Search

We present ALMA observations of the [C ii] 158 μm fine structure line and dust continuum emission from two quasars, SDSS J104433.04−012502.2 and SDSS J012958.51−003539.7, at z = 5.78. The ALMA observations at 0.″2 resolution map the dust and gas on kiloparsec scales. The spatially resolved emission shows a similar trend of decreasing [C ii]–far-infrared (FIR) ratios with increasing FIR surface brightnesses as was found in the infrared luminous galaxies with intense star formation. We confirm the velocity gradients of [C ii] emission found previously in SDSS J0129−0035. No clear evidence of order motion is detected in SDSS J1044−0125. The velocity maps and position–velocity diagrams also suggest turbulent gas clumps in both objects. We tentatively detect a [C ii] peak offset 4.9 kpc to the east of SDSS J1044−0125. This may be associated with an infalling companion, or node of gas outflow. All these results suggest significant dynamical evolution of the interstellar medium in the nuclear region of these young quasar-starburst systems. We fit the velocity map of the [C ii] emission from SDSS J0129−0035 with a rotating disk model. The result suggests a face-on system with an inclination angle of 16° ± 20° and constrains the lower limit of the host galaxy dynamical mass to be 2.6 × 1010M⊙ within the [C ii] emitting region. It is likely that SDSS J0129−0035, as well as other young quasars with supermassive black hole masses on the order of 107M⊙ to 108M⊙, falls close to the black hole and host galaxy mass relation defined by local galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the discovery of 28 quasars and 7 luminous galaxies at 5.7 ≤ z ≤ 7.0. This is the tenth in a series of papers from the Subaru High-z Exploration of Low-Luminosity Quasars (SHELLQs) project, which exploits the deep multiband imaging data produced by the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) Subaru Strategic Program survey. The total number of spectroscopically identified objects in SHELLQs has now grown to 93 high-z quasars, 31 high-z luminous galaxies, 16 [O iii] emitters at z ∼ 0.8, and 65 Galactic cool dwarfs (low-mass stars and brown dwarfs). These objects were found over 900 deg2, surveyed by HSC between 2014 March and 2018 January. The full quasar sample includes 18 objects with very strong and narrow Lyα emission, whose stacked spectrum is clearly different from that of other quasars or galaxies. While the stacked spectrum shows N v λ1240 emission and resembles that of lower-z narrow-line quasars, the small Lyα width may suggest a significant contribution from the host galaxies. Thus, these objects may be composites of quasars and star-forming galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present deep near-infrared spectroscopy of six quasars at 6.1 ≤ z ≤ 6.7 with Very Large Telescope/X-Shooter and Gemini-N/GNIRS. Our objects, originally discovered through a wide-field optical survey with the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) Subaru Strategic Program (HSC-SSP), have the lowest luminosities (−25.5 mag ≤ M1450 ≤ −23.1 mag) of the z > 5.8 quasars with measured black hole (BH) masses. From single-epoch mass measurements based on Mg ii λ2798, we find a wide range in BH masses, from MBH = 107.6 to 109.3M⊙. The Eddington ratios Lbol/LEdd range from 0.16 to 1.1, but the majority of the HSC quasars are powered by MBH ∼ 109M⊙ supermassive black holes (SMBHs) accreting at sub-Eddington rates. The Eddington ratio distribution of the HSC quasars is inclined to lower accretion rates than those of Willott et al., who measured the BH masses for similarly faint z ∼ 6 quasars. This suggests that the global Eddington ratio distribution is wider than has previously been thought. The presence of MBH ∼ 109M⊙ SMBHs at z ∼ 6 cannot be explained with constant sub-Eddington accretion from stellar remnant seed BHs. Therefore, we may be witnessing the first buildup of the most massive BHs in the first billion years of the universe, the accretion activity of which is transforming from active growth to a quiescent phase. Measurements of a larger complete sample of z ≳ 6 low-luminosity quasars, as well as deeper observations with future facilities, will enable us to better understand the early SMBH growth in the reionization epoch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present kiloparsec-scale Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and Hubble Space Telescope imaging of the quasar PJ308–21 at z = 6.2342, tracing dust, gas (via the [C ii] 158 μm line), and young stars. At a resolution of ∼0.″3 (≈1.7 kpc), the system is resolved over >4″ (>20 kpc). In particular, it features a main component, identified to be the quasar host galaxy, centered on the accreting supermassive black hole; and two other extended components are on the west and east side: one redshifted and the other blueshifted relative to the quasar. The [C ii] emission of the entire system stretches over >1500 km s−1 along the line of sight. All the components of the system are observed in dust, [C ii], and rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) emission. The inferred [C ii] luminosities [(0.9–4.6)×109 ]; dust luminosities [(0.15–2.6)×1012 ]; rest-frame UV luminosities [(6.6–15)×1010 ], their ratios, and the implied gas/dust masses; and star formation rates [11–290 yr−1] are typical of high-redshift star-forming galaxies. A toy model of a single satellite galaxy that is tidally stripped by the interaction with the quasar host galaxy can account for the observed velocity and spatial extent of the two extended components. An outflow interpretation of the unique features in PJ308–21 is not supported by the data. PJ308–21 is thus one of the earliest galaxy mergers imaged at cosmic dawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array observations of the CO (2−1) line emission toward three far-infrared luminous quasars at z ∼ 6: SDSS J231038.88+185519.7 and SDSS J012958.51−003539.7 with ∼0.