NOAO >   Observing Info >   Approved Programs >   2005A-0544

Proposal Information for 2005A-0544

PI: Daniel Nestor, University of Florida, dbn@phyast.pitt.edu
Address: Astronomy Department, 211 Bryant Space Science Center, Gainesville, FL 32611-2055, USA

CoI: Sandhya Rao, University of Pittsburgh
CoI: Dave Turnshek, University of Pittsburgh
CoI: Fred Hamann, University of Florida

Title: Imaging Ultra-Strong Low Redshift \ionMg2 Absorbers

Abstract: Quasar absorption lines provide a mechanism to study structures in the Universe selected via gas cross section at cosmologically- significant distances. Importantly, there is no luminosity bias in this type of selection. The Sloan Digital Sky Survey has allowed for the discovery of a very large number of \ionMg2 absorption systems, including an unprecedented number of the strongest systems. We have catalogued a new regime of ultra-strong'' \ionMg2 absorbers, which correspond to enormous kinematic spreads and large \ionH1 column densities. Because of the previous lack of any known ultra-strong systems, their nature has not yet been explored. Thus, we propose to use WIYN to image ~ 8-10 quasar fields containing ultra-strong \ionMg2 absorbers. Two hour exposures in r^\prime will allow us to detect L\lesssim0.1L^* at z~0.5 and tip-tilt will allow small impact parameters to be accessed in order to identify any absorbing galaxy(s) and uncover the nature of these rare systems.

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 NOAO >   Observing Info >   Approved Programs >   2005A-0544