Gemini Near Infrared Spectrograph - Distant Quasar Survey: Rest-Frame Ultraviolet-Optical Spectral Properties of Broad Absorption Line Quasars

We present the rest-frame ultraviolet-optical spectral properties of 65 broad absorption line (BAL) quasars from the Gemini Near Infrared Spectrograph-Distant Quasar Survey (GNIRS-DQS). These properties are compared with those of 195 non-BAL quasars from GNIRS-DQS in order to identify the drivers for the appearance of BALs in quasars. Specifically, we compare equivalent widths and velocity widths, as well as velocity offsets from systemic redshifts, of principal emission lines. We find that BAL quasars are indistinguishable from their non-BAL counterparts in the rest-frame optical band. We also explore correlations between BAL trough properties and the Hβ-based supermassive black hole masses and normalized accretion rates. We compare our findings with those of nearby BAL quasars and discuss the roles that accretion rate and orientation play in the appearance of BAL troughs in quasars. This work is supported by National Science Foundation grants AST-1815281 and AST-1815645.