scholarly journals Developing a photometric estimate of quasar redshifts: An independent measurement of the distances to the most powerful objects in the Universe

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Jeremy Moss
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Line Emission ◽  
Sloan Digital Sky Survey ◽  
Robust Estimator ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Stellar Objects ◽  
Photometric Redshift ◽  
Quasi Stellar Objects ◽  
Computationally Intensive ◽  
Luminous Objects

<p>While spectroscopy is the standard method of measuring the redshift of luminous objects, it is a time-intensive technique, requiring, in some cases, hours of telescope time for a single source. Additionally, spectroscopy favours brighter objects, and therefore introduces an intrinsic bias towards luminous or closer sources. A simple method of estimating the redshift through photometry would prove invaluable to forthcoming surveys on the next generation of large radio telescopes, as well as alleviating the inherent bias towards the most optically bright sources. While there is a well-established correlation between the near-infrared K-band magnitude and redshift for galaxies, we find that the K-z relation breaks down for samples dominated by quasi-stellar objects (QSOs).  Current methods of estimating photometric redshift rely either on template spectra, which requires a high number of infrared photometry points, or computationally intensive machine learning methods.  Using photometric data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) we investigate the relationship between combinations of magnitudes of a group of quasars, and their redshift. We find a high correlation between the colour relation (I-W2)/(W3-U) and redshift for a group of broad-line emission sources from the SDSS, and we conclude that this could be a robust estimator of the redshift.</p>

scholarly journals Developing a photometric estimate of quasar redshifts: An independent measurement of the distances to the most powerful objects in the Universe

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Jeremy Moss
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Line Emission ◽  
Sloan Digital Sky Survey ◽  
Robust Estimator ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Stellar Objects ◽  
Photometric Redshift ◽  
Quasi Stellar Objects ◽  
Computationally Intensive ◽  
Luminous Objects

<p>While spectroscopy is the standard method of measuring the redshift of luminous objects, it is a time-intensive technique, requiring, in some cases, hours of telescope time for a single source. Additionally, spectroscopy favours brighter objects, and therefore introduces an intrinsic bias towards luminous or closer sources. A simple method of estimating the redshift through photometry would prove invaluable to forthcoming surveys on the next generation of large radio telescopes, as well as alleviating the inherent bias towards the most optically bright sources. While there is a well-established correlation between the near-infrared K-band magnitude and redshift for galaxies, we find that the K-z relation breaks down for samples dominated by quasi-stellar objects (QSOs).  Current methods of estimating photometric redshift rely either on template spectra, which requires a high number of infrared photometry points, or computationally intensive machine learning methods.  Using photometric data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) we investigate the relationship between combinations of magnitudes of a group of quasars, and their redshift. We find a high correlation between the colour relation (I-W2)/(W3-U) and redshift for a group of broad-line emission sources from the SDSS, and we conclude that this could be a robust estimator of the redshift.</p>

scholarly journals Quasi-stellar object redshift estimates from optical, near-infrared, and ultraviolet colours

2019 ◽  
Vol 629 ◽  
pp. A56 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Curran ◽  
J. P. Moss
Keyword(s):  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Rest Frame ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Additional Contribution ◽  
Stellar Objects ◽  
Simple Estimate ◽  
Photometric Redshift ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Quasi Stellar Objects

A simple estimate of the photometric redshift would prove invaluable to forthcoming continuum surveys on the next generation of large radio telescopes, as well as mitigating the existing bias towards the most optically bright sources. While there is a well-known correlation between the near-infrared K-band magnitude and redshift for galaxies, we find the K − z relation to break down for samples dominated by quasi-stellar objects. We hypothesise that this is due to the additional contribution to the near-infrared flux by the active galactic nucleus, and, as such, the K-band magnitude can only provide a lower limit to the redshift in the case of active galactic nuclei, which will dominate the radio surveys. From a large optical dataset, we find a tight relationship between the rest-frame (U − K)/(W2 − FUV) colour ratio and spectroscopic redshift over a sample of 17 000 sources, spanning z ≈ 0.1−5. Using the observed-frame ratios of (U − K)/(W2 − FUV) for redshifts of z ≲ 1, (I − W2)/(W3 − U) for 1 ≲ z ≲ 3, and (I − W2.5)/(W4 − R) for z ≳ 3, where W2.5 is the λ = 8.0 μm magnitude and the appropriate redshift ranges are estimated from the W2 (4.5 μm) magnitude, we find this to be a robust photometric redshift estimator for quasars. We suggest that the rest-frame U − K colour traces the excess flux from the AGN over this wide range of redshifts, although the W2 − FUV colour is required to break the degeneracy.

scholarly journals THE HIGH A V Quasar Survey: Reddened Quasi-Stellar Objects selected from optical/near-infrared photometry. II.

