Collaborative Research: Placing High-Redshift Quasars in Perspective: a Gemini Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Survey

University Of Wyoming, Laramie WY

Investigators

Abstract

Part 1 Shining brighter than a trillion suns, quasars are the most luminous persistent sources in the universe. These cosmic powerhouses form when gas is funneled toward giant black holes at the centers of galaxies. Since quasars are thought to shape the growth of their galaxies, better understanding these sources is one of modern astronomy's major goals. This project makes new telescopic observations over several years to improve estimates of the most basic properties of quasars, enhancing a wide range of astronomical studies. Some 350 hours of infrared observations of 400 distant quasars with the Gemini-North telescope in Hawaii will produce the best and largest data set of its kind. Studying the infrared light will lead to better estimates of the masses of the quasars' black holes, their fueling rates, and their distances from Earth. These results will, in turn, help to develop improved equations for these properties in the larger quasar population. Comparison with nearby quasars will also show how these sources change over time, indicating how the galaxies surrounding such quasars change as well. This project represents a stepping stone in understanding quasars which, in turn, will enable more in-depth projects at the forefront of modern astronomy. Part 2 Quasars are the most powerful objects in the universe. They greatly outshine all the stars in the galaxies in which they reside. They consist of growing black holes, millions to billions of times more massive than the sun. Better understanding these most energetic of objects, their properties, their effects on the galaxies that surround them, and how they grow over time are important questions in modern astronomy. This project will use one of the world's largest telescopes to better understand some of the most powerful and distant quasars in order to help answer these questions. Additional related areas at the forefront of modern astronomy will benefit as well. The main goal of this project is to substantially improve how we measure the fundamental properties of distant quasars. These properties include the black hole mass, fueling rate, and distance. Another goal is to see how these properties have changed over time. To achieve these goals, the investigators will use the Gemini-North telescope in Hawaii to observe the infrared light from more than 400 distant quasars, thereby creating the largest and best such data set to date. This effort will take 350 hours of telescope time over several years. Analysis of certain features in the light of these sources will provide the best measurements yet of key quasar properties. The results of this project will yield new calibrations for quasars in general, and enable a wide range of follow-up studies. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.