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VLT optical and near-infrared observations of the z=6.28 quasar SDSS J1030+0524

Publication ,  Journal Article
Pentericci, L; Fan, X; Rix, H-W; Strauss, MA; Narayanan, VK; Richards, GT; Schneider, DP; Krolik, J; Heckman, T; Brinkmann, J; Lamb, DQ; Szokoly, GP
Published in: Astron. J. (USA)
2002

We present new VLT spectroscopic observations of the most distant quasar known, SDSS J103027.10+052455.0, at z=6.28, which was discovered by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We confirm the presence of a complete Gunn-Peterson trough caused by neutral hydrogen in the intergalactic medium. There is no detectable flux over the wavelength range from 8450 to 8710 Å. We set a stronger limit on the drop of the flux level blueward of the Lyα line: a factor of more than 200. Below 8450 Å the spectrum shows a rise in flux, with a large fraction (>60%) of the total emission produced by a few narrow features of transmitted flux. We discuss the proximity effect around this quasar, with the presence of transmitted flux with many absorption features in a region of about 23 h-1 comoving Mpc. If we assume that the surrounding medium is completely neutral, the size of this region would imply a quasar lifetime of ~1.3×107 yr. We also present near-IR spectroscopy of both SDSS J103027.10+052455.0 and SDSS J130608.26+035626.3, the second most distant quasar known, at redshift 6.0. We combine measurements of the C IV line and limits on the He II emission from the near-IR spectra with the N V line measurements from the optical spectra to derive the metal abundances of these early quasar environments. The results are indistinguishable from those of lower redshift quasars and indicate little or no evolution in the metal abundances from z~6 to 2. The line ratios suggest supersolar metallicities, implying that the first stars around the quasars must have formed at least a few hundreds of megayears prior to the observation, i.e. at redshifts higher than 8

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Published In

Astron. J. (USA)

DOI

Publication Date

2002

Volume

123

Issue

5

Start / End Page

2151 / 2158

Related Subject Headings

  • Astronomy & Astrophysics
  • 5107 Particle and high energy physics
  • 5101 Astronomical sciences
  • 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences
 

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Pentericci, L., Fan, X., Rix, H.-W., Strauss, M. A., Narayanan, V. K., Richards, G. T., … Szokoly, G. P. (2002). VLT optical and near-infrared observations of the z=6.28 quasar SDSS J1030+0524. Astron. J. (USA), 123(5), 2151–2158. https://doi.org/10.1086/340077
Pentericci, L., Xiaohui Fan, H. -. W. Rix, M. A. Strauss, V. K. Narayanan, G. T. Richards, D. P. Schneider, et al. “VLT optical and near-infrared observations of the z=6.28 quasar SDSS J1030+0524.” Astron. J. (USA) 123, no. 5 (2002): 2151–58. https://doi.org/10.1086/340077.
Pentericci L, Fan X, Rix H-W, Strauss MA, Narayanan VK, Richards GT, et al. VLT optical and near-infrared observations of the z=6.28 quasar SDSS J1030+0524. Astron J (USA). 2002;123(5):2151–8.
Pentericci, L., et al. “VLT optical and near-infrared observations of the z=6.28 quasar SDSS J1030+0524.” Astron. J. (USA), vol. 123, no. 5, 2002, pp. 2151–58. Manual, doi:10.1086/340077.
Pentericci L, Fan X, Rix H-W, Strauss MA, Narayanan VK, Richards GT, Schneider DP, Krolik J, Heckman T, Brinkmann J, Lamb DQ, Szokoly GP. VLT optical and near-infrared observations of the z=6.28 quasar SDSS J1030+0524. Astron J (USA). 2002;123(5):2151–2158.

Published In

Astron. J. (USA)

DOI

Publication Date

2002

Volume

123

Issue

5

Start / End Page

2151 / 2158

Related Subject Headings

  • Astronomy & Astrophysics
  • 5107 Particle and high energy physics
  • 5101 Astronomical sciences
  • 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences