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The giant Ly α nebula associated with a z = 2.5 radio galaxy
Author(s) -
VillarMartín M.,
Sánchez S. F.,
Peletier R.,
Vernet J.,
de Breuck C.,
Humphrey A.,
di Serego Alighieri S.,
Fosbury R.,
Stern D.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
astronomische nachrichten
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.394
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1521-3994
pISSN - 0004-6337
DOI - 10.1002/asna.200510504
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , galaxy , nebula , radio galaxy , astronomy , kinematics , stars , classical mechanics
We present a kinematic and morphological study of the giant Ly α nebula associated with the radio galaxy MRC 2104–242 ( z = 2.49) based on integral field spectroscopic VIMOS data from VLT. The galaxy appears to be embedded in a giant (≃120 kpc) gas reservoir that surrounds it completely. The kinematic properties of the nebula suggest that it is a rotating structure, which would imply a lower limit to the dynamical mass of ∼3 × 1011 M ⊙ . An alternate scenario is that the gas is infalling. Such a process would be able to initiate and sustain significant central starburst activity, although it is likely to contribute with less than 10% of the total stellar mass of the galaxy. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)