″6 resolution and SDSS J205406.42−000514.8 with ∼2.″1 resolution. All three sources are detected in the CO (2−1) line emission—one source is marginally resolved, and the other two appear as point sources. Measurements of the CO (2−1) line emission allow us to calculate the molecular gas mass even without a CO excitation model. The inferred molecular gas masses are (0.8–4.3) × 1010M⊙. The widths and redshifts derived from the CO (2−1) line are consistent with previous CO (6−5) and [C ii] measurements. We also report continuum measurements using Herschel for SDSS J231038.88+185519.7 and SDSS J012958.51−003539.7, and for SDSS J231038.88+185519.7 data obtained at ∼140 and ∼300 GHz using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. In the case of SDSS J231038.88+185519.7, we present a detailed analysis of the spectral energy distribution and derive the dust temperature (∼40 K), the dust mass (∼109M⊙), the far-infrared luminosity (8–1000 μm; ∼1013L⊙), and the star formation rate (2400–2700 M⊙ yr−1). Finally, an analysis of the photodissociation regions associated with the three high-redshift quasars indicates that the interstellar medium in these sources has similar properties to local starburst galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report initial results from a large Gemini program to observe z ≳ 5.7 quasars with GNIRS near-IR spectroscopy. Our sample includes 50 quasars with simultaneous ∼0.85–2.5 μm spectra covering the rest-frame ultraviolet and major broad emission lines from Lyα to Mg ii. We present spectral measurements for these quasars and compare with their lower redshift counterparts at z = 1.5–2.3. We find that when quasar luminosity is matched, there are no significant differences between the rest-UV spectra of z ≳ 5.7 quasars and the low-z comparison sample. High-z quasars have similar continuum and emission line properties and occupy the same region in the black hole mass and luminosity space as the comparison sample, accreting at an average Eddington ratio of ∼0.3. There is no evidence for super-Eddington accretion or hypermassive (>1010M⊙) black holes within our sample. We find a mild excess of quasars with weak C iv lines relative to the control sample. Our results, corroborating earlier studies but with better statistics, demonstrate that these high-z quasars are already mature systems of accreting supermassive black holes operating with the same physical mechanisms as those at lower redshifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new measurements of the quasar luminosity function (LF) at z ∼ 6 over an unprecedentedly wide range of the rest-frame ultraviolet luminosity M1450 from −30 to −22 mag. This is the fifth in a series of publications from the Subaru High-z Exploration of Low-Luminosity Quasars (SHELLQs) project, which exploits the deep multiband imaging data produced by the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program survey. The LF was calculated with a complete sample of 110 quasars at 5.7 ≤ z ≤ 6.5, which includes 48 SHELLQs quasars discovered over 650 deg2 and 63 brighter quasars discovered by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Canada–France–Hawaii Quasar Survey (including one overlapping object). This is the largest sample of z ∼ 6 quasars with a well-defined selection function constructed to date, which has allowed us to detect significant flattening of the LF at its faint end. A double power-law function fit to the sample yields a faint-end slope , a bright-end slope , a break magnitude , and a characteristic space density Gpc−3 mag−1. Integrating this best-fit model over the range −18 < M1450 < −30 mag, quasars emit ionizing photons at the rate of s−1 Mpc−3 at z = 6.0. This is less than 10% of the critical rate necessary to keep the intergalactic medium ionized, which indicates that quasars are not a major contributor to cosmic reionization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bright high-redshift quasars (z > 6) hosting supermassive black holes (MBH > 108M⊙) are expected to reside in massive host galaxies embedded within some of the earliest and most massive galaxy overdensities. We analyze 1.2 mm ALMA dust continuum maps of 35 bright quasars at 6 < z < 7 and search the primary beam for excess dust continuum emission from sources with LIR ≳ 1012L⊙ as evidence for early protoclusters. We compare the detection rates of continuum sources at ≥5σ significance in the fields surrounding the quasars (Aeff = 4.3 arcmin2) with millimeter number counts in blank field surveys. We discover 15 mm sources in the fields excluding the quasars themselves, corresponding