battaia, Fabrizio and Hennawi, Joseph F. and Walter, Fabian and Prochaska, Jason X. and Cantalupo, Sebastiano}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/258cb56f2cac10b0dbced2247f98afe49/gpkulkarni}, description = {A search for dust and molecular gas in enormous Ly$\alpha$ nebulae at $z\approx 2$}, interhash = {4c24e0da34555152e6f12afd73fa1b6d}, intrahash = {58cb56f2cac10b0dbced2247f98afe49}, keywords = {library}, note = {cite arxiv:2012.04675Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A}, timestamp = {2020-12-10T07:23:04.000+0100}, title = {A search for dust and molecular gas in enormous Ly$\alpha$ nebulae at $z\approx 2$}, url = {http://arxiv.org/abs/2012.04675}, year = 2020 }