Cosmic Himalayas: The Highest Quasar Density Peak Identified in a 10,000 deg2 Sky with Spatial Discrepancies between Galaxies, Quasars, and IGM H i
We report the identification of a quasar overdensity in the BOSSJ0210 field, dubbed the Cosmic Himalayas, consisting of 11 quasars at z = 2.16−2.20, the densest overdensity of quasars (17 σ ) in the ∼10,000 deg ^2 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We present the spatial distributions of galaxi...
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| author | Yongming Liang Masami Ouchi Dongsheng Sun Nobunari Kashikawa Zheng Cai Sebastiano Cantalupo Kentaro Nagamine Hidenobu Yajima Takanobu Kirihara Haibin Zhang Mingyu Li Rhythm Shimakawa Xiaohui Fan Kei Ito Masayuki Tanaka Yuichi Harikane J. Xavier Prochaska Andrea Travascio Weichen Wang Martin Elvis Giuseppina Fabbiano Junya Arita Masafusa Onoue John D. Silverman Dong Dong Shi Fangxia An Takuma Izumi Kazuhiro Shimasaku Hisakazu Uchiyama Chenghao Zhu |
| author_facet | Yongming Liang Masami Ouchi Dongsheng Sun Nobunari Kashikawa Zheng Cai Sebastiano Cantalupo Kentaro Nagamine Hidenobu Yajima Takanobu Kirihara Haibin Zhang Mingyu Li Rhythm Shimakawa Xiaohui Fan Kei Ito Masayuki Tanaka Yuichi Harikane J. Xavier Prochaska Andrea Travascio Weichen Wang Martin Elvis Giuseppina Fabbiano Junya Arita Masafusa Onoue John D. Silverman Dong Dong Shi Fangxia An Takuma Izumi Kazuhiro Shimasaku Hisakazu Uchiyama Chenghao Zhu |
| author_sort | Yongming Liang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We report the identification of a quasar overdensity in the BOSSJ0210 field, dubbed the Cosmic Himalayas, consisting of 11 quasars at z = 2.16−2.20, the densest overdensity of quasars (17 σ ) in the ∼10,000 deg ^2 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We present the spatial distributions of galaxies and quasars and a H i absorption map of the intergalactic medium (IGM). On the map of 465 galaxies selected from the MAMMOTH-Subaru survey, we find two galaxy density peaks that do not fall on the quasar overdensity but instead exist at the northwest and southeast sides, approximately 25 h ^−1 comoving Mpc (cMpc) apart from the quasar overdensity. With a spatial resolution of 15 h ^−1 cMpc in projection, we produce a three-dimensional H i tomography map by the IGM Ly α forest in the spectra of 23 SDSS/eBOSS quasars behind the quasar overdensity. Surprisingly, the quasar overdensity coincides with neither an absorption peak nor a transmission peak of IGM H i but lies near the border separating opaque and transparent volumes, with the more luminous quasars located in an environment with less IGM H i . Hence, remarkably, the overdensity region traced by the 11 quasars, albeit all in coherently active states, has no clear coincidence with peaks of galaxies or H i absorption densities. Current physical scenarios with mixtures of H i overdensities and quasar photoionization cannot fully interpret the emergence of the Cosmic Himalayas, suggesting this peculiar structure is an excellent laboratory to unveil the interplay between galaxies, quasars, and the IGM. |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| spelling | doaj-art-f0f025b0bb2c4d5db12fb7cd70e7c8902025-08-20T03:25:00ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-0198616010.3847/1538-4357/adc1bbCosmic Himalayas: The Highest Quasar Density Peak Identified in a 10,000 deg2 Sky with Spatial Discrepancies between Galaxies, Quasars, and IGM H iYongming Liang0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2725-302XMasami Ouchi1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1049-6658Dongsheng Sun2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1199-6523Nobunari Kashikawa3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3954-4219Zheng Cai4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8467-6478Sebastiano Cantalupo5https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5804-1428Kentaro Nagamine6https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7457-8487Hidenobu Yajima7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1319-3433Takanobu Kirihara8https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6503-8315Haibin Zhang9https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2273-9415Mingyu Li10https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6251-649XRhythm Shimakawa11https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4442-2750Xiaohui Fan12https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3310-0131Kei Ito13https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9453-0381Masayuki Tanaka14https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5011-5178Yuichi Harikane15https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6047-430XJ. Xavier Prochaska16https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7738-6875Andrea Travascio17https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8863-888XWeichen