Publications

HI and OH absorption in the lensing galaxy of MG J0414+0534

S.J. Curran, J. Darling, A.D. Bolatto, M.T. Whiting, C. Bignell, J.K. Webb

We report the detection of HI 21-cm absorption in the z = 0.96 early-type lensing galaxy towards MG J0414+0534 with the Green Bank Telescope. The absorption, with total N_HI = 1.6 (T_s/f)×10¹⁸ cm^-2, is resolved into two strong components, probably due to the two strongest lens components, which are separated by 0.4″. Unlike the other three lenses which have been detected in HI, J0414+0534 does not exhibit strong OH absorption, giving a OH/HI column density ratio of N_OH/N_HI<10^-6 (for T_s = 100 K, T_x = 10 K and f_HI =f_OH =1). This underabundance of molecular gas may indicate that the extreme optical—near-IR colour (V-K = 10.26) along the line-of-sight is not due to the lens. We therefore suggest that despite the strong upper limits on molecular absorption at the quasar redshift, as traced by millimetre lines, the extinction occurs primarily in the quasar host galaxy.

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Matthew Whiting
Address:
Australia Telescope National Facility
PO Box 76, Epping,
NSW 1710,
Australia
Email:
Matthew.Whiting <at> csiro.au
ph: +61-2-9372-4683
fax: +61-2-9372-4444
Location:
You can now find me in room 99 at Epping.

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