to an overdensity of δgal ≡ (Ngal − Nexp)/Nexp = −0.07 ± 0.56, consistent with no detected overdensity of dusty galaxies within 140 physical kpc of the quasars. However, the apparent lack of continuum overdensity does not negate the hypothesis that quasars live in overdense environments, as evidenced by strong [C ii] overdensities found on the same scales as similarly selected quasars. The small field of view of ALMA could miss a true overdensity if it exists on scales larger than 1 cMpc, if the quasar is not centered in the overdensity, or if quasar feedback plays a role close to the quasar, but it is most likely that the large line-of-sight volume probed by a continuum survey will wash out a true overdensity signal. We discuss the necessary factors in determining the bias with which dusty star-forming galaxies trace true dark matter overdensities in order to improve upon overdensity searches in the dust continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present optical long-slit spectroscopy and far-ultraviolet to mid-infrared spectral energy distribution fitting of two diffuse dwarf galaxies, LSBG-285 and LSBG-750, which were recently discovered by the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program (HSC-SSP). We measure redshifts using Hα line emission and find that these galaxies are at comoving distances of ≈25 and ≈41 Mpc, respectively, after correcting for the local velocity field. They have effective radii of reff = 1.2 and 1.8 kpc and stellar masses of M⋆ ≈ (2–3) × 107M⊙. There are no massive galaxies () within a comoving separation of at least 1.5 Mpc from LSBG-285 and 2 Mpc from LSBG-750. These sources are similar in size and surface brightness to ultradiffuse galaxies, except they are isolated, star-forming objects that were optically selected in an environmentally blind survey. Both galaxies likely have low stellar metallicities [Z⋆/Z⊙] < −1.0 and are consistent with the stellar mass–metallicity relation for dwarf galaxies. We set an upper limit on LSBG-750's rotational velocity of ∼50 km s−1, which is comparable to dwarf galaxies of similar stellar mass with estimated halo masses <1011M⊙. We find tentative evidence that the gas-phase metallicities in both of these diffuse systems are high for their stellar mass, though a statistically complete, optically selected galaxy sample at very low surface brightness will be necessary to place these results into context with the higher surface brightness galaxy population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kiloparsec-scale dual active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are active supermassive black hole pairs co-rotating in galaxies with separations of less than a few kpc. Expected to be a generic outcome of hierarchical galaxy formation, their frequency and demographics remain uncertain. We have carried out an imaging survey with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) of AGNs with double-peaked narrow [O iii] emission lines. HST/WFC3 offers high image quality in the near-infrared (NIR) to resolve the two stellar nuclei, and in the optical to resolve [O iii] from ionized gas in the narrow-line regions. This combination has proven to be key in sorting out alternative scenarios. With HST/WFC3 we are able to explore a new population of close dual AGNs at more advanced merger stages than can be probed from the ground. Here we show that the AGN Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) J0924+0510, which had previously shown two stellar bulges, contains two spatially distinct [O iii] regions consistent with a dual AGN. While we cannot completely exclude cross-ionization from a single central engine, the nearly equal ratios of [O iii] strongly suggest a dual AGN with a projected angular separation of 0.″4, corresponding to a projected physical separation of rp = 1 kpc at redshift z = 0.1495. This serves as a proof of principle for combining high-resolution NIR and optical imaging to identify close dual AGNs. Our result suggests that studies based on low-resolution and/or low-sensitivity observations may miss close dual AGNs and thereby may underestimate their occurrence rate on ≲kpc scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a catalog of extended low surface brightness galaxies (LSBGs) identified in the Wide layer of the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program (HSC-SSP). Using the first ∼200 deg2 of the survey, we have uncovered 781 LSBGs, spanning red (g − i ≥ 0.64) and blue (g − i < 0.64) colors and a wide range of morphologies. Since we focus on extended galaxies (reff = 2.