Wang18https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9593-8274Martin Elvis19https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5060-1398Giuseppina Fabbiano20https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3554-3318Junya Arita21https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0864-7094Masafusa Onoue22https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2984-6803John D. Silverman23https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0000-6977Dong Dong Shi24https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4314-5686Fangxia An25https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7943-0166Takuma Izumi26https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9452-0813Kazuhiro Shimasaku27https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2597-2231Hisakazu Uchiyama28https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0673-0632Chenghao Zhu29https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9888-6895Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, The University of Tokyo , 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8582, Japan ; ymliang@icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jp; National Astronomical Observatory of Japan , 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, JapanInstitute for Cosmic Ray Research, The University of Tokyo , 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8582, Japan ; ymliang@icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jp; National Astronomical Observatory of Japan , 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, Japan; Department of Astronomical Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies) , Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, Japan; Kavli IPMU (WPI), The University of Tokyo , 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8583, JapanInstitute for Cosmic Ray Research, The University of Tokyo , 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8582, Japan ; ymliang@icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jpDepartment of Astronomy, School of Science, The University of Tokyo , 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan; Research Center for the Early Universe, The University of Tokyo , 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, JapanDepartment of Astronomy, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Physics, University of Milan Bicocca , Piazza della Scienza 3, I-20126 Milano, ItalyKavli IPMU (WPI), The University of Tokyo , 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8583, Japan; Department of Earth and Space Science, The University of Osaka , 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nevada , Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89154-4002, USA; Nevada Center for Astrophysics, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89154-4002, USACenter for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba , 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, JapanCenter for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba , 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan; Kitami Institute of Technology , 165 Koen-cho, Kitami, Hokkaido 090-8507, JapanNational Astronomical Observatory of Japan , 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, JapanDepartment of Astronomy, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of ChinaWaseda Institute for Advanced Study (WIAS), Waseda University , 1-21-1 Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-0051, Japan; Center for Data Science, Waseda University , 1-6-1 Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-0051, JapanSteward Observatory, University of Arizona , 933 N. Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721, USADepartment of Astronomy, School of Science, The University of Tokyo , 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, JapanNational Astronomical Observatory of Japan , 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, Japan; Department of Astronomical Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies) , Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, JapanInstitute for Cosmic Ray Research, The University of Tokyo , 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8582, Japan ; ymliang@icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jpUCO/Lick Observatory, University of California , 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USADepartment of Physics, University of Milan Bicocca , Piazza della Scienza 3, I-20126 Milano, ItalyDepartment of Physics, University of Milan Bicocca , Piazza della Scienza 3, I-20126 Milano, ItalyHarvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics , 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAHarvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics , 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USADepartment of Astronomy, School of Science, The University of Tokyo , 