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The redshift evolution of extended Lyα emission in HETDEX - I. Imaging methods and emission measurements

We investigate extended Lyα emission using integral-field unit (IFU) data from the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (or HETDEX). We apply the modified Shepard method to image 106,853 Lyα emitters (LAEs) and median-stack them as functions of rest-frame Lyα equivalent width (EW), Lyα line...

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Main Authors: McKay, Brianna (Author) , Tuttle, Sarah (Author) , Cooper, Erin Mentuch (Author) , Davis, Dustin (Author) , Ciardullo, Robin (Author) , Farrow, Daniel J. (Author) , Finkelstein, Steven L. (Author) , Gebhardt, Karl (Author) , Liu, Chenxu (Author) , Zeimann, Gregory (Author) , Byrohl, Chris (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: 2026 April 20
In: The astrophysical journal
Year: 2026, Volume: 1001, Issue: 2, Pages: 1-15
ISSN:1538-4357
DOI:10.3847/1538-4357/ae4de7
Online Access:Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ae4de7
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Author Notes:Brianna McKay, Sarah Tuttle, Erin Mentuch Cooper, Dustin Davis, Robin Ciardullo, Daniel J. Farrow, Steven L. Finkelstein, Karl Gebhardt, Chenxu Liu, Gregory Zeimann, and Chris Byrohl
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Summary:We investigate extended Lyα emission using integral-field unit (IFU) data from the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (or HETDEX). We apply the modified Shepard method to image 106,853 Lyα emitters (LAEs) and median-stack them as functions of rest-frame Lyα equivalent width (EW), Lyα line flux, and redshift to obtain accurate flux measurements for the faintest Lyα detections. After careful consideration of point-spread function, centroiding, IFU correlation, and signal-to-noise ratio errors, we calculate that the one-dimensional exponential scale lengths of our LAEs range from ∼3.0 to 7.1 kpc. The scale lengths show a slight negative correlation with the Lyα EW, with lower-EW sources having higher scale lengths. We also detect positive correlations between the scale length of the sample and its Lyα flux and luminosity within flux- and luminosity-binned subsamples. Overall, we find evidence for a decrease in Lyα halo size with increasing redshift. We discuss the mechanisms that could be powering these halos and driving their complex evolution.
Item Description:Gesehen am 26.08.2026
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1538-4357
DOI:10.3847/1538-4357/ae4de7

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