″5–14″), our sample is likely dominated by low-redshift objects. We define LSBGs to have mean surface brightnesses mag arcsec−2, which allows nucleated galaxies into our sample. As a result, the central surface brightness distribution spans a wide range of μ0(g) = 18–27.4 mag arcsec−2, with 50% and 95% of galaxies fainter than 24.3 and 22 mag arcsec−2, respectively. Furthermore, the surface brightness distribution is a strong function of color, with the red distribution being much broader and generally fainter than that of the blue LSBGs, and this trend shows a clear correlation with galaxy morphology. Red LSBGs typically have smooth light profiles that are well characterized by single-component Sérsic functions. In contrast, blue LSBGs tend to have irregular morphologies and show evidence for ongoing star formation. We cross-match our sample with existing optical, H i, and ultraviolet catalogs to gain insight into the physical nature of the LSBGs. We find that our sample is diverse, ranging from dwarf spheroidals and ultradiffuse galaxies in nearby groups to gas-rich irregulars to giant LSB spirals, demonstrating the potential of the HSC-SSP to provide a truly unprecedented view of the LSBG population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quasars may have played a key role in limiting the stellar mass of massive galaxies. Identifying those quasars in the process of removing star formation fuel from their hosts is an exciting ongoing challenge in extragalactic astronomy. In this paper, we present X-ray observations of 11 extremely red quasars (ERQs) with Lbol ∼ 1047 erg s−1 at z = 1.5–3.2 with evidence for high-velocity (v 1000 km s−1) [O iii] λ5007 outflows. X-rays allow us to directly probe circumnuclear obscuration and to measure the instantaneous accretion luminosity. We detect 10 out of 11 ERQs available in targeted and archival data. Using a combination of X-ray spectral fitting and hardness ratios, we find that all of the ERQs show signs of absorption in the X-rays with inferred column densities of NH ≈ 1023 cm−2, including four Compton-thick candidates (NH 1024 cm−2). We stack the X-ray emission of the seven weakly detected sources, measuring an average column density of NH ∼ 8 × 1023 cm−2. The absorption-corrected (intrinsic) 2–10 keV X-ray luminosity of the stack is 2.7 × 1045 erg s−1, consistent with X-ray luminosities of type 1 quasars of the same infrared luminosity. Thus, we find that ERQs are a highly obscured, borderline Compton-thick population, and based on optical and infrared data we suggest that these objects are partially hidden by their own equatorial outflows. However, unlike some quasars with known outflows, ERQs do not appear to be intrinsically underluminous in X-rays for their bolometric luminosity. Our observations indicate that low X-rays are not necessary to enable some types of radiatively driven winds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations of 13 double-peaked [O iii] emission-line type-2 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at redshifts 0.06 < z < 0.41 (with a median redshift of z ∼ 0.15) identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Such double-peaked emission-line objects may result from jets or outflows from the central engine or from a dual AGN. The VLBA provides an angular resolution of ≲10 pc at the distance of many of these galaxies, sufficient to resolve the radio emission from extremely close dual AGNs and to contribute to understanding the origin of double-peaked [O iii] emission lines. Of the 13 galaxies observed at 3.6 cm (8.4 GHz), we detect six at a 1σ sensitivity level of ∼0.15 mJy beam−1, two of which show clear jet structures on scales ranging from a few milliarcseconds to tens of milliarcseconds (corresponding to a few pc to tens of pc at a median redshift of 0.15). We suggest that radio-loud, double-peaked emission-line type-2 AGNs may be indicative of jet produced structures, but a larger sample of double-peaked [O iii] AGNs with high angular resolution radio observations will be required to confirm this suggestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a survey of the [C ii] 158 μm line and underlying far-infrared (FIR) dust continuum emission in a sample of 27 quasars using the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) at resolution. The [C ii] line was significantly detected (at -σ) in 23 sources (85%). We find typical line luminosities of , and an average line width of ∼385 . The [C ii]-to-far-infrared luminosity ratios ([C ii]/FIR) in our sources span one order of magnitude, highlighting a variety of conditions in the star-forming medium. Four quasar host galaxies are clearly resolved in their [C ii] emission on a few kpc scales. Basic estimates of the dynamical masses of the host galaxies give masses between 2 × 1010 and 2 × 1011 , i.e., more than an order of magnitude below what is expected from local scaling relations, given the available limits on the masses of the central black holes ( , assuming Eddington-limited accretion). In stacked ALMA [C ii] spectra of individual sources in our sample, we find no evidence of a deviation from a single Gaussian profile. The quasar luminosity does not strongly correlate with either the [C ii] luminosity or equivalent width. This survey (with typical on-source integration times of 8 minutes) showcases the unparalleled sensitivity of ALMA at millimeter wavelengths, and offers a unique reference sample for the study of the first massive galaxies in the universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of the dust continuum and [C ii] 158 μm fine structure line emission toward a far-infrared-luminous quasar, ULAS J131911.29+095051.4 at z = 6.13, and combine the new Cycle 1 data with ALMA Cycle 0 data. The combined data have an angular resolution of ∼0.