The sloan digital sky survey quasar survey: Quasar luminosity function from data release 3

Gordon T. Richards; Michael A. Strauss; Xiaohui Fan; Patrick B. Hall; Sebastian Jester; Donald P. Schneider; Daniel E. Vanden Berk; Chris Stoughton; Scott F. Anderson; Robert J. Brunner; Jim Gray; James E. Gunn; Želfko Ivezić; Margaret K. Kirkland; G. R. Knapp; Jon Loveday; Avery Meiksin; Adrian Pope; Alexander S. Szalay; Anirudda R. Thakar; Brian Yanny; Donald G. York; J. C. Barentine; Howard J. Brewington; J. Brinkmann; Masataka Fukugita; Michael Harvanek; Stephen M. Kent; S. J. Kleinman; Jurek Krzesiński; Daniel C. Long; Robert H. Lupton; Thomas Nash; Eric H. Neilsen; Atsuko Nitta; David J. Schlegel; Stephanie A. Snedden

doi:10.1086/503559

The sloan digital sky survey quasar survey: Quasar luminosity function from data release 3

Gordon T. Richards, Michael A. Strauss, Xiaohui Fan, Patrick B. Hall, Sebastian Jester, Donald P. Schneider, Daniel E. Vanden Berk, Chris Stoughton, Scott F. Anderson, Robert J. Brunner, Jim Gray, James E. Gunn, Želfko Ivezić, Margaret K. Kirkland, G. R. Knapp, Jon Loveday, Avery Meiksin, Adrian Pope, Alexander S. Szalay, Anirudda R. ThakarBrian Yanny, Donald G. York, J. C. Barentine, Howard J. Brewington, J. Brinkmann, Masataka Fukugita, Michael Harvanek, Stephen M. Kent, S. J. Kleinman, Jurek Krzesiński, Daniel C. Long, Robert H. Lupton, Thomas Nash, Eric H. Neilsen, Atsuko Nitta, David J. Schlegel, Stephanie A. Snedden

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Abstract

We determine the number counts and z = 0-5 luminosity function for a well-defined, homogeneous sample of quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We conservatively define the most uniform statistical sample possible, consisting of 15,343 quasars within an effective area of 1622 deg ² that was derived from a parent sample of 46,420 spectroscopically confirmed broad-line quasars in the 5282 deg ² of imaging data from SDSS Data Release 3. The sample extends from i = 15 to 19.1 at z ≲ 3 and to i = 20.2 for z ≳ 3. The number counts and luminosity function agree well with the results of the Two Degree Field QSO Redshift Survey (2QZ) at redshifts and luminosities at which the SDSS and 2QZ quasar samples overlap, but the SDSS data probe to much higher redshifts than does the 2QZ sample. The number density of luminous quasars peaks between redshifts 2 and 3, although uncertainties in the selection function in this range do not allow us to determine the peak redshift more precisely. Our best-fit model has a flatter bright-end slope at high redshift than at low redshift. For z < 2.4 the data are best fit by a redshift-independent slope of β = -3.1 [Φ(L) ∝ L ^β]. Above z = 2.4 the slope flattens with redshift to β ≳ - 2.37 at z = 5. This slope change, which is significant at the ≳ 5 σ level, must be accounted for in models of the evolution of accretion onto supermassive black holes.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	2766-2787
Number of pages	22
Journal	Astronomical Journal
Volume	131
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/503559
State	Published - Jun 2006

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Keywords

Cosmology: observations
Galaxies: active
Galaxies: luminosity function, mass function quasars: general
Surveys

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10.1086/503559

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Richards, G. T., Strauss, M. A., Fan, X., Hall, P. B., Jester, S., Schneider, D. P., Vanden Berk, D. E., Stoughton, C., Anderson, S. F., Brunner, R. J., Gray, J., Gunn, J. E., Ivezić, Ž., Kirkland, M. K., Knapp, G. R., Loveday, J., Meiksin, A., Pope, A., Szalay, A. S., ... Snedden, S. A. (2006). The sloan digital sky survey quasar survey: Quasar luminosity function from data release 3. Astronomical Journal, 131(6), 2766-2787. https://doi.org/10.1086/503559

