On the optical-to-far-infrared spectral energy distributions of radio-quiet quasars
- Haystack Observatory, Westford, MA (USA)
Spectral energy distributions of 36 radio-quiet quasars covering observed wavelengths of 0.3-100 microns are presented using data from the published literature. All have IRAS detections or interesting upper limits. Most of the objects are low-luminosity quasars, but several are moderate to high in luminosity. The continua show a variety of shapes which can be explained as a combination of three components: a flat power-law optical continuum, a convex infrared continuum produced by warm dust heated directly by the quasar UV, and a host galaxy component consisting of starlight and cool dust emission. Evidence for contaminating emission from host galaxies is given in plots of optical and near-infrared spectral indices versus quasar luminosity. Low-luminosity objects tend to have flatter near-infrared and steeper optical spectral indices relative to higher luminosity objects, consistent with the addition of the starlight components. 68 refs.
- OSTI ID:
- 6865500
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Vol. 353; ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
QUASARS
ENERGY SPECTRA
COSMIC DUST
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
GALAXIES
GALAXY NUCLEI
HEATING
INFRARED SPECTRA
LUMINOSITY
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA
VISIBLE SPECTRA
DUSTS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
SPECTRA
640102* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources