Abstract
Observing the circumgalactic medium (CGM) in emission provides 3D maps
of the spatial and kinematic extent of the gas that fuels galaxies and
receives their feedback. We present mock emission-line maps of highly
resolved CGM gas from the Figuring Out Gas & Galaxies in Enzo
(FOGGIE) project and link these maps back to physical and spatial
properties of the gas. In particular, we examine the ionization source
leading to most O vi emission and how
resolution affects the physical properties of the gas generating the
emission. Finally, when increasing the spatial resolution alone, the
total luminosity of the line emission increases by an order of magnitude
for some lines considered. Current integral field unit instruments like
Keck Cosmic Web Imager and Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer should be
able to detect the brightest knots and filaments of such emission, and
use this to infer the bulk kinematics of the CGM gas with respect to the
galaxy. We conclude that the spatial resolution of simulated CGM gas
can significantly influence the distribution of gas temperatures,
densities, and metallicities that contribute to a given observable
region. Greater spatial resolution than has been typically included in
cosmological simulations to date is needed to properly interpret
observations in terms of the underlying gas structure driving emission.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 125 |
Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
Volume | 896 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 19 Jun 2020 |
Keywords
- astro-ph.GA