@article{4b548f4aaf194a48be5a86159b1b5249,

title = "The sloan digital sky survey quasar survey: Quasar luminosity function from data release 3",

abstract = "We determine the number counts and z = 0-5 luminosity function for a well-defined, homogeneous sample of quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We conservatively define the most uniform statistical sample possible, consisting of 15,343 quasars within an effective area of 1622 deg 2 that was derived from a parent sample of 46,420 spectroscopically confirmed broad-line quasars in the 5282 deg 2 of imaging data from SDSS Data Release 3. The sample extends from i = 15 to 19.1 at z ≲ 3 and to i = 20.2 for z ≳ 3. The number counts and luminosity function agree well with the results of the Two Degree Field QSO Redshift Survey (2QZ) at redshifts and luminosities at which the SDSS and 2QZ quasar samples overlap, but the SDSS data probe to much higher redshifts than does the 2QZ sample. The number density of luminous quasars peaks between redshifts 2 and 3, although uncertainties in the selection function in this range do not allow us to determine the peak redshift more precisely. Our best-fit model has a flatter bright-end slope at high redshift than at low redshift. For z < 2.4 the data are best fit by a redshift-independent slope of β = -3.1 [Φ(L) ∝ L β]. Above z = 2.4 the slope flattens with redshift to β ≳ - 2.37 at z = 5. This slope change, which is significant at the ≳ 5 σ level, must be accounted for in models of the evolution of accretion onto supermassive black holes.",

keywords = "Cosmology: observations, Galaxies: active, Galaxies: luminosity function, mass function quasars: general, Surveys",

author = "Richards, {Gordon T.} and Strauss, {Michael A.} and Xiaohui Fan and Hall, {Patrick B.} and Sebastian Jester and Schneider, {Donald P.} and {Vanden Berk}, {Daniel E.} and Chris Stoughton and Anderson, {Scott F.} and Brunner, {Robert J.} and Jim Gray and Gunn, {James E.} and {\v Z}elfko Ivezi{\'c} and Kirkland, {Margaret K.} and Knapp, {G. R.} and Jon Loveday and Avery Meiksin and Adrian Pope and Szalay, {Alexander S.} and Thakar, {Anirudda R.} and Brian Yanny and York, {Donald G.} and Barentine, {J. C.} and Brewington, {Howard J.} and J. Brinkmann and Masataka Fukugita and Michael Harvanek and Kent, {Stephen M.} and Kleinman, {S. J.} and Jurek Krzesi{\'n}ski and Long, {Daniel C.} and Lupton, {Robert H.} and Thomas Nash and Neilsen, {Eric H.} and Atsuko Nitta and Schlegel, {David J.} and Snedden, {Stephanie A.}",

year = "2006",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1086/503559",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "131",

pages = "2766--2787",

journal = "Astronomical Journal",

issn = "0004-6256",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

number = "6",

}

Richards, GT, Strauss, MA, Fan, X, Hall, PB, Jester, S, Schneider, DP, Vanden Berk, DE, Stoughton, C, Anderson, SF, Brunner, RJ, Gray, J, Gunn, JE, Ivezić, Ž, Kirkland, MK, Knapp, GR, Loveday, J, Meiksin, A, Pope, A, Szalay, AS, Thakar, AR, Yanny, B, York, DG, Barentine, JC, Brewington, HJ, Brinkmann, J, Fukugita, M, Harvanek, M, Kent, SM, Kleinman, SJ, Krzesiński, J, Long, DC, Lupton, RH, Nash, T, Neilsen, EH, Nitta, A, Schlegel, DJ & Snedden, SA 2006, 'The sloan digital sky survey quasar survey: Quasar luminosity function from data release 3', Astronomical Journal, vol. 131, no. 6, pp. 2766-2787. https://doi.org/10.1086/503559

TY - JOUR

T1 - The sloan digital sky survey quasar survey

T2 - Quasar luminosity function from data release 3

AU - Richards, Gordon T.

AU - Strauss, Michael A.

AU - Fan, Xiaohui

AU - Hall, Patrick B.

AU - Jester, Sebastian

AU - Schneider, Donald P.

AU - Vanden Berk, Daniel E.

