The mass-metallicity relation of absorption selected high-redshift galaxies. Issue Volume 11:Issue S321(2015) (21st March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Christensen, Lise; Møller, P.; Rhodin, Henrik; Krogager, Jens-Kristian; Fynbo, Johan P.U.
• Editors: Gil de Paz, Armando; Knapen, Johan H.; Lee, Janice C.
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. Volume 11:Issue S321(2015)
• Page Start: 357
• Page End: 359
• Publication Date: 2017-03-21
• Subjects: galaxies: abundances, -- galaxies: high-redshift, -- quasars: absorption lines; Astronomy -- Congresses; Astronomy -- Periodicals; 520
• DOI: 10.1017/S1743921316011212
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-9213

Abstract

Abstract: Strong absorption lines in quasar spectra primarily probe low-mass galaxies and detecting these in emission has previously been difficult. Dedicated surveys for the host galaxies of damped Lyman-α (DLA) systems have often resulted in non-detections and upper limits. Targeting the most metal-rich absorbers has proven to be a viable method, because these galaxies are brighter. By combining DLA metallicities and deriving host galaxy stellar masses, we find that metal-rich DLAs (with >10% solar metallicity) and their host galaxies follow the same redshift-dependent scaling relation between stellar mass and metallicity as luminosity-selected galaxies. We derive a prediction for an absorber galaxy mass that depends on the DLA metallicity.