Open AccessTowards a precision cosmology from starburst galaxies at z > 2
Author(s) -
Siegel E. R.,
Guzmán R.,
Gallego Jorge P.,
López M. Orduña,
Hidalgo P. Rodríguez
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.08539.x
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , galaxy , redshift , cosmology , velocity dispersion , universe , luminosity , metallicity , astronomy
This work investigates the use of a well‐known empirical correlation between the velocity dispersion, metallicity and luminosity in Hβ of nearby H ii galaxies to measure the distances to H ii ‐like starburst galaxies at high redshifts. This correlation is applied to a sample of 15 starburst galaxies with redshifts between z = 2.17 and z = 3.39 to constrain Ω m , using data available from the literature. A best‐fitting value of Ω m = 0.21 +0.30 −0.12 in a Λ‐dominated universe and of Ω m = 0.11 +0.37 −0.19 in an open universe is obtained. A detailed analysis of systematic errors, their causes and their effects on the values derived for the distance moduli and Ω m is carried out. A discussion of how future work will improve constraints on Ω m by reducing the errors is also presented.