Three new VHS-DES quasars at 6.7 < z < 6.9 and emission line properties at z > 6.5

S. L. Reed; M. Banerji; G. D. Becker; P. C. Hewett; P. Martini; R. G. McMahon; E. Pons; M. Rauch; T. M.C. Abbott; S. Allam; J. Annis; S. Avila; E. Bertin; D. Brooks; E. Buckley-Geer; A. Carnero Rosell; M. Carrasco Kind; J. Carretero; F. J. Castander; C. E. Cunha; C. B. D'Andrea; L. N. Da Costa; J. De Vicente; S. Desai; H. T. Diehl; P. Doel; A. E. Evrard; B. Flaugher; J. Frieman; J. García-Bellido; E. Gaztanaga; D. Gruen; J. Gschwend; G. Gutierrez; D. L. Hollowood; K. Honscheid; B. Hoyle; D. J. James; K. Kuehn; O. Lahav; M. Lima; M. A.G. Maia; J. L. Marshall; R. Miquel; R. L.C. Ogando; A. A. Plazas; A. Roodman; E. Sanchez; V. Scarpine; M. Schubnell; S. Serrano; I. Sevilla-Noarbe; M. Smith; R. C. Smith; F. Sobreira; E. Suchyta; M. E.C. Swanson; G. Tarle; D. Thomas; D. L. Tucker; V. Vikram

doi:10.1093/mnras/stz1341

Three new VHS-DES quasars at 6.7 < z < 6.9 and emission line properties at z > 6.5

S. L. Reed, M. Banerji, G. D. Becker, P. C. Hewett, P. Martini, R. G. McMahon, E. Pons, M. Rauch, T. M.C. Abbott, S. Allam, J. Annis, S. Avila, E. Bertin, D. Brooks, E. Buckley-Geer, A. Carnero Rosell, M. Carrasco Kind, J. Carretero, F. J. Castander, C. E. CunhaC. B. D'Andrea, L. N. Da Costa, J. De Vicente, S. Desai, H. T. Diehl, P. Doel, A. E. Evrard, B. Flaugher, J. Frieman, J. García-Bellido, E. Gaztanaga, D. Gruen, J. Gschwend, G. Gutierrez, D. L. Hollowood, K. Honscheid, B. Hoyle, D. J. James, K. Kuehn, O. Lahav, M. Lima, M. A.G. Maia, J. L. Marshall, R. Miquel, R. L.C. Ogando, A. A. Plazas, A. Roodman, E. Sanchez, V. Scarpine, M. Schubnell, S. Serrano, I. Sevilla-Noarbe, M. Smith, R. C. Smith, F. Sobreira, E. Suchyta, M. E.C. Swanson, G. Tarle, D. Thomas, D. L. Tucker, V. Vikram

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We report the results from a search for z > 6.5 quasars using the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Year 3 data set combined with the VISTA Hemisphere Survey (VHS) and WISE All-Sky Survey. Our photometric selection method is shown to be highly efficient in identifying clean samples of high-redshift quasars, leading to spectroscopic confirmation of three new quasars - VDES J0244-5008 (z = 6.724), VDES J0020-3653 (z = 6.834), and VDES J0246-5219 (z = 6.90) - which were selected as the highest priority candidates in the survey data without any need for additional follow-up observations. We have obtained spectroscopic observations in the near-infrared for VDES J0244-5008 and VDES J0020-3653 as well as our previously identified quasar, VDES J0224-4711 at z = 6.50 from Reed et al. We use the near-infrared spectra to derive virial black holemasses from the full width at half-maximum of the MgII line. These black hole masses are ≃1-2 × 10⁹M_⊙. Combined with the bolometric luminosities of these quasars of Lbol ≃ 1-3 × 10⁴⁷, these imply that the Eddington ratios are high, ≃0.6-1.1. We consider the C IV emission line properties of the sample and demonstrate that our highredshift quasars do not have unusual C IV line properties when compared to carefully matched low-redshift samples. Our new DES + VHS z > 6.5 quasars now add to the growing census of luminous, rapidly accreting supermassive black holes seen well into the epoch of reionization.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1874-1885
Number of pages	12
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	487
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz1341
State	Published - Aug 1 2019

Keywords

Dark ages, reionization, first stars
Galaxies: active
Galaxies: formation
Galaxies: high-redshift
Quasars: individual: VDES J0020-3653
Quasars: individual: VDES J0224-4711
Quasars: individual: VDES J0244-5008
Quasars: individual: VDES J0246-5219

