The bias of DLAs at z ~ 2.3: contraining stellar feedback in shallow potential wells

Abstract

We discuss the recent Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey measurement of a rather high bias factor for the host galaxies/haloes of Damped Lyman-alpha Absorbers (DLAs), in the context of our previous modelling of the physical properties of DLAs within the $Λ$ cold dark matter paradigm. Joint modelling of the column density distribution, the velocity width distribution of associated low ionization metal absorption, and the bias parameter suggests that DLAs are hosted by galaxies with dark matter halo masses in the range $10 < \log M_v < 12$, with a rather sharp cutoff at the lower mass end, corresponding to virial velocities of 35 km/sec. The observed properties of DLAs appear to suggest efficient (stellar) feedback in haloes with masses/virial velocities below the cutoff and a large retained baryon fraction (> 35 %) in haloes above the cutoff.

10 pages, 9 figures. Published in MNRAS, May 21, 2014. 440 (3): 2313-2321. v3: Corrections in light of errata: MNRAS, 454(1), p. 218. Note, in particular, the changes to Figure 5 and the virial velocity cut-off