Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Aug 1991
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1991aj....102..488s&link_type=abstract
Astronomical Journal (ISSN 0004-6256), vol. 102, Aug. 1991, p. 488-494.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
60
Galactic Nuclei, Line Spectra, Quasars, Stellar Luminosity, Stellar Spectrophotometry, Far Infrared Radiation, Galactic Evolution, Galactic Structure, Starburst Galaxies
Scientific paper
New images are presented of the QSO 3C 48 in line-free bands centered at 0.58, 0.77, and 2.1 microns and in a narrowband centered on the forbidden O III5007 line. Careful profile subtraction of the continuum images shows an apparent luminosity peak centered about 1 arcsec northeast of the QSO position, which is tentatively identified as the nucleus of a galaxy in the process of merging with the host galaxy of 3C 48. The arclike structure extending to the northwest appears to be a tidal tail associated with the companion galaxy. While the confirmation that the host galaxy of 3C 48 is interacting is consistent with the inference that 3C 48 and similar objects are transitional between ultraluminous starburst galaxies and classical QSOs, an apparent correlation between far-infrared spectral properties and optical morphology suggests that the supposed 'transitional' characteristics may persist for at least 10 to the 8th yr, so the place of objects like 3C 48 in an evolutionary scenario depends on the typical lifetime of QSO activity.
Ridgway Susan E.
Stockton Alan
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