AU - Stoughton, Chris

AU - Anderson, Scott F.

AU - Brunner, Robert J.

AU - Gray, Jim

AU - Gunn, James E.

AU - Ivezić, Želfko

AU - Kirkland, Margaret K.

AU - Knapp, G. R.

AU - Loveday, Jon

AU - Meiksin, Avery

AU - Pope, Adrian

AU - Szalay, Alexander S.

AU - Thakar, Anirudda R.

AU - Yanny, Brian

AU - York, Donald G.

AU - Barentine, J. C.

AU - Brewington, Howard J.

AU - Brinkmann, J.

AU - Fukugita, Masataka

AU - Harvanek, Michael

AU - Kent, Stephen M.

AU - Kleinman, S. J.

AU - Krzesiński, Jurek

AU - Long, Daniel C.

AU - Lupton, Robert H.

AU - Nash, Thomas

AU - Neilsen, Eric H.

AU - Nitta, Atsuko

AU - Schlegel, David J.

AU - Snedden, Stephanie A.

PY - 2006/6

Y1 - 2006/6

N2 - We determine the number counts and z = 0-5 luminosity function for a well-defined, homogeneous sample of quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We conservatively define the most uniform statistical sample possible, consisting of 15,343 quasars within an effective area of 1622 deg 2 that was derived from a parent sample of 46,420 spectroscopically confirmed broad-line quasars in the 5282 deg 2 of imaging data from SDSS Data Release 3. The sample extends from i = 15 to 19.1 at z ≲ 3 and to i = 20.2 for z ≳ 3. The number counts and luminosity function agree well with the results of the Two Degree Field QSO Redshift Survey (2QZ) at redshifts and luminosities at which the SDSS and 2QZ quasar samples overlap, but the SDSS data probe to much higher redshifts than does the 2QZ sample. The number density of luminous quasars peaks between redshifts 2 and 3, although uncertainties in the selection function in this range do not allow us to determine the peak redshift more precisely. Our best-fit model has a flatter bright-end slope at high redshift than at low redshift. For z < 2.4 the data are best fit by a redshift-independent slope of β = -3.1 [Φ(L) ∝ L β]. Above z = 2.4 the slope flattens with redshift to β ≳ - 2.37 at z = 5. This slope change, which is significant at the ≳ 5 σ level, must be accounted for in models of the evolution of accretion onto supermassive black holes.

AB - We determine the number counts and z = 0-5 luminosity function for a well-defined, homogeneous sample of quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We conservatively define the most uniform statistical sample possible, consisting of 15,343 quasars within an effective area of 1622 deg 2 that was derived from a parent sample of 46,420 spectroscopically confirmed broad-line quasars in the 5282 deg 2 of imaging data from SDSS Data Release 3. The sample extends from i = 15 to 19.1 at z ≲ 3 and to i = 20.2 for z ≳ 3. The number counts and luminosity function agree well with the results of the Two Degree Field QSO Redshift Survey (2QZ) at redshifts and luminosities at which the SDSS and 2QZ quasar samples overlap, but the SDSS data probe to much higher redshifts than does the 2QZ sample. The number density of luminous quasars peaks between redshifts 2 and 3, although uncertainties in the selection function in this range do not allow us to determine the peak redshift more precisely. Our best-fit model has a flatter bright-end slope at high redshift than at low redshift. For z < 2.4 the data are best fit by a redshift-independent slope of β = -3.1 [Φ(L) ∝ L β]. Above z = 2.4 the slope flattens with redshift to β ≳ - 2.37 at z = 5. This slope change, which is significant at the ≳ 5 σ level, must be accounted for in models of the evolution of accretion onto supermassive black holes.

KW - Cosmology: observations

KW - Galaxies: active

KW - Galaxies: luminosity function, mass function quasars: general

KW - Surveys

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33746511396&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33746511396&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1086/503559

DO - 10.1086/503559

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:33746511396

SN - 0004-6256

VL - 131

SP - 2766

EP - 2787

JO - Astronomical Journal

JF - Astronomical Journal

IS - 6

ER -

The sloan digital sky survey quasar survey: Quasar luminosity function from data release 3

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