M BH–σ relation in Sloan Digital Sky Survey flat-spectrum radio quasars

The relationship between the black hole mass and velocity dispersion indicated with [O  iii ] linewidth is investigated for a sample of 87 flat-spectrum radio quasars selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 3 quasar catalogue. We found that the   M _BH−σ_[O III]  relation is different from the Tremaine et al. relation for nearby inactive galaxies, with a larger black hole mass at given velocity dispersion. There is no strong evidence of cosmology evolution in the   M _BH−σ_[O III]  relation up to   z ∼ 0.8  . A significant correlation between the [O  iii ] luminosity and broad-line region (BLR) luminosity is found. When transferring the [O  iii ] luminosity to narrow-line region (NLR) luminosity, the BLR luminosity is, on average, larger than the NLR one by about one order of magnitude. We found a strong correlation between the synchrotron peak luminosity and NLR luminosity, which implies a tight relation between the jet physics and accretion process.     

Statistical Cluster-QSO Weak Lensing in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

We investigate the cross-correlation between galaxy clusters and QSOs using Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR4 - 5000 deg2 data. With photometric redshifts of galaxies, we select galaxy clusters based on the local projected densities of LRGs brighter than Mr' = -22. The QSOs are from the main sample of SDSS QSO spectroscopic survey to i' - 19. A significant positive correlation is found between the clusters and QSOs. Under the assumption that the signal is caused by gravitational leasing, we fit the signal with singular isothermal sphere (SIS) model and NFW profile halo model. The velocity dispersionσv = 766 km s-1 is derived for the best-fit of SIS model. Best-fit for the NFW model requires the dark matter halo mass within 1.5 h-1 Mpc to be 4.6×1014 h-1 M⊙. The mass parameterΩcl of the cluster sample is deduced as 0.077 with the SIS model and 0.083 with the NFW model. Our results ofΩcl are smaller than those given by Croom & Shanks and by Myers et al.     

AGN with strong forbidden high-ionization lines selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

We have defined a sample of 63 active galactic nuclei with strong forbidden high-ionization line (FHIL) emission. These lines, with ionization potentials  ≳100  eV, respond to a portion of the spectrum that is often difficult to observe directly, thereby providing constraints on the extreme ultraviolet-soft X-ray continuum. The sources are selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) on the basis of their [Fe  x ]λ6374 Å emission, yielding one of the largest and the most homogeneous samples of FHIL-emitting galaxies. We fit a sequence of models to both FHILs ([Fe  xi ], [Fe  x ] and [Fe  vii ]) and lower ionization emission lines ([O  iii ], [O  i ],  Hα  , [N  ii ], [S  ii ]) in the SDSS spectra. These data are combined with X-ray measurements from the ROSAT satellite, which are available for half of the sample. The correlations between these parameters are discussed for both the overall sample and subsets defined by spectroscopic classifications. The primary results are evidence that (1) the [Fe  x ] and [Fe  xi ] lines are photoionized and their strength is proportional to the continuum flux around 250 eV, (2) the FHIL-emitting clouds form a stratified outflow in which the [Fe  x ] and [Fe  xi ] source regions extend sufficiently close to the broad-line region that they are partially obscured in Seyfert 2s, whereas the [Fe  vii ] source region is more extended and is unaffected by obscuration, (3) narrow-lined Seyfert 1s (NLS1s) tend to have the strongest [Fe  x ] flux (relative to lower ionization lines) and (4) the most extreme [Fe  x ] ratios (such as [Fe  x ]/[O  iii ] or [Fe  x ]/[Fe  vii ]) are found in the NLS1s with the narrowest broad lines and appear to be an optical-band indication of objects with strong X-ray soft excesses.     

Downsizing of supermassive black holes from the SDSS quasar survey – II. Extension to z∼ 4

Starting from the quasar sample of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) for which the C  iv line is observed, we use an analysis scheme to derive the z -dependence of the maximum mass of active black holes, which overcomes the problems related to the Malmquist bias. The same procedure is applied to the low-redshift sample of SDSS quasars for which Hβ measurements are available. Combining with the results from the previously studied Mg  ii sample, we find that the maximum mass of the quasar population increases as  (1 + z )^1.64±0.04  in the redshift range  0.1 z 4  , which includes the epoch of maximum quasar activity.     

Downsizing of supermassive black holes from the SDSS quasar survey

Starting from the ∼50 000 quasars of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey for which Mg  ii line width and 3000 Å monochromatic flux are available, we aim to study the dependence of the mass of active black holes on redshift. We focus on the observed distribution in the full width at half-maximum–nuclear luminosity plane, which can be reproduced at all redshifts assuming a limiting M _BH, a maximum Eddington ratio and a minimum luminosity (due to the survey flux limit). We study the z -dependence of the best-fitting parameters of assumed distributions at increasing redshift and find that the maximum mass of the quasar population evolves as  log ( M _BH(max)/M_⊙) ∼ 0.3 z + 9  , while the maximum Eddington ratio (∼0.45) is practically independent of cosmic time. These results are unaffected by the Malmquist bias.     

