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Softening of the Metagalactic Ionizing Background from Internal He II Absorption in Quasars

Quasars and active galactic nuclei (AGN) are significant contributors to the metagalactic ionizing background at redshifts z < 3. Recent HST/COS composite spectra of AGN find a harder flux distribution in the Lyman continuum, F_nu ~ nu^{-alpha_s} (alpha_s = 1.41+/-0.15) compared to previous studies. This index appears to be inconsistent with observed He II / H I absorption ratios (eta) in the Lya forest. We explore effects of internal AGN absorption in the He II (4 ryd) continuum using an analytic source-function model of the ionizing background in which the emissivity (j_nu) arises from quasars, reprocessed by the opacity (kappa_nu) of the intervening Lya forest and distinct AGN escape fractions f_esc(HI) and f_esc(HeII) at 1~ryd and 4~ryd, respectively. We also examine H I and He II photoelectric heating from the reprocessed background, whose spectral index (alpha_b > alpha_s) depends on alpha_s, the H I column density slope beta, and the ratio R = f_esc(HI) / f_esc(HeII). We compare the model to Lya absorption lines of He II and H I toward the quasar HE~2347-4342. Internal AGN absorption with f_esc(HeII) = 0.6-0.8 but f_esc(HI) = 1 would increase the index by Delta-alpha_b = 0.3-1.0, corresponding to eta = 60-200 for beta = 1.5-1.6, in agreement with HST/COS observations at z = 2.5-2.9. The observed range of ratios, eta < 200, constrains alpha_b < 3.4 and f_esc(HeII) > 0.4. Individual AGN with softer spectra, alpha_s > 1.7, and more internal He II absorption could produce a few absorbers with eta > 300 in proximity to AGN transverse to the sight line.