Discovery of an Enormous Ly α Nebula in a Massive Galaxy Overdensity at z = 2.3

Abstract

Enormous Ly alpha nebulae (ELANe), unique tracers of galaxy density peaks, are predicted to lie at the nodes and intersections of cosmic filamentary structures. Previous successful searches for ELANe have focused on wide-field narrowband surveys or have targeted known sources such as ultraluminous quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) or radio galaxies. Utilizing groups of coherently strong Ly alpha absorptions, we have developed a new method to identify high-redshift galaxy overdensities and have identified an extremely massive overdensity, BOSS1441, at z = 2-3. In its density peak, we discover an ELAN that is associated with a relatively faint continuum. To date, this object has the highest diffuse Ly alpha nebular luminosity of L-nebula = 5.1 +/- 0.1 x 10(44) erg s(-1). Above the 2 sigma surface brightness limit of SBLy alpha = 4.8 x 10(-18) erg s(-1) cm(-2) arcsec(-2), this nebula has an end-to-end spatial extent of 442 kpc. This radio-quiet source also has extended C IV lambda 1549 and He II lambda 1640 emission on greater than or similar to 30 kpc scales. Note that the Ly alpha, He II, and C IV emissions all have double-peaked line profiles. Each velocity component has an FWHM of approximate to 700-1000 km s(-1). We argue that this Lya nebula could be powered by shocks due to an active galactic nucleus-driven outflow or photoionization by a strongly obscured source.