Metal content of the circumgalactic medium around star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 2.6 as revealed by the VIMOS Ultra-Deep Survey

International audienceContext. The circumgalactic medium (CGM) is the location where the interplay between large-scale outflows and accretion onto galaxies occurs. Metals in different ionization states flowing between the circumgalactic and intergalactic mediums are affected by large galactic outflows and low-ionization state inflowing gas. Observational studies on their spatial distribution and their relation with galaxy properties may provide important constraints on models of galaxy formation and evolution. Aims. The main goal of this paper is to provide new insights into the spatial distribution of the circumgalactic of star-forming galaxies at 1.5 1.5) and stellar mass (log[ M ⋆ / M ⊙ ] > 10.2) show stronger C IV absorptions compared with those low SFR (log[SFR/( M ⊙ yr −1 )] < 0.9) and low stellar mass (log[ M ⋆ / M ⊙ ] < 9.26). The latter population instead shows stronger C II absorption than their more massive or more star-forming counterparts. We compute the C II /C IV W 0 line ratio that confirms the C II and C IV correlations with impact parameter, stellar mass, and star formation rate. We do not find any correlation with ϕ in agreement with other high-redshift studies and in contradiction to what is observed at low redshift where large-scale outflows along the minor axis forming bipolar outflows are detected. Conclusions. We find that the stronger C IV line absorptions in the outer regions of these star-forming galaxies could be explained by stronger outflows in galaxies with higher star formation rates and stellar masses that are capable of projecting the ionized gas up to large distances and/or by stronger UV ionizing radiation in these galaxies that is able to ionize the gas even at large distances. On the other hand, low-mass galaxies show stronger C II absorptions, suggesting larger reservoirs of cold gas that could be explained by a softer radiation field unable to ionize high-ionization state lines or by the galactic fountain scenario where metal-rich gas ejected from previous star formation episodes falls back to the galaxy. These large reservoirs of cold neutral gas around low-mass galaxies could be funnelled into the galaxies and eventually provide the necessary fuel to sustain star formation activity