Associated Absorption in Low Redshift Quasar Environments
Abstract
We present a study of low redshift quasar environments, specifically the absorption properties of galaxies near the quasar line of sight. Using the 90Prime instrument on the Bok telescope on Kitt Peak, we obtained optical images of 14 ~1-degree quasar fields (0.06 < z < 0.23) in the u, g, r, and i spectra, detecting objects as faint as 24. The redshifts of the galaxies within the fields of view are determined using photometric redshift techniques. We retrieved UV spectral data for these quasar targets from the MAST archives and measure the properties of any associated absorption present in those data. By comparing the redshifts of the associated absorption lines, their strengths, and their ionic constituents with the impact parameters of the galaxies in the field, we take a step towards mapping the three dimensional cluster environments of the quasars, and towards potentially attributing the quasar activity to proximate mass.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #221
- Pub Date:
- January 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013AAS...22133932T