ﻻ يوجد ملخص باللغة العربية
We explore the properties of the H_beta emission line profile in a large, homogeneous and bright sample of N~470 low redshift quasars extracted from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (DR5). We approach the investigation from two complementary directions: composite/median spectra and a set of line diagnostic measures (asymmetry index, centroid shift and kurtosis) in individual quasars. The project is developed and presented in the framework of the so-called 4D Eigenvector 1 (4DE1) Parameter Space, with a focus on its optical dimensions, FWHM(H_beta) and the relative strength of optical FeII (R_FeII=W(FeII4434-4684)/W(H_beta)). We reenforce the conclusion that not all quasars are alike and spectroscopically they do not distribute randomly about an average typical optical spectrum. Our results give further support to the concept of two populations A and B (narrower and broader than 4000 km/s FWHM(H_beta), respectively) that emerged in the context of 4DE1 space. The broad H_beta profiles in composite spectra of Population A sources are best described by a Lorentzian and in Population B by a double Gaussian model. Moreover, high and low accretion sources (an alternative view of the Population A/B concept) not only show significant differences in terms of Black Hole (BH) mass and Eddington ratio L_bol/L_Edd, but they also show distinct properties in terms of line asymmetry, shift and shapes. We finally suggest that a potential refinement of the 4DE1 space can be provided by separating two populations of quasars at R_FeII~0.50 rather than at FWHM(H_beta)=4000 km/s. Concomitantly, the asymmetry and centroid shift profile measures at 1/4 fractional intensity can be reasonable surrogates for the FWHM(H_beta) dimension of the current 4DE1.
In the context of the FLASHLIGHT survey, we obtained deep narrow band images of 15 $zsim2$ quasars with GMOS on Gemini-South in an effort to measure Ly$alpha$ emission from circum- and inter-galactic gas on scales of hundreds of kpc from the central
Black Hole Mass (M_BH) estimation in quasars, especially at high redshift, involves use of single epoch spectra with s/n and resolution that permit accurate measurement of the width of a broad line assumed to be a reliable virial estimator. Coupled w
The nature of weak emission-line quasars (WLQs) is probed by comparing the Baldwin effect (BEff) in WLQs and normal quasars (QSOs). We selected 81 high-redshift (z>2.2) and 2 intermediate-redshift (z=1.66 and 1.89) WLQs. Their rest-frame equivalent w
We present spectra of six luminous quasars at z ~ 2, covering rest wavelengths 1600-3200 A. The fluxes of the UV Fe II emission lines and Mg II 2798 doublet, the line widths of Mg II, and the 3000 A luminosity were obtained from the spectra. These qu
We present the analysis of optical and near-infrared spectra of the only four $z>6.5$ quasars known to date, discovered in the UKIDSS-LAS and VISTA-VIKING surveys. Our data-set consists of new VLT/X-Shooter and Magellan/FIRE observations. These are t