Deep VLT spectroscopy of the z = 2.49 radio galaxy MRC 2104-242 - Evidencefor a metallicity gradient in its extended emission line region (vol 367, pg L5, 2001)

We present spectroscopic observations of the rest-frame UV line emission ar ound radio galaxy MRC 2104-242 at z = 2.49, obtained with FORS1 on VLT Antu . The morphology of the halo is dominated by two spatially resolved regions . Ly alpha is extended by > 12 " along the radio axis, C IV and He II are e xtended by similar to8 ". The overall spectrum is typical for that of high redshift radio galaxies. The most striking spatial variation is that N V is present in the spectrum of the region associated with the center of the ga laxy hosting the radio source, the northern region, while absent in the sou thern region. Assuming that the gas is photoionized by a hidden quasar, the difference in N V emission can be explained by a metallicity gradient with in the halo, with the northern region having a metallicity of Z approximate to 1.5 Z(circle dot) and Z less than or equal to 0.4 Z(circle dot) for the southern region. This is consistent with a scenario in which the gas is as sociated with a massive cooling flow or originates from the debris of the m erging of two or more galaxies.