Bañados, EduardoEduardoBañadosRauch, MichaelMichaelRauchDECARLI, ROBERTOROBERTODECARLIFarina, Emanuele P.Emanuele P.FarinaHennawi, Joseph F.Joseph F.HennawiMazzucchelli, ChiaraChiaraMazzucchelliVenemans, Bram P.Bram P.VenemansWalter, FabianFabianWalterSimcoe, Robert A.Robert A.SimcoeProchaska, J. XavierJ. XavierProchaskaCooper, ThomasThomasCooperDavies, Frederick B.Frederick B.DaviesChen, Shi-Fan S.Shi-Fan S.Chen2020-12-032020-12-0320190004-637Xhttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12386/28645We identify a strong Lyα damping wing profile in the spectrum of the quasar P183+05 at z = 6.4386. Given the detection of several narrow metal absorption lines at z = 6.40392, the most likely explanation for the absorption profile is that it is due to a damped Lyα system. However, in order to match the data a contribution of an intergalactic medium 5%-38% neutral or additional weaker absorbers near the quasar is also required. The absorption system presented here is the most distant damped Lyα system currently known. We estimate an H I column density of 10<SUP>20.68±0.25</SUP> cm<SUP>-2</SUP>, metallicity [O/H] = -2.92 ± 0.32, and relative chemical abundances of a system consistent with a low-mass galaxy during the first Gyr of the universe. This object is among the most metal-poor damped Lyα systems known and, even though it is observed only ∼850 Myr after the big bang, its relative abundances do not show signatures of chemical enrichment by Population III stars.STAMPAenArticle10.3847/1538-4357/ab41292-s2.0-85075237385000498641700004https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ab41292019ApJ...885...59BFIS/05 - ASTRONOMIA E ASTROFISICA