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Online availability

10.1093/mnras/stz1341

Library availability

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Reed, S. L., Banerji, M., Becker, G. D., Hewett, P. C., Martini, P., McMahon, R. G., Pons, E., Rauch, M., Abbott, T. M. C., Allam, S., Annis, J., Avila, S., Bertin, E., Brooks, D., Buckley-Geer, E., Rosell, A. C., Kind, M. C., Carretero, J., Castander, F. J., ... Vikram, V. (2019). Three new VHS-DES quasars at 6.7 < z < 6.9 and emission line properties at z > 6.5. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 487(2), 1874-1885. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz1341

Reed, SL, Banerji, M, Becker, GD, Hewett, PC, Martini, P, McMahon, RG, Pons, E, Rauch, M, Abbott, TMC, Allam, S, Annis, J, Avila, S, Bertin, E, Brooks, D, Buckley-Geer, E, Rosell, AC, Kind, MC, Carretero, J, Castander, FJ, Cunha, CE, D'Andrea, CB, Da Costa, LN, De Vicente, J, Desai, S, Diehl, HT, Doel, P, Evrard, AE, Flaugher, B, Frieman, J, García-Bellido, J, Gaztanaga, E, Gruen, D, Gschwend, J, Gutierrez, G, Hollowood, DL, Honscheid, K, Hoyle, B, James, DJ, Kuehn, K, Lahav, O, Lima, M, Maia, MAG, Marshall, JL, Miquel, R, Ogando, RLC, Plazas, AA, Roodman, A, Sanchez, E, Scarpine, V, Schubnell, M, Serrano, S, Sevilla-Noarbe, I, Smith, M, Smith, RC, Sobreira, F, Suchyta, E, Swanson, MEC, Tarle, G, Thomas, D, Tucker, DL & Vikram, V 2019, 'Three new VHS-DES quasars at 6.7 < z < 6.9 and emission line properties at z > 6.5', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 487, no. 2, pp. 1874-1885. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz1341

@article{8577803407ba44a89d3a03b2ade91634,

title = "Three new VHS-DES quasars at 6.7 < z < 6.9 and emission line properties at z > 6.5",

abstract = "We report the results from a search for z > 6.5 quasars using the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Year 3 data set combined with the VISTA Hemisphere Survey (VHS) and WISE All-Sky Survey. Our photometric selection method is shown to be highly efficient in identifying clean samples of high-redshift quasars, leading to spectroscopic confirmation of three new quasars - VDES J0244-5008 (z = 6.724), VDES J0020-3653 (z = 6.834), and VDES J0246-5219 (z = 6.90) - which were selected as the highest priority candidates in the survey data without any need for additional follow-up observations. We have obtained spectroscopic observations in the near-infrared for VDES J0244-5008 and VDES J0020-3653 as well as our previously identified quasar, VDES J0224-4711 at z = 6.50 from Reed et al. We use the near-infrared spectra to derive virial black holemasses from the full width at half-maximum of the MgII line. These black hole masses are ≃1-2 × 109M⊙. Combined with the bolometric luminosities of these quasars of Lbol ≃ 1-3 × 1047, these imply that the Eddington ratios are high, ≃0.6-1.1. We consider the C IV emission line properties of the sample and demonstrate that our highredshift quasars do not have unusual C IV line properties when compared to carefully matched low-redshift samples. Our new DES + VHS z > 6.5 quasars now add to the growing census of luminous, rapidly accreting supermassive black holes seen well into the epoch of reionization.",

keywords = "Dark ages, reionization, first stars, Galaxies: active, Galaxies: formation, Galaxies: high-redshift, Quasars: individual: VDES J0020-3653, Quasars: individual: VDES J0224-4711, Quasars: individual: VDES J0244-5008, Quasars: individual: VDES J0246-5219",

