Nearby Ly{alpha} quasar absorbers

In the 10 sight lines, we detect 357 absorption lines above a significance level of 3{sigma} and 272 lines above a significance level of 4.5{sigma}. Automated software is used to detect and identify the lines, almost all of which are unresolved at the GHRS G140L resolution of 200km/s.

After identifying Galactic lines, intervening metal lines, and higher order Lyman lines, we are left with 139 Ly{alpha} absorbers in the redshift range 0<z<0.22 (lines within 900km/s of geocoronal Ly{alpha} are not selected). These diffuse hydrogen absorbers have column densities that are mostly in the range 10^13^-10^15^cm^-2^ for an assumed Doppler parameter of 30km/s. The number density of lines above a rest equivalent width of 0.24{AA}, dN/dz=38.3{+/-}5.3, agrees well with the measurement from the Quasar Absorption-Line Key Project.