The Lyman-alpha Reference Sample: I. Survey outline and first results for Markarian 259

Understand

The Lyman-alpha reference sample (LARS) is a program with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) that provides a sample of local universe laboratory galaxies in which to study the astrophysics of the visibility and strength of the Lyman-alpha (Lya) line of hydrogen.

• This article presents an overview of the survey, its selection function and HST imaging observations.
• The sample was selected from the GALEX+SDSS catalogue at z=0.028-0.19, in order to allow Lya to be captured with combinations of long pass filters in the Solar Blind Channel (SBC) of HST/ACS.
• In addition, LARS utilises Halpha and Hbeta narrow, and U, B, i broad-band imaging with ACS and WFC3.