Low-redshift evolution of the Lyman-alpha Forest

Abstract

The low-redshift evolution of the intergalactic medium is investigated using hydrodynamic cosmological simulations. The assumed cosmological model is a critical density cold dark matter universe. The imposed uniform background of ionizing radiation has the amplitude, shape and redshift evolution as computed from the observed quasar luminosity function by Haardt & Madau. We have analysed simulated Lyman-alpha spectra using Voigt-profile fitting, mimicking the procedure with which quasar spectra are analysed. Our simulations reproduce the observed evolution of the number of Lyman-alpha absorption lines over the whole observed interval of z=0.5 to z=4. In particular, our simulations show that the decrease in the rate of evolution of Lyman-alpha absorption lines at z< 2, as observed by Hubble Space Telescope, can be explained by the steep decline in the photo-ionizing background resulting from the rapid decline in quasar numbers at low redshift.