Ly α Intensity Mapping in HETDEX: Galaxy-Ly α Intensity Cross-power Spectrum

Journal article

We present a measurement of the Lyα intensity mapping power spectrum from the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX). We measure the cross-power spectrum of the Lyα intensity and Lyα-emitting galaxies (LAEs) in a redshift range of 1.9 ≤ z ≤ 3.5. We calculate the intensity from HETDEX spectra that do not contain any detected LAEs above a signal-to-noise ratio of 5.5. To produce a power spectrum model and its covariance matrix, we simulate the data using lognormal mocks for the LAE catalog and Lyα intensity in redshift space. The simulations include the HETDEX sensitivity, selection function, and mask. The measurements yield the product of the LAE bias, the intensity bias, the mean intensity of undetected sources, and the ratio of the actual and fiducial redshift-space distortion parameters, bgbI〈I〉F¯RSD/F¯RSDfid= (6.7 ± 3.1), (11.7 ± 1.4), and (8.3 ± 1.5) × 10−22 erg s−1 cm−2 arcsec−2 Å−1 in three redshift bins centered at z¯=2.1 , 2.6, and 3.2, respectively. The results are reasonably consistent with cosmological hydrodynamical simulations that include Lyα radiative transfer. They are, however, significantly smaller than previous results from cross-correlations of quasars with Lyα intensity. These results demonstrate the statistical power of HETDEX for Lyα intensity mapping and pave the way for a more comprehensive analysis. They will also be useful for constraining models of Lyα emission from galaxies used in modern cosmological simulations of galaxy formation and evolution.

Authors: Lujan Niemeyer, M; Komatsu, E; Bernal, JL; Byrohl, C; Ciardullo, R

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: American Astronomical Society
• Journal: The Astrophysical Journal
• Volume: 999
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 177
• Article number: 177
• Publication date: 2026-03-03
• Acceptance date: 2026-01-15
• DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ae3a98
• EISSN: 1538-4357
• ISSN: 0004637X, 0004-637X
• Language: English
• Keywords: Observational cosmology; Lyman-alpha galaxies; Large-scale structure of the universe