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, JapanKavli IPMU (WPI), The University of Tokyo , 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8583, JapanKavli IPMU (WPI), The University of Tokyo , 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8583, JapanPurple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 10 Yuan Hua Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, People’s Republic of ChinaPurple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 10 Yuan Hua Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, People’s Republic of ChinaNational Astronomical Observatory of Japan , 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, JapanDepartment of Astronomy, School of Science, The University of Tokyo , 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan; Research Center for the Early Universe, The University of Tokyo , 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, JapanNational Astronomical Observatory of Japan , 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, JapanInstitute for Cosmic Ray Research, The University of Tokyo , 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8582, Japan ; ymliang@icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jpWe report the identification of a quasar overdensity in the BOSSJ0210 field, dubbed the Cosmic Himalayas, consisting of 11 quasars at z = 2.16−2.20, the densest overdensity of quasars (17 σ ) in the ∼10,000 deg ^2 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We present the spatial distributions of galaxies and quasars and a H i absorption map of the intergalactic medium (IGM). On the map of 465 galaxies selected from the MAMMOTH-Subaru survey, we find two galaxy density peaks that do not fall on the quasar overdensity but instead exist at the northwest and southeast sides, approximately 25 h ^−1 comoving Mpc (cMpc) apart from the quasar overdensity. With a spatial resolution of 15 h ^−1 cMpc in projection, we produce a three-dimensional H i tomography map by the IGM Ly α forest in the spectra of 23 SDSS/eBOSS quasars behind the quasar overdensity. Surprisingly, the quasar overdensity coincides with neither an absorption peak nor a transmission peak of IGM H i but lies near the border separating opaque and transparent volumes, with the more luminous quasars located in an environment with less IGM H i . Hence, remarkably, the overdensity region traced by the 11 quasars, albeit all in coherently active states, has no clear coincidence with peaks of galaxies or H i absorption densities. Current physical scenarios with mixtures of H i overdensities and quasar photoionization cannot fully interpret the emergence of the Cosmic Himalayas, suggesting this peculiar structure is an excellent laboratory to unveil the interplay between galaxies, quasars, and the IGM.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adc1bbQuasarsLarge-scale structure of the universeHigh-redshift galaxiesIntergalactic mediumLyα galaxies |
| spellingShingle | Yongming Liang Masami Ouchi Dongsheng Sun Nobunari Kashikawa Zheng Cai Sebastiano Cantalupo Kentaro Nagamine Hidenobu Yajima Takanobu Kirihara Haibin Zhang Mingyu Li Rhythm Shimakawa Xiaohui Fan Kei Ito Masayuki Tanaka Yuichi Harikane J. Xavier Prochaska Andrea Travascio Weichen Wang Martin Elvis Giuseppina Fabbiano Junya Arita Masafusa Onoue John D. Silverman Dong Dong Shi Fangxia An Takuma Izumi Kazuhiro Shimasaku Hisakazu Uchiyama Chenghao Zhu Cosmic Himalayas: The Highest Quasar Density Peak Identified in a 10,000 deg2 Sky with Spatial Discrepancies between Galaxies, Quasars, and IGM H i The Astrophysical Journal Quasars Large-scale structure of the universe High-redshift galaxies Intergalactic medium Lyα galaxies |
| title | Cosmic Himalayas: The Highest Quasar Density Peak Identified in a 10,000 deg2 Sky with Spatial Discrepancies between Galaxies, Quasars, and IGM H i |
| title_full | Cosmic Himalayas: The Highest Quasar Density Peak Identified in a 10,000 deg2 Sky with Spatial Discrepancies between Galaxies, Quasars, and IGM H i |
| title_fullStr | Cosmic Himalayas: The Highest Quasar Density Peak Identified in a 10,000 deg2 Sky with Spatial Discrepancies between Galaxies, Quasars, and IGM H i |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cosmic Himalayas: The Highest Quasar Density Peak Identified in a 10,000 deg2 Sky with Spatial Discrepancies between Galaxies, Quasars, and IGM H i |
| title_short | Cosmic Himalayas: The Highest Quasar Density Peak Identified in a 10,000 deg2 Sky with Spatial Discrepancies between Galaxies, Quasars, and IGM H i |
| title_sort | cosmic himalayas the highest quasar density peak identified in a 10 000 deg2 sky with spatial discrepancies between galaxies quasars and igm h i |
| topic | Quasars Large-scale structure of the universe High-redshift galaxies Intergalactic medium Lyα galaxies |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adc1bb |
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