Probing the He ii Reionization ERA via Absorbing C iv Historical Yield (HIERACHY). III. The C iv Absorber Catalog and Initial Results on Cosmic Abundance Evolution at z ≈ 3–5

As part of the HIERACHY program, we collect the high signal-to-noise ratio and high-spectral resolution optical spectra of 25 quasars at z  ≈ 4–5 to constrain the C iv evolution at z  ≈ 3–5. In this paper, we report a catalog of 626 (1263) C iv absorption systems (components) at z  ≈ 3–5 with a 50%...

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Main Authors: Xiaodi Yu, Zhijie Qu, Zheng Cai, Jiang-Tao Li, Huiyang Mao, Xin Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adc7ad
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author Xiaodi Yu
Zhijie Qu
Zheng Cai
Jiang-Tao Li
Huiyang Mao
Xin Wang
author_facet Xiaodi Yu
Zhijie Qu
Zheng Cai
Jiang-Tao Li
Huiyang Mao
Xin Wang
author_sort Xiaodi Yu
collection DOAJ
description As part of the HIERACHY program, we collect the high signal-to-noise ratio and high-spectral resolution optical spectra of 25 quasars at z  ≈ 4–5 to constrain the C iv evolution at z  ≈ 3–5. In this paper, we report a catalog of 626 (1263) C iv absorption systems (components) at z  ≈ 3–5 with a 50% completeness column density of log( N _C _iv /cm ^−2 ) ≈ 12.3. The HIERACHY/MIKE C iv sample is one of the best C iv absorber samples optimized to study the intergalactic medium during the He ii reionization epoch. Using 557 (1090) intervening absorption systems (components), we found the column density distribution function of C iv absorption systems with log( N _C _iv /cm ^−2 ) ≳ 12.3 has a broken power-law shape, with the turnover column density log $({N}_{\mathrm{crit}}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{-2})=13.3{5}_{-0.19}^{+0.20}$ , which is close to or smaller than the detection limit of most literature samples. We also found that both comoving path length number density dn / dX and cosmic abundance Ω for C iv absorption systems with log( N _C _iv /cm ^−2 ) > 13.2 show an increase (at the 2.2 σ and 1.4 σ levels, respectively) from redshift z  ≈ 5–3, while absorption systems with log( N _C _iv /cm ^−2 ) = 12.3–13.2 exhibit a constant dn / dX and Ω _C _iv .
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spelling doaj-art-bc4d80e3ca3840529c312fabea2bf33c2025-08-20T03:47:40ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-0198516410.3847/1538-4357/adc7adProbing the He ii Reionization ERA via Absorbing C iv Historical Yield (HIERACHY). III. The C iv Absorber Catalog and Initial Results on Cosmic Abundance Evolution at z ≈ 3–5Xiaodi Yu0https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1889-3043Zhijie Qu1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2941-646XZheng Cai2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8467-6478Jiang-Tao Li3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6239-3821Huiyang Mao4https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7138-2095Xin Wang5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9373-3865Department of Astronomy, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China; Purple Mountain Observatory , Chinese Academy of Sciences, 10 Yuanhua Road, Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Astronomy, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China; Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, The University of Chicago , 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USADepartment of Astronomy, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of ChinaPurple Mountain Observatory , Chinese Academy of Sciences, 10 Yuanhua Road, Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of ChinaPurple Mountain Observatory , Chinese Academy of Sciences, 10 Yuanhua Road, Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) , Beijing 100049, People’s Republic of China; National Astronomical Observatories , Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People’s Republic of China; Institute for Frontiers in Astronomy and Astrophysics , Beijing Normal University, Beijing 102206, People’s Republic of ChinaAs part of the HIERACHY program, we collect the high signal-to-noise ratio and high-spectral resolution optical spectra of 25 quasars at z  ≈ 4–5 to constrain the C iv evolution at z  ≈ 3–5. In this paper, we report a catalog of 626 (1263) C iv absorption systems (components) at z  ≈ 3–5 with a 50% completeness column density of log( N _C _iv /cm ^−2 ) ≈ 12.3. The HIERACHY/MIKE C iv sample is one of the best C iv absorber samples optimized to study the intergalactic medium during the He ii reionization epoch. Using 557 (1090) intervening absorption systems (components), we found the column density distribution function of C iv absorption systems with log( N _C _iv /cm ^−2 ) ≳ 12.3 has a broken power-law shape, with the turnover column density log $({N}_{\mathrm{crit}}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{-2})=13.3{5}_{-0.19}^{+0.20}$ , which is close to or smaller than the detection limit of most literature samples. We also found that both comoving path length number density dn / dX and cosmic abundance Ω for C iv absorption systems with log( N _C _iv /cm ^−2 ) > 13.2 show an increase (at the 2.2 σ and 1.4 σ levels, respectively) from redshift z  ≈ 5–3, while absorption systems with log( N _C _iv /cm ^−2 ) = 12.3–13.2 exhibit a constant dn / dX and Ω _C _iv .https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adc7adIntergalactic mediumQuasar absorption line spectroscopyReionizationCircumgalactic medium
spellingShingle Xiaodi Yu
Zhijie Qu
Zheng Cai
Jiang-Tao Li
Huiyang Mao
Xin Wang
Probing the He ii Reionization ERA via Absorbing C iv Historical Yield (HIERACHY). III. The C iv Absorber Catalog and Initial Results on Cosmic Abundance Evolution at z ≈ 3–5
The Astrophysical Journal
Intergalactic medium
Quasar absorption line spectroscopy
Reionization
Circumgalactic medium
title Probing the He ii Reionization ERA via Absorbing C iv Historical Yield (HIERACHY). III. The C iv Absorber Catalog and Initial Results on Cosmic Abundance Evolution at z ≈ 3–5
title_full Probing the He ii Reionization ERA via Absorbing C iv Historical Yield (HIERACHY). III. The C iv Absorber Catalog and Initial Results on Cosmic Abundance Evolution at z ≈ 3–5
title_fullStr Probing the He ii Reionization ERA via Absorbing C iv Historical Yield (HIERACHY). III. The C iv Absorber Catalog and Initial Results on Cosmic Abundance Evolution at z ≈ 3–5
title_full_unstemmed Probing the He ii Reionization ERA via Absorbing C iv Historical Yield (HIERACHY). III. The C iv Absorber Catalog and Initial Results on Cosmic Abundance Evolution at z ≈ 3–5
title_short Probing the He ii Reionization ERA via Absorbing C iv Historical Yield (HIERACHY). III. The C iv Absorber Catalog and Initial Results on Cosmic Abundance Evolution at z ≈ 3–5
title_sort probing the he ii reionization era via absorbing c iv historical yield hierachy iii the c iv absorber catalog and initial results on cosmic abundance evolution at z ≈ 3 5
topic Intergalactic medium
Quasar absorption line spectroscopy
Reionization
Circumgalactic medium
url https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adc7ad
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