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Detection of Rest-frame Optical Lines from X-shooter Spectroscopy of Weak Emission-Line Quasars

Author(s): Plotkin, Richard M; Shemmer, Ohad; Trakhtenbrot, Benny; Anderson, Scott F; Brandt, WN; et al

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dc.contributor.authorPlotkin, Richard M-
dc.contributor.authorShemmer, Ohad-
dc.contributor.authorTrakhtenbrot, Benny-
dc.contributor.authorAnderson, Scott F-
dc.contributor.authorBrandt, WN-
dc.contributor.authorFan, Xiaohui-
dc.contributor.authorGallo, Elena-
dc.contributor.authorLira, Paulina-
dc.contributor.authorLuo, Bin-
dc.contributor.authorRichards, Gordon T-
dc.contributor.authorSchneider, Donald P-
dc.contributor.authorStrauss, Michael A-
dc.contributor.authorWu, Jianfeng-
dc.date.accessioned2022-01-25T15:05:10Z-
dc.date.available2022-01-25T15:05:10Z-
dc.date.issued2015-05-28en_US
dc.identifier.citationPlotkin, Richard M, Shemmer, Ohad, Trakhtenbrot, Benny, Anderson, Scott F, Brandt, WN, Fan, Xiaohui, Gallo, Elena, Lira, Paulina, Luo, Bin, Richards, Gordon T, Schneider, Donald P, Strauss, Michael A, Wu, Jianfeng. (2015). Detection of Rest-frame Optical Lines from X-shooter Spectroscopy of Weak Emission Line Quasars. \apj, 805 (123 - 123. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/805/2/123en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/pr1sf2mb7x-
dc.description.abstractOver 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, H β, H α) in individual objects. We detect broad Hβand Hαemission in all objects, and these lines are generally toward the weaker end of the distribution expected for typical quasars (e.g., Hβhas 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, HβFWHM 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.en_US
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.relationhttps://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2015ApJ...805..123P/abstracten_US
dc.relation.ispartofAstrophysical Journalen_US
dc.rightsFinal published version. Article is made available in OAR by the publisher's permission or policy.en_US
dc.titleDetection of Rest-frame Optical Lines from X-shooter Spectroscopy of Weak Emission-Line Quasarsen_US
dc.typeJournal Articleen_US
dc.identifier.doidoi:10.1088/0004-637X/805/2/123-
dc.date.eissued2015-06-01en_US
pu.type.symplectichttp://www.symplectic.co.uk/publications/atom-terms/1.0/journal-articleen_US

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