HI 21-cm absorption survey of quasar-galaxy pairs: Distribution of cold gas around z<0.4 galaxies

Abstract: We present the results from our survey of HI 21-cm absorption, using GMRT, VLA and WSRT, in a sample of 55 z<0.4 galaxies towards radio sources with impact parameters (b) in the range ~0-35 kpc. In our primary sample (defined for statistical analyses) of 40 quasar-galaxy-pairs (QGPs), probed by 45 sightlines, we have found seven HI 21-cm absorption detections, two of which are reported here for the first time. Combining our primary sample with measurements having similar optical depth sensitivity ($\int\tau dv$ <= 0.3 km/s) from the literature, we find a weak anti-correlation (rank correlation coefficient = -0.20 at 2.42sigma level) between $\int\tau dv$ and b, consistent with previous literature results. The covering factor of HI 21-cm absorbers (C_21) is estimated to be 0.24 (+0.12/-0.08) at b <= 15 kpc and 0.06 (+0.09/-0.04) at b = 15-35 kpc. $\int\tau dv$ and C_21 show similar declining trend with radial distance along the galaxy's major axis and distances scaled with the effective HI radius. There is also tentative indication that most of the HI 21-cm absorbers could be co-planar with the extended HI discs. No significant dependence of $\int\tau dv$ and C_21 on galaxy luminosity, stellar mass, colour and star formation rate is found, though the HI 21-cm absorbing gas cross-section may be larger for the luminous galaxies. The higher detection rate (by a factor of ~4) of HI 21-cm absorption in z<1 DLAs compared to the QGPs indicates towards small covering factor and patchy distribution of cold gas clouds around low-z galaxies.