2015 ◽  
Vol 217 (1) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-K. Krogager ◽  
S. Geier ◽  
J. P. U. Fynbo ◽  
B. P. Venemans ◽  
C. Ledoux ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Infrared Photometry ◽  
Stellar Objects ◽  
Quasi Stellar Objects

scholarly journals Fundamental differences in the radio properties of red and blue quasars: insight from the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS)

2020 ◽  
Vol 494 (3) ◽  
pp. 3061-3079 ◽  
Author(s):  
D J Rosario ◽  
V A Fawcett ◽  
L Klindt ◽  
D M Alexander ◽  
L K Morabito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Control Sample ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Sloan Digital Sky Survey ◽  
Stellar Objects ◽  
Radio Detection ◽  
Sky Survey ◽  
Quasi Stellar Objects ◽  
First Time

ABSTRACT Red quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) are a subset of the luminous end of the cosmic population of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), most of which are reddened by intervening dust along the line of sight towards their central engines. In recent work from our team, we developed a systematic technique to select red QSOs from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and demonstrated that they have distinctive radio properties using the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty centimetres radio survey. Here we expand our study using low-frequency radio data from the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS). With the improvement in depth that LoTSS offers, we confirm key results: Compared to a control sample of normal ‘blue’ QSOs matched in redshift and accretion power, red QSOs have a higher radio detection rate and a higher incidence of compact radio morphologies. For the first time, we also demonstrate that these differences arise primarily in sources of intermediate radio loudness: Radio-intermediate red QSOs are × 3 more common than typical QSOs, but the excess diminishes among the most radio-loud systems and the most radio-quiet systems in our study. We develop Monte Carlo simulations to explore whether differences in star formation could explain these results, and conclude that, while star formation is an important source of low-frequency emission among radio-quiet QSOs, a population of AGN-driven compact radio sources is the most likely cause for the distinct low-frequency radio properties of red QSOs. Our study substantiates the conclusion that fundamental differences must exist between the red and normal blue QSO populations.

scholarly journals Quasi-stellar objects acting as potential strong gravitational lenses in the SDSS-III BOSS survey

2019 ◽  
Vol 625 ◽  
pp. A56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romain A. Meyer ◽  
Timothée Delubac ◽  
Jean-Paul Kneib ◽  
Frédéric Courbin
Keyword(s):  
Emission Line ◽  
Sloan Digital Sky Survey ◽  
Emission Lines ◽  
Gravitational Lenses ◽  
Stellar Objects ◽  
Sky Survey ◽  
Quasi Stellar Objects ◽  
Unique Approach ◽  
Algorithmic Search ◽  
Emission Line Galaxies

We present a sample of 12 quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) that potentially act as strong gravitational lenses on background emission line galaxies (ELG) or Lyman-α emitters (LAEs) selected through a systematic search of the 297 301 QSOs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)-III Data Release 12. Candidates were identified by looking for compound spectra, where emission lines at a redshift larger than that of the quasar can be identified in the residuals after a QSO spectral template is subtracted from the observed spectra. The narrow diameter of BOSS fibers (2″) then ensures that the object responsible for the additional emission lines must lie close to the line of sight of the QSO and hence provides a high probability of lensing. Among the 12 candidates identified, nine have definite evidence for the presence of a background ELG identified by at least four higher-redshift nebular emission lines. The remaining three probable candidates present a strong asymmetrical emission line attributed to a background Lyman-α emitter (LAE). The QSO-ELG (QSO-LAE) lens candidates have QSO lens redshifts in the range 0.24 ≲ zQSO ≲ 0.66 (0.75 ≲ zQSO ≲ 1.23 ) and background galaxy redshifts in the range 0.48 ≲ zS, ELG ≲ 0.94 (2.17 ≲ zS, LAE ≲ 4.48). We show that the algorithmic search is complete at > 90% for QSO-ELG systems, whereas it falls at 40−60% for QSO-LAE, depending on the redshift of the source. Upon confirmation of the lensing nature of the systems, this sample may quadruple the number of known QSOs acting as strong lenses. We have determined the completeness of our search, which allows future studies to compute lensing probabilities of galaxies by QSOs and differentiate between different QSO models. Future imaging of the full sample and lens modelling offers a unique approach to study and constrain key properties of QSOs.

scholarly journals Detecting the highest redshift (z > 8) quasi-stellar objects in a wide, near-infrared slitless spectroscopic survey

2012 ◽  
Vol 420 (2) ◽  
pp. 1764-1778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Roche ◽  
Paolo Franzetti ◽  
Bianca Garilli ◽  
Giovanni Zamorani ◽  
Andrea Cimatti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Stellar Objects ◽  
Quasi Stellar Objects

scholarly journals QSO photometric redshifts from SDSS, WISE, and GALEX colours

2020 ◽  
Vol 493 (1) ◽  
pp. L70-L75
Author(s):  
S J Curran
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Empirical Method ◽  
Machine Learning Techniques ◽  
Radio Sources ◽  
Photometric Redshifts ◽  
Stellar Objects ◽  
Vast Number ◽  
Quasi Stellar Objects ◽  
Continuum Radio ◽  
Non Gaussian

ABSTRACT Machine learning techniques, specifically the k-nearest neighbour algorithm applied to optical band colours, have had some success in predicting photometric redshifts of quasi-stellar objects (QSOs): Although the mean of differences between the spectroscopic and photometric redshifts, Δ$z$, is close to zero, the distribution of these differences remains wide and distinctly non-Gaussian. As per our previous empirical estimate of photometric redshifts, we find that the predictions can be significantly improved by adding colours from other wavebands, namely the near-infrared and ultraviolet. Self-testing this, by using half of the 33 643 strong QSO sample to train the algorithm, results in a significantly narrower spread in Δ$z$ for the remaining half of the sample. Using the whole QSO sample to train the algorithm, the same set of magnitudes return a similar spread in Δ$z$ for a sample of radio sources (quasars). Although the matching coincidence is relatively low (739 of the 3663 sources having photometry in the relevant bands), this is still significantly larger than from the empirical method (2 per cent) and thus may provide a method with which to obtain redshifts for the vast number of continuum radio sources expected to be detected with the next generation of large radio telescopes.

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