- #1
astrolollo
- 24
- 2
Hello everyone!
We observe the so-called Lyman-alpha forest in the spectrum of distant quasars and it is said that these multiple absorption lines are due to the presence of intergalactic HI clouds that absorb light at the wavelenght of 1216 A , the Lyman-alpha transition. My question is the following. Why are these absorption lines referred only to Lyman-alpha processes and not, for example, to Ly-beta transitions? Thanks to everyone who will answer.
Lorenzo
We observe the so-called Lyman-alpha forest in the spectrum of distant quasars and it is said that these multiple absorption lines are due to the presence of intergalactic HI clouds that absorb light at the wavelenght of 1216 A , the Lyman-alpha transition. My question is the following. Why are these absorption lines referred only to Lyman-alpha processes and not, for example, to Ly-beta transitions? Thanks to everyone who will answer.
Lorenzo