″3, and resolve both the dust continuum and the [C ii] line emission on a few kiloparsec scales. The [C ii] line emission is more irregular than that of the dust continuum emission, which suggests different distributions between the dust and the [C ii]-emitting gas. The combined data confirm the [C ii] velocity gradient that we had previously detected in a lower-resolution ALMA image from the Cycle 0 data alone. We apply a tilted ring model to the [C ii] velocity map to obtain a rotation curve, and constrain the circular velocity to be 427 ± 55 km s−1 at a radius of 3.2 kpc with an inclination angle of 34°. We measure the dynamical mass within the 3.2 kpc region to be . This yields a black-hole and host galaxy mass ratio of , which is about times higher than that of the present-day / ratio. This suggests that the supermassive black hole grows the bulk of its mass before the formation of most of the stellar mass in this quasar host galaxy in the early universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are well-observed differences between cool-core (CC) and non-cool-core (NCC) clusters, but the origin of this distinction is still largely unknown. Competing theories can be divided into internal (inside-out), in which internal physical processes transform or maintain the NCC phase, and external (outside-in), in which the cluster type is determined by its initial conditions, which in turn leads to different formation histories (i.e., assembly bias). We propose a new method that uses the relative assembly bias of CC to NCC clusters, as determined via the two-point cluster-galaxy cross-correlation function (CCF), to test whether formation history plays a role in determining their nature. We apply our method to 48 ACCEPT clusters, which have well resolved central entropies, and cross-correlate with the SDSS-III/BOSS LOWZ galaxy catalog. We find that the relative bias of NCC over CC clusters is b = 1.42 ± 0.35 (1.6σ different from unity). Our measurement is limited by the small number of clusters with core entropy information within the BOSS footprint, 14 CC and 34 NCC clusters. Future compilations of X-ray cluster samples, combined with deep all-sky redshift surveys, will be able to better constrain the relative assembly bias of CC and NCC clusters and determine the origin of the bimodality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We observed the [C ii] line in 15 lensed galaxies at redshifts 1 < z < 3 using HIFI on the Herschel Space Observatory and detected 14/15 galaxies at 3σ or better. High magnifications enable even modestly luminous galaxies to be detected in [C ii] with Herschel. The [C ii] luminosity in this sample ranges from 8 × 107L⊙ to 3.7 × 109L⊙ (after correcting for magnification), confirming that [C ii] is a strong tracer of the ISM at high redshifts. The ratio of the [C ii] line to the total far-infrared (FIR) luminosity serves as a measure of the ratio of gas to dust cooling and thus the efficiency of the grain photoelectric heating process. It varies between 3.3% and 0.09%. We compare the [C ii]/FIR ratio to that of galaxies at z = 0 and at high redshifts and find that they follow similar trends. The [C ii]/FIR ratio is lower for galaxies with higher dust temperatures. This is best explained if increased UV intensity leads to higher FIR luminosity and dust temperatures, but gas heating does not rise due to lower photoelectric heating efficiency. The [C ii]/FIR ratio shows weaker correlation with FIR luminosity. At low redshifts highly luminous galaxies tend to have warm dust, so the effects of dust temperature and luminosity are degenerate. Luminous galaxies at high redshifts show a range of dust temperatures, showing that [C ii]/FIR correlates most strongly with dust temperature. The [C ii] to mid-IR ratio for the HELLO sample is similar to the values seen for low-redshift galaxies, indicating that small grains and PAHs dominate the heating in the neutral ISM, although some of the high [CII]/FIR ratios may be due to turbulent heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present measurements of the clustering properties of a sample of infrared (IR) bright dust-obscured galaxies (DOGs). Combining 125 deg2 of wide and deep optical images obtained with the Hyper Suprime-Cam on the Subaru Telescope and all-sky mid-IR images taken with Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer, we have discovered 4367 IR-bright DOGs with and flux density at 22 mJy. We calculate the angular autocorrelation function (ACF) for a uniform subsample of 1411 DOGs with 3.0 mJy < flux (22 ) < 5.0 mJy and < 24.0. The ACF of our DOG subsample is well-fit with a single power law, = (0.010 ± 0.003) , where θ is in degrees. The correlation amplitude of IR-bright DOGs is larger than that of IR-faint DOGs, which reflects a flux dependence of the DOG clustering, as suggested by Brodwin et al. We assume that the redshift distribution for our DOG sample is Gaussian, and consider two cases: (1) the redshift distribution is the same as IR-faint DOGs with flux at 22 < 1.0 mJy, mean and sigma z = 1.99 ± 0.45, and (2) z = 1.19 ± 0.30, as inferred from their photometric redshifts. The inferred correlation length of IR-bright DOGs is r0 = 12.0 ± 2.0 and 10.3 ± 1.7 Mpc, respectively. IR-bright DOGs reside in massive dark matter halos with a mass of and in the two cases, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the discovery of nine quasars at identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) imaging