CGM$^2$ $+$ CASBaH: The Mass Dependence of H~I Ly$\alpha$-Galaxy Clustering and the Extent of the CGM

Bibliographic Details
Title: CGM$^2$ $+$ CASBaH: The Mass Dependence of H~I Ly$\alpha$-Galaxy Clustering and the Extent of the CGM
Authors: Wilde, Matthew C., Tchernyshyov, Kirill, Werk, Jessica K., Tripp, Todd M., Burchett, Joseph N., Prochaska, J. Xavier, Tejos, Nicolas, Lehner, Nicolas, Bordoloi, Rongmon, O'Meara, John M., Tumlinson, Jason, Howk, J. Christopher
Publication Year: 2023
Collection: Astrophysics
Subject Terms: Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
More Details: We combine datasets from the CGM$^{2}$ and CASBaH surveys to model a transition point, $R_{\rm cross}$, between circumgalactic and intergalactic media (CGM and IGM, respectively). In total, our data consist of 7244 galaxies at z < 0.5 with precisely measured spectroscopic redshifts, all having impact parameters of 0.01 - 20 comoving Mpc from 28 QSO sightlines with high-resolution UV spectra that cover H I Ly$\alpha$. Our best-fitting model is an exclusionary two-component model that combines a 3D absorber-galaxy cross correlation function with a simple Gaussian profile at inner radii to represent the CGM. By design, this model gives rise to a determination of $R_{\rm cross}$ as a function of galaxy stellar mass, which can be interpreted as the boundary between the CGM and IGM. For galaxies with $10^8 \leq M_{\star}/M_{\odot} \leq 10^{10.5}$, we find that $R_{\rm cross}(M_{\star}) \approx 2 \pm 0.6 R_{\rm vir}$. Additionally, we find excellent agreement between $R_{\rm cross}(M_{\star})$ and the theoretically-determined splashback radius for galaxies in this mass range. Overall, our results favor models of galaxy evolution at z < 0.5 that distribute $T \approx 10^{4}$K gas to distances beyond the virial radius.
Comment: Submitted to ApJ, 17 pages, 8 figures
Document Type: Working Paper
DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/acc85b
Access URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2301.02718
Accession Number: edsarx.2301.02718
Database: arXiv
More Details
DOI:10.3847/1538-4357/acc85b