A cosmic stream of atomic carbon gas connected to a massive radio galaxy at redshift 3.8

Abstract

The growth of galaxies in the early Universe is driven by accretion of circum- and inter-galactic gas. Simulations predict that steady streams of cold gas penetrate the dark matter halos of galaxies, providing the raw material necessary to sustain star formation. We report a filamentary stream of gas that extends for 100 kiloparsecs and connects to the massive radio galaxy 4C 41.17. The stream is detected using sub-millimeter observations of the [CI] line of atomic carbon, a tracer of neutral atomic or molecular hydrogen gas. The galaxy contains a central gas reservoir that is fueling a vigorous starburst. Our results show that the raw material for star formation can be present in cosmic streams outside galaxies.

Published in Science, Volume 379, 31 March 2023 (accepted version, 31 pages)

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• Stability and Ly$\alpha$ emission of Cold Stream in the Circumgalactic Medium: impact of magnetic fields and thermal conduction
• A Large Molecular Gas Reservoir in the Protocluster SPT2349$-$56 at $z=4.3$
• QSO MUSEUM III: the circumgalactic medium in Ly$\alpha$ emission around 120 $z\sim 3$ quasars covering the SDSS parameter space. Witnessing the instantaneous AGN feedback on halo scales
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• ALMA survey of a massive node of the Cosmic Web at $z\sim 3$. II. A dynamically cold and massive disk galaxy in the proximity of a hyperluminous quasar
• Gas-Poor Hosts and Gas-Rich Companions of $z\approx$3.5 Radio Active Galactic Nuclei: ALMA Insights into Jet Triggering and Feedback
• Resolving circumgalactic gas flows around a z$\approx$3.6 quasar using MUSE and ALMA