Active galactic nuclei in the sloan digital sky survey. I. Sample selection

Lei Hao; Michael A. Strauss; Christy A. Tremonti; David J. Schlegel; Timothy M. Heckman; Guinevere Kauffmann; Michael R. Blanton; Xiaohui Fan; James E. Gunn; Patrick B. Hall; Željko Ivezić; Gillian R. Knapp; Julian H. Krolik; Robert H. Lupton; Gordon T. Richards; Donald P. Schneider; Iskra V. Strateva; Nadia L. Zakamska; J. Brinkmann; Robert J. Brunner; Gyula P. Szokoly

doi:10.1086/428485

Active galactic nuclei in the sloan digital sky survey. I. Sample selection

Lei Hao, Michael A. Strauss, Christy A. Tremonti, David J. Schlegel, Timothy M. Heckman, Guinevere Kauffmann, Michael R. Blanton, Xiaohui Fan, James E. Gunn, Patrick B. Hall, Željko Ivezić, Gillian R. Knapp, Julian H. Krolik, Robert H. Lupton, Gordon T. Richards, Donald P. Schneider, Iskra V. Strateva, Nadia L. Zakamska, J. Brinkmann, Robert J. BrunnerGyula P. Szokoly

Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

200 Scopus citations

Abstract

We have compiled a large sample of low-redshift active galactic nuclei (AGNs) identified via their emission-line characteristics from the spectroscopic data of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Since emission lines are often contaminated by stellar absorption lines, we developed an objective and efficient method of subtracting the stellar continuum from every galaxy spectrum before making emission-line measurements. The distribution of the measured Hα FWHM values of emission-line galaxies is strongly bimodal, with two populations separated at about 1200 km s ^-1. This feature provides a natural separation between narrow-line and broad-line AGNs. The narrow-line AGNs are identified using standard emission-line ratio diagnostic diagrams. There are 1317 broad-line and 3074 narrow-line AGNs identified from about 100,000 galaxy spectra selected over 1151 deg ². This sample is used in a companion paper to determine the emission-line luminosity function of AGNs.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1783-1794
Number of pages	12
Journal	Astronomical Journal
Volume	129
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/428485
State	Published - Apr 2005

Keywords

Galaxies: activegalaxies: Seyfert
Galaxies: starburst
Quasars: emission linessurveys

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1086/428485

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Hao, L., Strauss, M. A., Tremonti, C. A., Schlegel, D. J., Heckman, T. M., Kauffmann, G., Blanton, M. R., Fan, X., Gunn, J. E., Hall, P. B., Ivezić, Ž., Knapp, G. R., Krolik, J. H., Lupton, R. H., Richards, G. T., Schneider, D. P., Strateva, I. V., Zakamska, N. L., Brinkmann, J., ... Szokoly, G. P. (2005). Active galactic nuclei in the sloan digital sky survey. I. Sample selection. Astronomical Journal, 129(4), 1783-1794. https://doi.org/10.1086/428485

Hao, L, Strauss, MA, Tremonti, CA, Schlegel, DJ, Heckman, TM, Kauffmann, G, Blanton, MR, Fan, X, Gunn, JE, Hall, PB, Ivezić, Ž, Knapp, GR, Krolik, JH, Lupton, RH, Richards, GT, Schneider, DP, Strateva, IV, Zakamska, NL, Brinkmann, J, Brunner, RJ & Szokoly, GP 2005, 'Active galactic nuclei in the sloan digital sky survey. I. Sample selection', Astronomical Journal, vol. 129, no. 4, pp. 1783-1794. https://doi.org/10.1086/428485