data. This completes our survey of quasars in the SDSS footprint. Our final sample consists of 52 quasars at , including 29 quasars with mag selected from 11,240 deg2 of the SDSS single-epoch imaging survey (the main survey), 10 quasars with selected from 4223 deg2 of the SDSS overlap regions (regions with two or more imaging scans), and 13 quasars down to mag from the 277 deg2 in Stripe 82. They span a wide luminosity range of . This well-defined sample is used to derive the quasar luminosity function (QLF) at . After combining our SDSS sample with two faint ( mag) quasars from the literature, we obtain the parameters for a double power-law fit to the QLF. The bright-end slope β of the QLF is well constrained to be . Due to the small number of low-luminosity quasars, the faint-end slope α and the characteristic magnitude are less well constrained, with and mag. The spatial density of luminous quasars, parametrized as , drops rapidly from to 6, with . Based on our fitted QLF and assuming an intergalactic medium (IGM) clumping factor of C = 3, we find that the observed quasar population cannot provide enough photons to ionize the IGM at ∼90% confidence. Quasars may still provide a significant fraction of the required photons, although much larger samples of faint quasars are needed for more stringent constraints on the quasar contribution to reionization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-starburst galaxies are in the transitional stage between blue, star-forming galaxies and red, quiescent galaxies and therefore hold important clues for our understanding of galaxy evolution. In this paper, we systematically searched for and identified a large sample of post-starburst galaxies from the spectroscopic data set of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 9. In total, we found more than 6000 objects with redshifts between z ∼ 0.05 and z ∼ 1.3, making this the largest sample of post-starburst galaxies in the literature. We calculated the luminosity function of the post-starburst galaxies using two uniformly selected subsamples: the SDSS main galaxy sample and the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey CMASS sample. The luminosity functions are reasonably fit by half-Gaussian functions. The peak magnitudes shift as a function of redshift from M ∼ −23.5 at z ∼ 0.8 to M ∼ −20.3 at z ∼ 0.1. This is consistent with the downsizing trend, whereby more massive galaxies form earlier than low-mass galaxies. We compared the mass of the post-starburst stellar population found in our sample to the decline of the global star formation rate and found that only a small amount (∼1%) of all star formation quenching in the redshift range z = 0.2–0.7 results in post-starburst galaxies in the luminosity range our sample is sensitive to. Therefore, luminous post-starburst galaxies are not the place where most of the decline in the star formation rate of the universe is happening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the discovery of a new ultra-faint dwarf satellite companion of the Milky Way (MW) based on the early survey data from the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program. This new satellite, Virgo I, which is located in the constellation of Virgo, has been identified as a statistically significant (5.5σ) spatial overdensity of star-like objects with a well-defined main sequence and red giant branch in the color–magnitude diagram. The significance of this overdensity increases to 10.8σ when the relevant isochrone filter is adopted for the search. Based on the distribution of the stars around the likely main-sequence turnoff at r ∼ 24 mag, the distance to Virgo I is estimated as 87 kpc, and its most likely absolute magnitude calculated from a Monte Carlo analysis is MV = −0.8 ± 0.9 mag. This stellar system has an extended spatial distribution with a half-light radius of pc, which clearly distinguishes it from a globular cluster with comparable luminosity. Thus, Virgo I is one of the faintest dwarf satellites known and is located beyond the reach of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. This demonstrates the power of this survey program to identify very faint dwarf satellites. This discovery of Virgo I is based only on about 100 square degrees of data, thus a large number of faint dwarf satellites are likely to exist in the outer halo of the MW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report new IRAM/PdBI, JCMT/SCUBA-2, and VLA observations of the ultraluminous quasar SDSS J010013.02+280225.8 (hereafter, J0100+2802) at z = 6.3, which hosts the most massive supermassive black hole (SMBH), , that is known at z > 6. We detect the [C ii] 158 μm fine structure line and molecular CO(6-5) line and continuum emission at 353, 260, and 3 GHz from this quasar. The CO(2-1) line and the underlying continuum at 32 GHz are also marginally detected. The [C ii] and CO detections suggest active star formation and highly excited molecular gas in the quasar host galaxy. The redshift determined with the [C ii] and CO lines shows a velocity offset of from that measured with the quasar Mg ii line. The CO (2-1) line luminosity provides a direct constraint on the molecular gas mass, which is about . We estimate the FIR luminosity to be , and the UV-to-FIR