Surveys for z > 3 Damped Lyman-alpha Absorption Systems

Abstract

We have completed spectroscopic observations using LRIS on the Keck 1 telescope of 30 very high redshift quasars, 11 selected for the presence of damped Ly-alpha absorption systems and 19 with redshifts z > 3.5 not previously surveyed for absorption systems. We have surveyed an additional 10 QSOs with the Lick 120&#39;&#39; and the Anglo-Australian Telescope. We have combined these with previous data resulting in a statistical sample of 646 QSOs and 85 damped Ly-alpha absorbers with column densities N(HI) >= 2 x 10^20 atoms/cm^2 covering the redshift range 0.008 <= z <= 4.694. To make the data in our statistical sample more readily available for comparison with scenarios from various cosmological models, we provide tables that includes all 646 QSOs from our new survey and previously published surveys. They list the minimum and maximum redshift defining the redshift path along each line of sight, the QSO emission redshift, and when an absorber is detected, the absorption redshift and measured HI column density. [see the paper for the complete abstract]