Hosts of type II quasars: An HST study

N. L. Zakamska; M. A. Strauss; J. H. Krolik; S. E. Ridgway; G. D. Schmidt; P. S. Smith; L. Hao; T. M. Heckman; D. P. Schneider

doi:10.1016/j.newar.2006.06.048

Hosts of type II quasars: An HST study

N. L. Zakamska, M. A. Strauss, J. H. Krolik, S. E. Ridgway, G. D. Schmidt, P. S. Smith, L. Hao, T. M. Heckman, D. P. Schneider

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Type II quasars are luminous Active Galactic Nuclei whose centers are obscured by large amounts of gas and dust. In this contribution we present 3-band HST images of nine type II quasars with redshifts 0.25 < z < 0.4 selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey based on their emission line properties. The intrinsic luminosities of these quasars are thought to be in the range -23 > M_B > -26, but optical obscuration implies that host galaxies can be studied unencumbered by bright nuclei. Each object has been imaged in three filters ('red', 'green' and 'blue') placed between the strong emission lines. The spectacular, high quality images reveal a wealth of details about the structure of the host galaxies and their environments. Most galaxies in the sample are ellipticals, but strong deviations from de Vaucouleurs profiles are found, especially in the blue band. We argue that most of these deviations are due to the light from the nucleus scattered off interstellar material in the host galaxy. This scattered component can make a significant contribution to the broad-band flux and complicates the analysis of the colors of the stellar populations in the host galaxy. This extended component can be difficult to notice in unobscured luminous quasars and may bias the results of host galaxy studies.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	833-836
Number of pages	4
Journal	New Astronomy Reviews
Volume	50
Issue number	9-10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.newar.2006.06.048
State	Published - Nov 2006

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Keywords

Galaxies: active
Galaxies: structure
Quasars: general
Scattering

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10.1016/j.newar.2006.06.048

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@article{64e7bccefa99472eb2267e4ee95cafd5,

title = "Hosts of type II quasars: An HST study",

abstract = "Type II quasars are luminous Active Galactic Nuclei whose centers are obscured by large amounts of gas and dust. In this contribution we present 3-band HST images of nine type II quasars with redshifts 0.25 < z < 0.4 selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey based on their emission line properties. The intrinsic luminosities of these quasars are thought to be in the range -23 > MB > -26, but optical obscuration implies that host galaxies can be studied unencumbered by bright nuclei. Each object has been imaged in three filters ('red', 'green' and 'blue') placed between the strong emission lines. The spectacular, high quality images reveal a wealth of details about the structure of the host galaxies and their environments. Most galaxies in the sample are ellipticals, but strong deviations from de Vaucouleurs profiles are found, especially in the blue band. We argue that most of these deviations are due to the light from the nucleus scattered off interstellar material in the host galaxy. This scattered component can make a significant contribution to the broad-band flux and complicates the analysis of the colors of the stellar populations in the host galaxy. This extended component can be difficult to notice in unobscured luminous quasars and may bias the results of host galaxy studies.",

keywords = "Galaxies: active, Galaxies: structure, Quasars: general, Scattering",

author = "Zakamska, {N. L.} and Strauss, {M. A.} and Krolik, {J. H.} and Ridgway, {S. E.} and Schmidt, {G. D.} and Smith, {P. S.} and L. Hao and Heckman, {T. M.} and Schneider, {D. P.}",

note = "Funding Information: The observations reported here were obtained with the NASA/ESA Hubble space telescope and at the MMT Observatory, a facility operated jointly by the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Arizona. Public Access time is available at the MMT Observatory through an agreement with the National Science Foundation. Funding for the creation and distribution of the SDSS Archive has been provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Participating Institutions, NASA, the NSF, the US Department of Energy, the Japanese Monbukagakusho, and the Max Planck Society. The SDSS Web site is http://www.sdss.org/ . The SDSS is managed by the Astrophysical Research Consortium for the Participating Institutions. The Participating Institutions are The University of Chicago, Fermilab, the Institute for Advanced Study, the Japan Participation Group, The Johns Hopkins University, the Korean Scientist Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Max-Planck-Institute for Astronomy (MPIA), the Max-Planck-Institute for Astrophysics (MPA), New Mexico State University, University of Pittsburgh, University of Portsmouth, Princeton University, the United States Naval Observatory, and the University of Washington.",

year = "2006",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1016/j.newar.2006.06.048",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "50",

pages = "833--836",

journal = "New Astronomy Reviews",

issn = "1387-6473",

publisher = "Elsevier",

number = "9-10",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Hosts of type II quasars

T2 - An HST study

AU - Zakamska, N. L.