spectral energy distribution of J0100+2802 is consistent with the templates of the local optically luminous quasars. The derived [C ii]-to-FIR luminosity ratio of J0100+2802 is 0.0010 ± 0.0002, which is slightly higher than the values of the most FIR luminous quasars at z ∼ 6. We investigate the constraint on the host galaxy dynamical mass of J0100+2802 based on the [C ii] line spectrum. It is likely that this ultraluminous quasar lies above the local SMBH–galaxy mass relationship, unless we are viewing the system at a small inclination angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the discovery of 15 quasars and bright galaxies at 5.7 < z < 6.9. This is the initial result from the Subaru High-z Exploration of Low-Luminosity Quasars project, which exploits the exquisite multiband imaging data produced by the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) Strategic Program survey. The candidate selection is performed by combining several photometric approaches including a Bayesian probabilistic algorithm to reject stars and dwarfs. The spectroscopic identification was carried out with the Gran Telescopio Canarias and the Subaru Telescope for the first 80 deg2 of the survey footprint. The success rate of our photometric selection is quite high, approaching 100% at the brighter magnitudes (zAB < 23.5 mag). Our selection also recovered all the known high-z quasars on the HSC images. Among the 15 discovered objects, six are likely quasars, while the other six with interstellar absorption lines and in some cases narrow emission lines are likely bright Lyman-break galaxies. The remaining three objects have weak continua and very strong and narrow Lyα lines, which may be excited by ultraviolet light from both young stars and quasars. These results indicate that we are starting to see the steep rise of the luminosity function of z ≥ 6 galaxies, compared with that of quasars, at magnitudes fainter than M1450 ∼ −22 mag or zAB ∼ 24 mag. Follow-up studies of the discovered objects as well as further survey observations are ongoing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binary active galactic nuclei (AGNs) provide clues to how gas-rich mergers trigger and fuel AGNs and how supermassive black hole (SMBH) pairs evolve in a gas-rich environment. While significant effort has been invested in their identification, the detailed properties of binary AGNs and their host galaxies are still poorly constrained. In a companion paper, we examined the nature of ionizing sources in the double nuclei of four kiloparsec-scale binary AGNs with redshifts between 0.1 and 0.2. Here, we present their host galaxy morphology based on F336W (U-band) and F105W (Y-band) images taken by the Wide Field Camera 3 on board the Hubble Space Telescope. Our targets have double-peaked narrow emission lines and were confirmed to host binary AGNs with follow-up observations. We find that kiloparsec-scale binary AGNs occur in galaxy mergers with diverse morphological types. There are three major mergers with intermediate morphologies and a minor merger with a dominant disk component. We estimate the masses of the SMBHs from their host bulge stellar masses and obtain Eddington ratios for each AGN. Compared with a representative control sample drawn at the same redshift and stellar mass, the AGN luminosities and Eddington ratios of our binary AGNs are similar to those of single AGNs. The U − Y color maps indicate that clumpy star-forming regions could significantly affect the X-ray detection of binary AGNs, e.g., the hardness ratio. Considering the weak X-ray emission in AGNs triggered in merger systems, we suggest that samples of X-ray-selected AGNs may be biased against gas-rich mergers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quasar host galaxies are key for understanding the relation between galaxies and the supermassive black holes (SMBHs) at their centers. We present a study of 191 broad-line quasars and their host galaxies at using high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) spectra produced by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping project. Clear detection of stellar absorption lines allows a reliable decomposition of the observed spectra into nuclear and host components, using spectral models of quasar and stellar radiations as well as emission lines from the interstellar medium. We estimate age, mass , and velocity dispersion of the host stars, the star formation rate (SFR), quasar luminosity, and SMBH mass for each object. The quasars are preferentially hosted by massive galaxies with characterized by stellar ages around 1 billion yr, which coincides with the transition phase of normal galaxies from the blue cloud to the red sequence. The host galaxies have relatively low SFRs and fall below the main sequence of star-forming galaxies at similar redshifts. These facts suggest that the hosts have experienced an episode of major star formation sometime in the past 1 billion yr, which was subsequently quenched or suppressed. The derived and relations agree with our past measurements and are consistent with no evolution from the local universe. The present analysis demonstrates that reliable measurements of stellar properties of quasar host galaxies are possible with high-S/N fiber spectra, which will be acquired in large numbers with future powerful instruments such as the Subaru Prime Focus Spectrograph. