The ultraviolet-to-mid-infrared spectral energy distribution of weak emission line quasars
We present Spitzer Space Telescope photometry of 18 Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) quasars at 2.7 = z = 5.9 which have weak or undetectable high-ionization emission lines in their rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) spectra (hereafter weak-lined quasars, or WLQs). The Spitzer data are combined with SDSS sp...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Institute of Physics Publishing
2011
|
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/52773 |
| _version_ | 1848759007472254976 |
|---|---|
| author | Lane, R. Shemmer, O. Diamond-Stanic, A. Fan, X. Anderson, S. Brandt, W. Plotkin, Richard Richards, G. Schneider, D. Strauss, M. |
| author_facet | Lane, R. Shemmer, O. Diamond-Stanic, A. Fan, X. Anderson, S. Brandt, W. Plotkin, Richard Richards, G. Schneider, D. Strauss, M. |
| author_sort | Lane, R. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | We present Spitzer Space Telescope photometry of 18 Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) quasars at 2.7 = z = 5.9 which have weak or undetectable high-ionization emission lines in their rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) spectra (hereafter weak-lined quasars, or WLQs). The Spitzer data are combined with SDSS spectra and ground-based, near-infrared (IR) photometry of these sources to produce a large inventory of spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of WLQs across the rest-frame 0.1-5 µm spectral band. The SEDs of our sources are inconsistent with those of BL Lacertae objects which are dominated by synchrotron emission due to a jetaligned close to our line of sight, but are consistent with the SED of ordinary quasars with similar luminosities and redshifts that exhibit a near-to-mid-IR "bump," characteristic of hot dust emission. This indicates that broad emission lines in WLQs are intrinsically weak, rather than suffering continuum dilution from a jet, and that such sources cannot be selected efficiently from traditional photometric surveys. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:53:02Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-52773 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:53:02Z |
| publishDate | 2011 |
| publisher | Institute of Physics Publishing |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-527732017-09-13T15:48:31Z The ultraviolet-to-mid-infrared spectral energy distribution of weak emission line quasars Lane, R. Shemmer, O. Diamond-Stanic, A. Fan, X. Anderson, S. Brandt, W. Plotkin, Richard Richards, G. Schneider, D. Strauss, M. We present Spitzer Space Telescope photometry of 18 Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) quasars at 2.7 = z = 5.9 which have weak or undetectable high-ionization emission lines in their rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) spectra (hereafter weak-lined quasars, or WLQs). The Spitzer data are combined with SDSS spectra and ground-based, near-infrared (IR) photometry of these sources to produce a large inventory of spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of WLQs across the rest-frame 0.1-5 µm spectral band. The SEDs of our sources are inconsistent with those of BL Lacertae objects which are dominated by synchrotron emission due to a jetaligned close to our line of sight, but are consistent with the SED of ordinary quasars with similar luminosities and redshifts that exhibit a near-to-mid-IR "bump," characteristic of hot dust emission. This indicates that broad emission lines in WLQs are intrinsically weak, rather than suffering continuum dilution from a jet, and that such sources cannot be selected efficiently from traditional photometric surveys. 2011 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/52773 10.1088/0004-637X/743/2/163 Institute of Physics Publishing fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Lane, R. Shemmer, O. Diamond-Stanic, A. Fan, X. Anderson, S. Brandt, W. Plotkin, Richard Richards, G. Schneider, D. Strauss, M. The ultraviolet-to-mid-infrared spectral energy distribution of weak emission line quasars |
| title | The ultraviolet-to-mid-infrared spectral energy distribution of weak emission line quasars |
| title_full | The ultraviolet-to-mid-infrared spectral energy distribution of weak emission line quasars |
| title_fullStr | The ultraviolet-to-mid-infrared spectral energy distribution of weak emission line quasars |
| title_full_unstemmed | The ultraviolet-to-mid-infrared spectral energy distribution of weak emission line quasars |
| title_short | The ultraviolet-to-mid-infrared spectral energy distribution of weak emission line quasars |
| title_sort | ultraviolet-to-mid-infrared spectral energy distribution of weak emission line quasars |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/52773 |