Molecular gas in the host galaxy of a quasar at redshift z = 6.42

Fabian Walter; Frank Bertoidl; Chris Carilli; Pierre Cox; K. Y. Lo; Roberto Neri; Xiaohui Fan; Alain Omont; Michael A. Strauss; Karl M. Menten

doi:10.1038/nature01821

Molecular gas in the host galaxy of a quasar at redshift z = 6.42

Fabian Walter, Frank Bertoidl, Chris Carilli, Pierre Cox, K. Y. Lo, Roberto Neri, Xiaohui Fan, Alain Omont, Michael A. Strauss, Karl M. Menten

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251 Scopus citations

Abstract

Observations of molecular hydrogen in quasar host galaxies at high redshifts provide fundamental constraints on galaxy evolution, because it is out of this molecular gas that stars form. Molecular hydrogen is traced by emission from the carbon monoxide molecule, CO; cold H₂ itself is generally not observable. Carbon monoxide has been detected in about ten quasar host galaxies with redshifts z > 2; the record-holder is at z = 4.69 (refs 1-3). Here we report CO emission from the quasar SDSS J114816.64 + 525150.3 (refs 5, 6) at z = 6.42. At that redshift, the Universe was only 1/16 of its present age, and the era of cosmic reionization was just ending. The presence of about 2 × 10¹⁰ M_⊙ of H₂ in an object at this time demonstrates that molecular gas enriched with heavy elements can be generated rapidly in the youngest galaxies.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	406-408
Number of pages	3
Journal	Nature
Volume	424
Issue number	6947
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nature01821
State	Published - Jul 24 2003

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title = "Molecular gas in the host galaxy of a quasar at redshift z = 6.42",

abstract = "Observations of molecular hydrogen in quasar host galaxies at high redshifts provide fundamental constraints on galaxy evolution, because it is out of this molecular gas that stars form. Molecular hydrogen is traced by emission from the carbon monoxide molecule, CO; cold H2 itself is generally not observable. Carbon monoxide has been detected in about ten quasar host galaxies with redshifts z > 2; the record-holder is at z = 4.69 (refs 1-3). Here we report CO emission from the quasar SDSS J114816.64 + 525150.3 (refs 5, 6) at z = 6.42. At that redshift, the Universe was only 1/16 of its present age, and the era of cosmic reionization was just ending. The presence of about 2 × 1010 M⊙ of H2 in an object at this time demonstrates that molecular gas enriched with heavy elements can be generated rapidly in the youngest galaxies.",

author = "Fabian Walter and Frank Bertoidl and Chris Carilli and Pierre Cox and Lo, {K. Y.} and Roberto Neri and Xiaohui Fan and Alain Omont and Strauss, {Michael A.} and Menten, {Karl M.}",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements The VLA is operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), a facility of the National Science Foundation (NSF), operated under co-operative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI). This work is based partly on observations carried out with the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer. IRAM is supported by INSU/CNRS (France), MPG (Germany) and IGN (Spain). F.W. is a Jansky Fellow.",

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doi = "10.1038/nature01821",

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pages = "406--408",

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T1 - Molecular gas in the host galaxy of a quasar at redshift z = 6.42

AU - Walter, Fabian

AU - Bertoidl, Frank

AU - Carilli, Chris

AU - Cox, Pierre

AU - Lo, K. Y.

AU - Neri, Roberto

AU - Fan, Xiaohui

AU - Omont, Alain

AU - Strauss, Michael A.

AU - Menten, Karl M.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements The VLA is operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), a facility of the National Science Foundation (NSF), operated under co-operative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI). This work is based partly on observations carried out with the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer. IRAM is supported by INSU/CNRS (France), MPG (Germany) and IGN (Spain). F.W. is a Jansky Fellow.

PY - 2003/7/24

Y1 - 2003/7/24

N2 - Observations of molecular hydrogen in quasar host galaxies at high redshifts provide fundamental constraints on galaxy evolution, because it is out of this molecular gas that stars form. Molecular hydrogen is traced by emission from the carbon monoxide molecule, CO; cold H2 itself is generally not observable. Carbon monoxide has been detected in about ten quasar host galaxies with redshifts z > 2; the record-holder is at z = 4.69 (refs 1-3). Here we report CO emission from the quasar SDSS J114816.64 + 525150.3 (refs 5, 6) at z = 6.42. At that redshift, the Universe was only 1/16 of its present age, and the era of cosmic reionization was just ending. The presence of about 2 × 1010 M⊙ of H2 in an object at this time demonstrates that molecular gas enriched with heavy elements can be generated rapidly in the youngest galaxies.

AB - Observations of molecular hydrogen in quasar host galaxies at high redshifts provide fundamental constraints on galaxy evolution, because it is out of this molecular gas that stars form. Molecular hydrogen is traced by emission from the carbon monoxide molecule, CO; cold H2 itself is generally not observable. Carbon monoxide has been detected in about ten quasar host galaxies with redshifts z > 2; the record-holder is at z = 4.69 (refs 1-3). Here we report CO emission from the quasar SDSS J114816.64 + 525150.3 (refs 5, 6) at z = 6.42. At that redshift, the Universe was only 1/16 of its present age, and the era of cosmic reionization was just ending. The presence of about 2 × 1010 M⊙ of H2 in an object at this time demonstrates that molecular gas enriched with heavy elements can be generated rapidly in the youngest galaxies.

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Molecular gas in the host galaxy of a quasar at redshift z = 6.42

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