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Host Galaxy & Quasar Evolution studied through Ly-alpha Halos Around Extremely Red Quasars, and Extreme Quasar Outflows

Presentation #112.04D in the session AGN and Quasars I.

Published onJun 29, 2022
Host Galaxy & Quasar Evolution studied through Ly-alpha Halos Around Extremely Red Quasars, and Extreme Quasar Outflows

Understanding the connection between quasar growth and galaxy formation can be tested through studying young quasar populations, and signs of powerful feedback, during the height of quasar and galaxy activity.

Our team is involved in a program using the Keck Cosmic Web Imager (KCWI) to measure the Lyman-alpha halos around Extremely Red Quasars (ERQs). ERQs at redshifts z~2 to 3 are defined by their red colors in rest-frame UV to mid-IR by combining SDSS and WISE magnitudes. They also have peculiar line properties that include unusual broad emission-line profiles with large equivalent widths in CIV, a high incidence of broad absorption lines (BALs and mini-BALs), and the fastest [OIII]4959,5007 line outflows ever reported, reaching >6000 km/s. These features in combination with the extreme red colors might be indicative of a young embedded quasar population that is participating in blowouts and feedback effects in the host galaxies. We specifically test whether ERQs have more massive or extended halos than other luminous quasars/galaxies at these redshifts caused, perhaps, by quasar-driven blowouts or infall from the inter-galactic medium during the early stages of host galaxy assembly in cold-mode accretion. We present preliminary results for our sample of 12 ERQs measured.

We also define a much larger sample of quasars in SDSS at z~2. We have more carefully measured their systemic redshifts in rest-frame UV spectra to establish better empirical constraints on the physical conditions that correlate with greater speeds, and more powerful outflows, which have previously been unexplored in the context of galaxy evolution.

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