Bibcode
Heintz, K. E.; Fynbo, J. P. U.; Høg, E.; Møller, P.; Krogager, J.-K.; Geier, S.; Jakobsson, P.; Christensen, L.
Bibliographical reference
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 615, id.L8, 9 pp.
Advertised on:
7
2018
Journal
Citations
21
Refereed citations
17
Description
Here we apply a technique selecting quasar candidates purely as sources
with zero proper motions in the Gaia data release 2 (DR2). We
demonstrate that this approach is highly efficient toward high Galactic
latitudes with ≲25% contamination from stellar sources. Such a
selection technique offers very pure sample completeness, since all
cosmological point sources are selected regardless of their intrinsic
spectral properties within the limiting magnitude of Gaia. We carry out
a pilot-study, defining a sample compiled by including all Gaia-DR2
sources within one degree of the north Galactic pole (NGP) selected to
have proper motions consistent with zero within 2σ uncertainty. By
cross-matching the sample to the optical Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)
and the mid-infrared (MIR) AllWISE photometric catalogues, we
investigate the colours of each of our sources. We determine the
efficiency of our selection by comparison with previously
spectroscopically confirmed quasars. The majority of the
zero-proper-motion sources selected here have optical to MIR colours
consistent with known quasars. The remaining population may be
contaminating stellar sources, but some may also be quasars with colours
similar to stars. Spectroscopic follow-up of the zero-proper-motion
sources is needed to unveil such a hitherto hidden quasar population.
This approach has the potential to allow substantial progress on many
important questions concerning quasars, such as determining the fraction
of dust-obscured quasars, the fraction of broad absorption line (BAL)
quasars, and the metallicity distribution of damped Lyman-α
absorbers. The technique could also potentially reveal new types of
quasars or even new classes of cosmological point sources.
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This IAC research group carries out several extragalactic projects in different spectral ranges, using space as well as ground-based telescopes, to study the cosmological evolution of galaxies and the origin of nuclear activity in active galaxies. The group is a member of the international consortium which built the SPIRE instrument for the
Ismael
Pérez Fournon