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title = "Active galactic nuclei in the sloan digital sky survey. I. Sample selection",

abstract = "We have compiled a large sample of low-redshift active galactic nuclei (AGNs) identified via their emission-line characteristics from the spectroscopic data of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Since emission lines are often contaminated by stellar absorption lines, we developed an objective and efficient method of subtracting the stellar continuum from every galaxy spectrum before making emission-line measurements. The distribution of the measured Hα FWHM values of emission-line galaxies is strongly bimodal, with two populations separated at about 1200 km s -1. This feature provides a natural separation between narrow-line and broad-line AGNs. The narrow-line AGNs are identified using standard emission-line ratio diagnostic diagrams. There are 1317 broad-line and 3074 narrow-line AGNs identified from about 100,000 galaxy spectra selected over 1151 deg 2. This sample is used in a companion paper to determine the emission-line luminosity function of AGNs.",

keywords = "Galaxies: activegalaxies: Seyfert, Galaxies: starburst, Quasars: emission linessurveys",

author = "Lei Hao and Strauss, {Michael A.} and Tremonti, {Christy A.} and Schlegel, {David J.} and Heckman, {Timothy M.} and Guinevere Kauffmann and Blanton, {Michael R.} and Xiaohui Fan and Gunn, {James E.} and Hall, {Patrick B.} and {\v Z}eljko Ivezi{\'c} and Knapp, {Gillian R.} and Krolik, {Julian H.} and Lupton, {Robert H.} and Richards, {Gordon T.} and Schneider, {Donald P.} and Strateva, {Iskra V.} and Zakamska, {Nadia L.} and J. Brinkmann and Brunner, {Robert J.} and Szokoly, {Gyula P.}",

year = "2005",

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doi = "10.1086/428485",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "129",

pages = "1783--1794",

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T1 - Active galactic nuclei in the sloan digital sky survey. I. Sample selection

AU - Hao, Lei

AU - Strauss, Michael A.

AU - Tremonti, Christy A.

AU - Schlegel, David J.

AU - Heckman, Timothy M.

AU - Kauffmann, Guinevere

AU - Blanton, Michael R.

AU - Fan, Xiaohui

AU - Gunn, James E.

AU - Hall, Patrick B.

AU - Ivezić, Željko

AU - Knapp, Gillian R.

AU - Krolik, Julian H.

AU - Lupton, Robert H.

AU - Richards, Gordon T.

AU - Schneider, Donald P.

AU - Strateva, Iskra V.

AU - Zakamska, Nadia L.

AU - Brinkmann, J.

AU - Brunner, Robert J.

AU - Szokoly, Gyula P.

PY - 2005/4

Y1 - 2005/4

N2 - We have compiled a large sample of low-redshift active galactic nuclei (AGNs) identified via their emission-line characteristics from the spectroscopic data of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Since emission lines are often contaminated by stellar absorption lines, we developed an objective and efficient method of subtracting the stellar continuum from every galaxy spectrum before making emission-line measurements. The distribution of the measured Hα FWHM values of emission-line galaxies is strongly bimodal, with two populations separated at about 1200 km s -1. This feature provides a natural separation between narrow-line and broad-line AGNs. The narrow-line AGNs are identified using standard emission-line ratio diagnostic diagrams. There are 1317 broad-line and 3074 narrow-line AGNs identified from about 100,000 galaxy spectra selected over 1151 deg 2. This sample is used in a companion paper to determine the emission-line luminosity function of AGNs.

AB - We have compiled a large sample of low-redshift active galactic nuclei (AGNs) identified via their emission-line characteristics from the spectroscopic data of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Since emission lines are often contaminated by stellar absorption lines, we developed an objective and efficient method of subtracting the stellar continuum from every galaxy spectrum before making emission-line measurements. The distribution of the measured Hα FWHM values of emission-line galaxies is strongly bimodal, with two populations separated at about 1200 km s -1. This feature provides a natural separation between narrow-line and broad-line AGNs. The narrow-line AGNs are identified using standard emission-line ratio diagnostic diagrams. There are 1317 broad-line and 3074 narrow-line AGNs identified from about 100,000 galaxy spectra selected over 1151 deg 2. This sample is used in a companion paper to determine the emission-line luminosity function of AGNs.

KW - Galaxies: activegalaxies: Seyfert

KW - Galaxies: starburst

KW - Quasars: emission linessurveys

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DO - 10.1086/428485

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:19944407582

SN - 0004-6256

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SP - 1783

EP - 1794

JO - Astronomical Journal

JF - Astronomical Journal

IS - 4

ER -

Active galactic nuclei in the sloan digital sky survey. I. Sample selection

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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