The Discovery of a Luminous z=5.80 Quasar from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Details The Discovery of a Luminous z=5.80 Quasar from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey The Discovery of a Luminous z=5.80 Quasar from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

2000-05-19

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0005414v1

Astron.J. 120 (2000) 1167-1174

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

submitted to AJ, 20 pages, 3 figures

Scientific paper

10.1086/301534

We present observations of SDSSp J104433.04--012502.2, a luminous quasar at z=5.80 discovered from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) multicolor imaging data. This object was selected as an i'-band dropout object, with i*=21.8 +/- 0.2, z*=19.2 +/- 0.1. It has an absolute magnitude M1450 = -27.2 (H_0 =50 km/s/Mpc, q0 = 0.5). The spectrum shows a strong and broad Ly alpha emission line, strong Ly alpha forest absorption lines with a mean continuum decrement D_A = 0.91, and a Lyman Limit System at z=5.72. The spectrum also shows strong OI and SiIV emission lines similar to those of quasars at z<= 5, suggesting that these metals were produced at redshift beyond six. The lack of a Gunn-Peterson trough in the spectrum indicates that the universe is already highly ionized at z ~ 5.8. Using a high-resolution spectrum in the Ly alpha forest region, we place a conservative upper limit of the optical depth due to the Gunn-Peterson effect of tau < 0.5 in regions of minimum absorption. The Ly alpha forest absorption in this object is much stronger than that in quasars at z<= 5. The object is unresolved in a deep image with excellent seeing, implying that it is unlensed. The black hole mass of this quasar is ~3 x 10^9 M_solar if we assume that it is radiating at the Eddington luminosity and no lensing amplification, implying that it resides in a very massive dark matter halo. The discovery of one quasar at M_1450 < -27 in a survey area of 600 deg^2 is consistent with an extrapolation of the observed luminosity function at lower redshift. The abundance and evolution of such quasars can provide sensitive tests of models of quasar and galaxy formation.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The Discovery of a Luminous z=5.80 Quasar from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with The Discovery of a Luminous z=5.80 Quasar from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Discovery of a Luminous z=5.80 Quasar from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-258731