Related papers: The first high-redshift changing-look quasars
We identify a sample of 74 high-redshift quasars (z>3) with weak emission lines from the Fifth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and present infrared, optical, and radio observations of a subsample of four objects at z>4. These…
We report optical Cousins R and I band monitoring observations of the high redshift (z = 4.67) QSO SDSS J153259.96-003944.1 that does not show detectable emission lines in its optical spectrum. We show this object varies with a maximum…
Distant luminous quasars provide important information on the growth of the first supermassive black holes, their host galaxies and the epoch of reionization. The identification of quasars is usually performed through detection of their…
Changing-look quasars challenge many models of the quasar central engine. Their extreme variability in both the continuum and broad emission-line fluxes on timescales on the order of years is difficult to explain. To investigate the cause…
In a sample of 60 quasars selected from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) with at least six-epoch spectroscopy, we investigate the variability of emission lines and continuum luminosity at various aspects. A strong anti-correlation between…
We investigate the relationship between the rest-frame equivalent width (EW) of the C IV \lambda1549 broad-emission line, monochromatic luminosity at rest-frame 5100 A, and the Hbeta-based Eddington ratio in a sample of 99 ordinary quasars…
We present the first systematic search for "changing-look" ("CL") behavior in the broad He ii $\lambda$4686 emission line in quasars, utilizing repeated spectroscopy from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The He ii line, originating from…
We have carried out a survey to search for hidden blazars in a sample of $z{\sim}2$ radio-loud quasars. The idea is based on our prediction that we should be able to see large CIV line variability not associated with observed continuum…
The Canada-France High-z Quasar Survey (CFHQS) is an optical survey designed to locate quasars during the epoch of reionization. In this paper we present the discovery of the first four CFHQS quasars at redshift greater than 6, including…
The uncertain origin of the recently-discovered `changing-looking' quasar phenomenon -- in which a luminous quasar dims significantly to a quiescent state in repeat spectroscopy over ~10 year timescales -- may present unexpected challenges…
Despite extensive efforts, only two quasars have been found at $z>7$ to date due to a combination of low spatial density and high contamination from more ubiquitous Galactic cool dwarfs in quasar selection. This limits our current knowledge…
Using a sample of 30,000 quasars from SDSS-DR7, we explore the range of properties exhibited by high-ionization, broad emission lines, such as CIV 1549. Specifically we investigate the anti-correlation between L_UV and emission line EQW…
Quasars at early redshifts ($z > 6$) with companion galaxies offer unique insights into the growth and evolution of the first supermassive black holes. Here, we report on a 150 ks Chandra observation of PSO J308.0416$-$21.2339, a $z=6.23$…
Weak-line quasars (WLQs) are a subset of type 1 quasars with remarkably weak high-ionization broad emission lines but normal optical/UV continua. Using 371,091 quasars from SDSS DR16, we define WLQs by analyzing outliers in three relations:…
From a large homogeneous sample of optical/UV emission line measurements for 993 quasars from the Large Bright Quasar Survey (LBQS), we study correlations between emission line equivalent width and both restframe ultraviolet luminosity…
We present XMM-Newton observations of the high redshift z=3.104, radio-loud quasar PKS 0537-286. The EPIC CCD cameras provide the highest signal-to-noise spectrum of a high-z quasar to date. The EPIC observations show that PKS 0537-286 is…
"Changing-look quasars" (CLQs) are active galactic nuclei (AGN) showing extreme variability that results in a transition from Type 1 to Type 2. The short timescales of these transitions present a challenge to the unified model of AGN and…
We report the first discovery of the emergence of a high-velocity broad-line outflow in a luminous quasar, J105400.40+034801.2 at redshift z ~ 2.1. The outflow is evident in ultraviolet CIV and SiIV absorption lines with velocity shifts v ~…
The most luminous quasars (with bolometric luminosities are 1E47 erg/s) show a high prevalence of CIV {\lambda}1549 and [OIII]{\lambda}{\lambda}4959,5007 emission line profiles with strong blueshifts. Blueshifts are interpreted as due to…
We report the discovery of five quasars with redshifts of 4.67 - 5.27 and z'-band magnitudes of 19.5-20.7 M_B ~ -27. All were originally selected as distant quasar candidates in optical/near-infrared photometry from the Sloan Digital Sky…