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VLT observations of the z=6.28 quasar SDSS 1030+0524

We present new VLT spectroscopic observations of the most distant quasar known, SDSS J1030+0524 at z=6.28 which was recently discovered by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We confirm the presence of a complete Gunn-Peterson trough caused by neutral hydrogen in the intergalactic medium. There is no detectable flux over the wavelength range from 8450 to 8710 A. We set an improved limit on the drop of the flux level blueward of the Ly alpha line: a factor of > 200. Below 8450 A the spectrum shows a rise in flux, with a large fraction (> 60 %) of the total emission produced by few narrow features of transmitted flux. We discuss the obvious proximity effect around this quasar, with the presence of transmitted flux with many absorption features in a region of about 23h^{-1} comoving Mpc. If assuming the surrounding medium were completely neutral, the size of this region would imply a quasar lifetime of \~1.3x10^7 years. We also present near-IR spectroscopy of both SDSS J1030+0524 and of SDSS J1306+05, the second most distant quasar known at redshift 6.0. We combine measurements of the CIV line and limits on the HeII emission with the NV line measurements from the optical spectra to derive line ratios, and by implication the abundances of these early quasar environments. The results are indistinguishable from those of lower redshift quasars and indicate little or no evolution in the abundances from z ~ 6 to z ~ 2. The line ratios suggest supersolar metallicities, implying that the first stars around the quasars must have formed at least a few hundreds of Myrs prior to the observation, i.e. at redshift higher than 8.