NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY OF SDSS J0303 - 0019: A LOW-LUMINOSITY, HIGH-EDDINGTON-RATIO QUASAR AT z {approx} 6

Journal Article · Thu Sep 10 00:00:00 EDT 2009 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/702/2/833; COUNTRY OF INPUT: INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA)· OSTI ID:21336056

Kurk, J D; Walter, F; Jester, S; Rix, H -W ^[1]; Fan, X; Jiang, L ^[2]; Riechers, D A ^[3]

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1. MPIA, Koenigstuhl 17, 69117, Heidelberg (Germany)
2. Steward Observatory, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)
3. Caltech, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

We present sensitive near-infrared (NIR) VLT ISAAC spectroscopic observations of the z = 6.08 quasar SDSS J030331.40-001912.9. This quasi-stellar object (QSO) is more than a magnitude fainter than other QSOs at z {approx} 6 for which NIR spectroscopy has been obtained to date and is therefore presumably more representative of the QSO population at the end of cosmic reionization. Combining rest-frame UV continuum luminosity with the width measurements of the Mg II and C IV lines, we derive a black hole mass of 2{sup +1.0} {sub -0.5} x 10{sup 8} M {sub sun}, the lowest mass observed for z {approx} 6 QSOs to date, and derive an Eddington ratio of 1.6{sup +0.4} {sub -0.6}, among the highest value derived for QSOs at any redshift. The Spitzer 24 {mu}m nondetection of this QSO does not leave space for a significant hot dust component in its optical/NIR spectral energy distribution, in common with one other faint QSO at z = 6, but in contrast to more than 20 more z = 6 QSOs and all known lower redshift QSOs with sufficiently deep multiwavelength photometry. We conclude that we have found evidence for differences in the intrinsic properties of at least one z {approx} 6 QSO as compared to the lower redshift population.

• OSTI ID: 21336056
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 702, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/702/2/833; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
BLACK HOLES
DUSTS
ENERGY SPECTRA
GALAXIES
INFRARED SPECTRA
LUMINOSITY
MASS
PHOTOMETRY
QUASARS
RED SHIFT
UNIVERSE