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conduct a pilot investigation to determine the optimal combination of color and variability information to identify quasars in current and future multi-epoch optical surveys. We use a Bayesian quasar selection algorithm to identify 35,820 type 1 quasar candidates in a 239 field of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Stripe 82, using a combination of optical photometry and variability. Color analysis is performed on 5-band single- and multi-epoch SDSS optical photometry to a depth of From these data, variability parameters are calculated by fitting the structure function of each object in each band with a power-law model using 10 to observations over timescales from ∼1 day to ∼8 years. Selection was based on a training sample of 13,221 spectroscopically confirmed type-1 quasars, largely from the SDSS. Using variability alone, colors alone, and combining variability and colors we achieve 91%, 93%, and 97% quasar completeness and 98%, 98%, and 97% efficiency, respectively, with particular improvement in the selection of quasars at where quasars and stars have similar optical colors. The 22,867 quasar candidates that are not spectroscopically confirmed reach a depth of 21,876 (95.7%) are dimmer than coadded i-band magnitude of 19.9, the cutoff for spectroscopic follow-up for SDSS on Stripe 82. Brighter than 19.9, we find 5.7% more quasar candidates without confirming spectra in sky regions otherwise considered complete. The resulting quasar sample has sufficient purity (and statistically correctable incompleteness) to produce a luminosity function comparable to those determined by spectroscopic investigations. We discuss improvements that can be made to the process in preparation for performing similar photometric selection and science on data from post-SDSS sky surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present host stellar velocity dispersion measurements for a sample of 88 broad-line quasars at (46 at ) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping (SDSS-RM) project. High signal-to-noise ratio coadded spectra (average per 69 pixel) from SDSS-RM allowed for the decomposition of the host and quasar spectra and for measurements of the host stellar velocity dispersions and black hole (BH) masses using the single-epoch (SE) virial method. The large sample size and dynamic range in luminosity () lead to the first clear detection of a correlation between SE virial BH mass and host stellar velocity dispersion far beyond the local universe. However, the observed correlation is significantly flatter than the local relation, suggesting that there are selection biases in high-z luminosity-threshold quasar samples for such studies. Our uniform sample and analysis enable an investigation of the redshift evolution of the relation relatively free of caveats by comparing different samples/analyses at disjoint redshifts. We do not observe evolution of the relation in our sample up to , but there is an indication that the relation flattens toward higher redshifts. Coupled with the increasing threshold luminosity with redshift in our sample, this again suggests that certain selection biases are at work, and simple simulations demonstrate that a constant relation is favored to . Our results highlight the scientific potential of deep coadded spectroscopy from quasar monitoring programs, and offer a new path to probe the co-evolution of BHs and galaxies at earlier times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past 15 yr, examples of exotic radio-quiet quasars with intrinsically weak or absent broad emission line regions (BELRs) have emerged from large-scale spectroscopic sky surveys. Here, we present spectroscopy of seven such weak emission line quasars (WLQs) at moderate redshifts (z = 1.4–1.7) using the X-shooter spectrograph, which provides simultaneous optical and near-infrared spectroscopy covering the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) through optical. These new observations effectively double the number of WLQs with spectroscopy in the optical rest-frame, and they allow us to compare the strengths of (weak) high-ionization emission lines (e.g., C iv) to low-ionization lines (e.g., Mg ii, Hβ, Hα) in individual objects. We detect broad Hβ and Hα emission in all objects, and these lines are generally toward the weaker end of the distribution expected for typical quasars (e.g., Hβ has rest-frame equivalent widths ranging from 15–40 Å). However, these low-ionization lines are not exceptionally weak, as is the case for high-ionization lines in WLQs. The X-shooter spectra also display relatively strong optical Fe ii emission, Hβ FWHM ≲ 4000 km s−1, and significant C iv blueshifts (≈1000–5500 km s−1) relative to the systemic redshift; two spectra also show elevated UV Fe ii emission, and an outflowing component to their (weak) Mg ii emission lines. These properties suggest that WLQs are exotic versions of “wind-dominated” quasars. Their BELRs either have unusual high-ionization components, or their BELRs are in an atypical photoionization state because of an unusually soft continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]