Optical spectroscopic observations of blazars and γ-ray blazar candidates in the sloan digital sky survey data release nine

Journal Article · Tue Sep 09 04:00:00 EDT 2014 · Astronomical Journal (Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/148/4/66· OSTI ID:1114154

Massaro, F.; Masetti, N.; D'Abrusco, R.; Paggi, A.; Funk, S.

We present an analysis of the optical spectra available in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey data release nine (SDSS DR9) for the blazars listed in the ROMA-BZCAT and for the γ-ray blazar candidates selected according to their IR colors. First, we adopt a statistical approach based on Monte Carlo simulations to find the optical counterparts of the blazars listed in the ROMA-BZCAT catalog. Then, we crossmatched the SDSS spectroscopic catalog with our selected samples of blazars and γ-ray blazar candidates, searching for those with optical spectra available to classify our blazar-like sources and, whenever possible, to confirm their redshifts. Our main objectives are to determine the classification of uncertain blazars listed in the ROMA-BZCAT and to discover new gamma-ray blazars. For the ROMA-BZCAT sources, we investigated a sample of 84 blazars, confirming the classification for 20 of them and obtaining 18 new redshift estimates. For the γ-ray blazars, indicated as potential counterparts of unassociated Fermi sources or with uncertain nature, we established the blazar-like nature of 8 out of the 27 sources analyzed and confirmed 14 classifications.

• Research Organization: SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76SF00515
• OSTI ID: 1114154
• Report Number(s): SLAC-PUB--15873
• Journal Information: Astronomical Journal (Online), Journal Name: Astronomical Journal (Online) Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 148; ISSN 1538-3881
• Publisher: IOP Publishing
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ASTRO