Nature of QSO host galaxies

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/164321· OSTI ID:7262306

Smith, E P; Heckman, T M; Bothun, G D; Romanishin, W; Balick, B

Results of an analysis of deep images of 31 low-redshift QSOs and lower luminosity QSO/AGNs obtained with the prime focus CCD system on the CTIO 4 m telescope are presented. The host galaxies of QSOs are generally luminous systems populating the exponential tail of the galaxy luminosity function. Seyfert galaxies are apparently less luminous than the hosts of radio-quiet QSOs. The radio-loud QSOs are more luminous than the radio-quiet QSO hosts. For the sample of QSOs and QSO/AGNs, there is a trend for the radio-loud hosts to be better fitted by elliptical galaxy models and for the radio-quiet hosts to be fitted by disk galaxies, suggesting that the dichotomy known to exist between Seyfert and radio galaxies extends to much higher levels of nuclear luminosity. These results strengthen the empirical basis for a continuity in properties between Seyfert galaxies and radio-quite QSOs and between radio galaxies and radio-loud QSOs. 51 references.

• Research Organization: Maryland Univ., College Park; California Institute of Technology, Pasadena; Arizona State Univ., Tempe; Washington Univ., Seattle
• OSTI ID: 7262306
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 306; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640103* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Quasi-Stellar
Radio
& X-Ray Sources-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
COSMOLOGY
DATA PROCESSING
GALACTIC EVOLUTION
GALAXIES
GALAXY NUCLEI
IMAGES
LUMINOSITY
MORPHOLOGY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PROCESSING
QUASARS
RADIO GALAXIES
RED SHIFT
SEYFERT GALAXIES
SPECTROSCOPY