Spitzer observations of high-redshift QSOs

Dean C. Hines; O. Krause; G. H. Rieke; X. Fan; M. Blaylock; G. Neugebauer

doi:10.1086/504109

Spitzer observations of high-redshift QSOs

Dean C. Hines, O. Krause, G. H. Rieke, X. Fan, M. Blaylock, G. Neugebauer

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

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

We have observed 13 z ≥ 4.5 QSOs using the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer, nine of which were also observed with the Infrared Array Camera. The observations probe rest wavelengths ∼0.6-4.3 μm, bracketing the local minimum in QSO spectral energy distributions (SEDs) between strong optical emission associated directly with accretion processes and thermal emission from hot dust heated by the central engine. The new Spitzer photometry combined with existing measurements at other wavelengths shows that the SEDs of high-redshift QSOs (z ≥ 4.5) do not differ significantly from typical QSOs of similar luminosity at lower redshifts (z ≲ 2). This behavior supports other indications that all the emission components and physical structures that characterize QSO activity can be established by z = 6.4. The similarity also suggests that some QSOs at high redshift will be very difficult to identify because they are viewed along dust-obscured sight lines.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L85-L88
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	641
Issue number	2 II
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/504109
State	Published - Apr 20 2006

Keywords

Galaxies: high-redshift
Infrared: galaxies
Quasars: general

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1086/504109

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@article{7665e95cc80e45a68b930fa90ecebb8c,

title = "Spitzer observations of high-redshift QSOs",

abstract = "We have observed 13 z ≥ 4.5 QSOs using the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer, nine of which were also observed with the Infrared Array Camera. The observations probe rest wavelengths ∼0.6-4.3 μm, bracketing the local minimum in QSO spectral energy distributions (SEDs) between strong optical emission associated directly with accretion processes and thermal emission from hot dust heated by the central engine. The new Spitzer photometry combined with existing measurements at other wavelengths shows that the SEDs of high-redshift QSOs (z ≥ 4.5) do not differ significantly from typical QSOs of similar luminosity at lower redshifts (z ≲ 2). This behavior supports other indications that all the emission components and physical structures that characterize QSO activity can be established by z = 6.4. The similarity also suggests that some QSOs at high redshift will be very difficult to identify because they are viewed along dust-obscured sight lines.",

keywords = "Galaxies: high-redshift, Infrared: galaxies, Quasars: general",

author = "Hines, {Dean C.} and O. Krause and Rieke, {G. H.} and X. Fan and M. Blaylock and G. Neugebauer",

note = "Funding Information: We thank D. Sanders and B. Wilkes for supplying electronic versions of the composite QSO SEDs from Sanders et al. (1989) and Elvis et al. (1994). We also thank M. Brotherton and B. Wills for comments that contributed significantly to the clarity of the manuscript. This publication makes use of data products from the Two Micron All Sky Survey, which is a joint project of the University of Massachusetts and the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center/California Institute of Technology, funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation. We have used the NED and SIM-BAD databases. This work is based (in part) on observations made with the Spitzer Space Telescope, which is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under NASA contract 1407. Support was provided by NASA through contract 1255094 issued by JPL/Caltech.",

year = "2006",

month = apr,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1086/504109",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "641",

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journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Spitzer observations of high-redshift QSOs

AU - Hines, Dean C.

AU - Krause, O.

AU - Rieke, G. H.

AU - Fan, X.

AU - Blaylock, M.

AU - Neugebauer, G.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank D. Sanders and B. Wilkes for supplying electronic versions of the composite QSO SEDs from Sanders et al. (1989) and Elvis et al. (1994). We also thank M. Brotherton and B. Wills for comments that contributed significantly to the clarity of the manuscript. This publication makes use of data products from the Two Micron All Sky Survey, which is a joint project of the University of Massachusetts and the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center/California Institute of Technology, funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation. We have used the NED and SIM-BAD databases. This work is based (in part) on observations made with the Spitzer Space Telescope, which is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under NASA contract 1407. Support was provided by NASA through contract 1255094 issued by JPL/Caltech.

PY - 2006/4/20

Y1 - 2006/4/20

N2 - We have observed 13 z ≥ 4.5 QSOs using the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer, nine of which were also observed with the Infrared Array Camera. The observations probe rest wavelengths ∼0.6-4.3 μm, bracketing the local minimum in QSO spectral energy distributions (SEDs) between strong optical emission associated directly with accretion processes and thermal emission from hot dust heated by the central engine. The new Spitzer photometry combined with existing measurements at other wavelengths shows that the SEDs of high-redshift QSOs (z ≥ 4.5) do not differ significantly from typical QSOs of similar luminosity at lower redshifts (z ≲ 2). This behavior supports other indications that all the emission components and physical structures that characterize QSO activity can be established by z = 6.4. The similarity also suggests that some QSOs at high redshift will be very difficult to identify because they are viewed along dust-obscured sight lines.

AB - We have observed 13 z ≥ 4.5 QSOs using the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer, nine of which were also observed with the Infrared Array Camera. The observations probe rest wavelengths ∼0.6-4.3 μm, bracketing the local minimum in QSO spectral energy distributions (SEDs) between strong optical emission associated directly with accretion processes and thermal emission from hot dust heated by the central engine. The new Spitzer photometry combined with existing measurements at other wavelengths shows that the SEDs of high-redshift QSOs (z ≥ 4.5) do not differ significantly from typical QSOs of similar luminosity at lower redshifts (z ≲ 2). This behavior supports other indications that all the emission components and physical structures that characterize QSO activity can be established by z = 6.4. The similarity also suggests that some QSOs at high redshift will be very difficult to identify because they are viewed along dust-obscured sight lines.

KW - Galaxies: high-redshift

KW - Infrared: galaxies

KW - Quasars: general

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U2 - 10.1086/504109

DO - 10.1086/504109

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:33745295888

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 641

SP - L85-L88

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 2 II

ER -

Spitzer observations of high-redshift QSOs

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Keywords

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