AU - Strauss, M. A.

AU - Krolik, J. H.

AU - Ridgway, S. E.

AU - Schmidt, G. D.

AU - Smith, P. S.

AU - Hao, L.

AU - Heckman, T. M.

AU - Schneider, D. P.

N1 - Funding Information: The observations reported here were obtained with the NASA/ESA Hubble space telescope and at the MMT Observatory, a facility operated jointly by the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Arizona. Public Access time is available at the MMT Observatory through an agreement with the National Science Foundation. Funding for the creation and distribution of the SDSS Archive has been provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Participating Institutions, NASA, the NSF, the US Department of Energy, the Japanese Monbukagakusho, and the Max Planck Society. The SDSS Web site is http://www.sdss.org/ . The SDSS is managed by the Astrophysical Research Consortium for the Participating Institutions. The Participating Institutions are The University of Chicago, Fermilab, the Institute for Advanced Study, the Japan Participation Group, The Johns Hopkins University, the Korean Scientist Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Max-Planck-Institute for Astronomy (MPIA), the Max-Planck-Institute for Astrophysics (MPA), New Mexico State University, University of Pittsburgh, University of Portsmouth, Princeton University, the United States Naval Observatory, and the University of Washington.

PY - 2006/11

Y1 - 2006/11

N2 - Type II quasars are luminous Active Galactic Nuclei whose centers are obscured by large amounts of gas and dust. In this contribution we present 3-band HST images of nine type II quasars with redshifts 0.25 < z < 0.4 selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey based on their emission line properties. The intrinsic luminosities of these quasars are thought to be in the range -23 > MB > -26, but optical obscuration implies that host galaxies can be studied unencumbered by bright nuclei. Each object has been imaged in three filters ('red', 'green' and 'blue') placed between the strong emission lines. The spectacular, high quality images reveal a wealth of details about the structure of the host galaxies and their environments. Most galaxies in the sample are ellipticals, but strong deviations from de Vaucouleurs profiles are found, especially in the blue band. We argue that most of these deviations are due to the light from the nucleus scattered off interstellar material in the host galaxy. This scattered component can make a significant contribution to the broad-band flux and complicates the analysis of the colors of the stellar populations in the host galaxy. This extended component can be difficult to notice in unobscured luminous quasars and may bias the results of host galaxy studies.

AB - Type II quasars are luminous Active Galactic Nuclei whose centers are obscured by large amounts of gas and dust. In this contribution we present 3-band HST images of nine type II quasars with redshifts 0.25 < z < 0.4 selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey based on their emission line properties. The intrinsic luminosities of these quasars are thought to be in the range -23 > MB > -26, but optical obscuration implies that host galaxies can be studied unencumbered by bright nuclei. Each object has been imaged in three filters ('red', 'green' and 'blue') placed between the strong emission lines. The spectacular, high quality images reveal a wealth of details about the structure of the host galaxies and their environments. Most galaxies in the sample are ellipticals, but strong deviations from de Vaucouleurs profiles are found, especially in the blue band. We argue that most of these deviations are due to the light from the nucleus scattered off interstellar material in the host galaxy. This scattered component can make a significant contribution to the broad-band flux and complicates the analysis of the colors of the stellar populations in the host galaxy. This extended component can be difficult to notice in unobscured luminous quasars and may bias the results of host galaxy studies.

KW - Galaxies: active

KW - Galaxies: structure

KW - Quasars: general

KW - Scattering

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U2 - 10.1016/j.newar.2006.06.048

DO - 10.1016/j.newar.2006.06.048

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:33749595102

SN - 1387-6473

VL - 50

SP - 833

EP - 836

JO - New Astronomy Reviews

JF - New Astronomy Reviews

IS - 9-10

ER -

Hosts of type II quasars: An HST study

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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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