The Space Distribution of the Lyman Alpha Clouds in the Line of Sight to the Z=3.66 QSO 0055-269
Abstract
The spectrum of the quasar Q0055-269 (z=3.66) has been observed at the resolution of 14 km s-1 in the wavelength interval 4750--6300 . We give a list of Lyman-α lines and metal-line systems for which column densities and Doppler widths have been derived by a fitting procedure. The statistical distribution of the Doppler parameter for the Lyman-α lines is peaked at b 23 km s-1, with 13\% of lines with 15≤ b≤ 20 km s-1. The column density distribution of the Lyman-α lines is described by a power-law with a break or cutoff at NHI 14.5. A featureless power-law distribution is rejected with a probability of 99.94\%. Significant clustering, with 1 at v=100 km s-1, is detected only for lines with NHI 13.8. In addition, two voids of size 2000 km s-1 are found in the spectrum with a random probability of 2× 10-4. From the proximity effect for lines in the interval NHI=13.3-14.2 it is possible to infer an UV ionizing background J=5× 10-22 ergs s-1 cm-2 Hz-1 sr-1, within a factor of two from the integrated quasar contribution.
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