Hubble Space Telescope Observations of the Associated Absorption Systems in Q0122+0338

Abstract

We have studied a spectrum of Q0122+0338 (z = 1.202) obtained by the FOS on board HST. We present the analysis of three associated absorption systems at z = 1.207, 1.199 and 1.166. The most complex of these at z = 1.207 shows strong absorption from the highly ionized transitions of Lyman alpha, Lyman beta, N V, O VI, Si III, Si IV, and possibly P V. We derive minimal ionic column densities and compare them with those predicted from numerical photoionization models. We find that conditions in the absorbing gas are consistent with an absorber with metallicity twice solar and a total absorbing column density of N(H) = 2*10^19 cm^2. The kinematics of the absorption lines in the z = 1.207 system suggest that a correlation exists between the relative velocity and the creation ionization potential energy for each transition. This is evidence that a complex, multi-component absorber exists. Althought the location of the absorber is uncertain, we consider the origin of this absorption system using the available data and discuss how the high-ionization, and high-metallicity indicate that the absorber may be intrinsic to Q0122+0338.