A study of active galactic nuclei in low surface brightness galaxies with Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectroscopy

Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in low surface brightness galaxies (LSBGs) have received little attention in previous studies. We present a detailed spectral analysis of 194 LSBGs from the Impey et al. (1996) APM LSBG sample which has been observed spec-troscopically by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 5 (SDSS DR5). Our elaborate spectral analysis enables us to carry out, for the first time, reliable spectral classification of nuclear processes in LSBGs based on the standard emission line diagnostic diagrams in a rigorous way. Star-forming galaxies are common, as found in about 52% of LSBGs. We find that, contrary to some previous claims, the fraction of galaxies that contain AGNs is significantly lower than that found in nearby normal galaxies of high surface brightness. This is qualitatively in line with the finding of Impey et al. This result holds true even within each morphological type from Sa to Sc. LSBGs that have larger central stellar ve-locity dispersions or larger physical sizes tend to have a higher chance of harboring an AGN. For three AGNs with broad emission lines, the black hole masses estimated from the emission lines are broadly consistent with the well known M-σ* relation established for normal galaxies and AGNs.     

The shapes of galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

We determine the underlying shapes of spiral and elliptical galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 6 (SDSS DR6) from the observed distribution of projected galaxy shapes, taking into account the effects of dust extinction and reddening. We assume that the underlying shapes of spirals and ellipticals are well approximated by triaxial ellipsoids. The elliptical galaxy data are consistent with oblate spheroids, with a correlation between luminosity and ellipticity: the mean values of minor to middle axis ratios are 0.41 ± 0.03 for   M _r ≈−18  ellipticals and 0.76 ± 0.04 for   M _r ≈−22.5  ellipticals. Ellipticals show almost no dependence of axial ratio on galaxy colour, implying a negligible dust optical depth.
There is a strong variation of spiral galaxy shapes with colour indicating the presence of dust. The intrinsic shapes of spiral galaxies in the SDSS DR6 are consistent with flat discs with a mean and dispersion of thickness to diameter ratio of (21 ± 2) per cent, and a face-on ellipticity, e , of  ln( e ) =−2.33 ± 0.79  . Not including the effects of dust in the model leads to discs that are systematically rounder by up to 60 per cent. More luminous spiral galaxies tend to have thicker and rounder discs than lower luminosity spirals. Both elliptical and spiral galaxies tend to be rounder for larger galaxies.
The marginalized value of the edge-on r -band dust extinction E ₀ in spiral galaxies is   E ₀≃ 0.45  mag for galaxies of median colours, increasing to   E ₀= 1  mag for   g − r > 0.9  and   E ₀= 1.9  for the luminous and most compact galaxies, with half-light radii  <2  h ⁻¹ kpc  .     

The ultraluminous and hyperluminous infrared galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey and 6dF Galaxy Survey

We present a result of cross-correlating the Infrared Astronomical Satellite Faint Source Catalogue with the spectroscopic catalogues of galaxies in the Fourth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, the Final Data Release of the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS) and the Second Data Release of the 6dF Galaxy Survey. We have identified 324 ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) including 190 newly discovered ULIRGs, and two hyperluminous infrared galaxies. Adding these new ULIRGs, we increase the number of known ULIRGs by about 30 per cent. The reliability of the cross-correlation is estimated using the likelihood ratio method. The incompleteness of our sample introduced by the identification procedure in this study is estimated to be about 5 per cent. Our sample covers the redshift range of   z = 0.037–0.517  with a median redshift of     , which is larger than that     of the sample of previously known ULIRGs.     

The X-ray variability of high-redshift QSOs

We present an analysis of X-ray variability in a sample of 156 radio-quiet quasars taken from the ROSAT archive, covering a redshift range  0.12)  in the sense that QSOs of the same X-ray luminosity are more variable at  z>2  . We discuss possible explanations for this effect. The simplest explanation may be that high-redshift QSOs are accreting at a larger fraction of the Eddington limit than local AGNs.     

X-ray variability in a deep, flux-limited sample of QSOs

We present an analysis of X-ray variability in a flux-limited sample of quasi-stellar objects (QSOs). Selected from our deep ROSAT survey, these QSOs span a wide range in redshift (0.1< z <3.2) and are typically very faint, so we have developed a method to constrain the amplitude of variability in ensembles of low signal-to-noise ratio light curves. We find evidence for trends in this variability amplitude with both redshift and luminosity. The mean variability amplitude declines sharply with luminosity, as seen in local active galactic nuclei (AGN), but with some suggestion of an upturn for the most powerful sources. We find tentative evidence that this is caused by redshift evolution, since the high-redshift QSOs ( z >0.5) do not show the anticorrelation with luminosity seen in local AGN. We speculate on the implications of these results for physical models of AGN and their evolution. Finally, we find evidence for X-ray variability in an object classified as a narrow-emission-line galaxy, suggesting the presence of an AGN.