author = "Reed, {S. L.} and M. Banerji and Becker, {G. D.} and Hewett, {P. C.} and P. Martini and McMahon, {R. G.} and E. Pons and M. Rauch and Abbott, {T. M.C.} and S. Allam and J. Annis and S. Avila and E. Bertin and D. Brooks and E. Buckley-Geer and Rosell, {A. Carnero} and Kind, {M. Carrasco} and J. Carretero and Castander, {F. J.} and Cunha, {C. E.} and D'Andrea, {C. B.} and {Da Costa}, {L. N.} and {De Vicente}, J. and S. Desai and Diehl, {H. T.} and P. Doel and Evrard, {A. E.} and B. Flaugher and J. Frieman and J. Garc{\'i}a-Bellido and E. Gaztanaga and D. Gruen and J. Gschwend and G. Gutierrez and Hollowood, {D. L.} and K. Honscheid and B. Hoyle and James, {D. J.} and K. Kuehn and O. Lahav and M. Lima and Maia, {M. A.G.} and Marshall, {J. L.} and R. Miquel and Ogando, {R. L.C.} and Plazas, {A. A.} and A. Roodman and E. Sanchez and V. Scarpine and M. Schubnell and S. Serrano and I. Sevilla-Noarbe and M. Smith and Smith, {R. C.} and F. Sobreira and E. Suchyta and Swanson, {M. E.C.} and G. Tarle and D. Thomas and Tucker, {D. L.} and V. Vikram",

note = "Funding Information: Funding for the DES Projects has been provided by the US Department of Energy, the US National Science Foundation, the Ministry of Science and Education of Spain, the Science and Technology Facilities Council of UK, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the Kavli Institute of Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago, Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos, Fundac¸{\~a}o Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo {\'a} Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Conselho Nacional de Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Y. Shen for helpful comments and discussions and the referee for valuable insights. SLR, RGM, PCH, and EP acknowledge the support of the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). MB acknowledges funding from the STFC via an Ernest Rutherford Fellowship as well as funding from the Royal Society via a University Research Fellowship. Support by European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant 320596 {\textquoteleft}The Emergence of Structure during the Epoch of Reionization{\textquoteright} is gratefully acknowledged by RGM. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1615553 to PM. Funding Information: The analysis presented here is based on observations obtained as part of the VISTA Hemisphere Survey, ESO Progamme, 179.A2010 (PI: McMahon). The analysis presented here is based on observations obtained as part of European Southern Observatory (ESO) Progammes 098.A-0439 and 0100.A00346 (PI: McMahon). Based on observations obtained at the Gemini Observatory (Program GS-2016B-FT-8), which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the Gemini partnership: the National Science Foundation (United States), the National Research Council (Canada), CONICYT (Chile), Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnolog{\'i}a e Innovaci{\'o}n Productiva (Argentina), and Minist{\'e}rio da Ci{\^e}ncia, Tecnologia e Inovac¸{\~a}o (Brazil). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.",

year = "2019",

month = aug,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1093/mnras/stz1341",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "487",

pages = "1874--1885",

journal = "Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society",

issn = "0035-8711",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Three new VHS-DES quasars at 6.7 < z < 6.9 and emission line properties at z > 6.5

AU - Reed, S. L.

AU - Banerji, M.

AU - Becker, G. D.

AU - Hewett, P. C.

AU - Martini, P.

AU - McMahon, R. G.

AU - Pons, E.

AU - Rauch, M.

AU - Abbott, T. M.C.

AU - Allam, S.

AU - Annis, J.

AU - Avila, S.

AU - Bertin, E.

AU - Brooks, D.

AU - Buckley-Geer, E.

AU - Rosell, A. Carnero

AU - Kind, M. Carrasco

AU - Carretero, J.

AU - Castander, F. J.

AU - Cunha, C. E.

AU - D'Andrea, C. B.

AU - Da Costa, L. N.

AU - De Vicente, J.

AU - Desai, S.

AU - Diehl, H. T.

AU - Doel, P.

AU - Evrard, A. E.

AU - Flaugher, B.

AU - Frieman, J.

AU - García-Bellido, J.

AU - Gaztanaga, E.

AU - Gruen, D.

AU - Gschwend, J.

AU - Gutierrez, G.

AU - Hollowood, D. L.

AU - Honscheid, K.

AU - Hoyle, B.

AU - James, D. J.

AU - Kuehn, K.

AU - Lahav, O.

AU - Lima, M.

AU - Maia, M. A.G.

AU - Marshall, J. L.

AU - Miquel, R.

AU - Ogando, R. L.C.

AU - Plazas, A. A.

AU - Roodman, A.

AU - Sanchez, E.

AU - Scarpine, V.

AU - Schubnell, M.

AU - Serrano, S.

AU - Sevilla-Noarbe, I.

AU - Smith, M.

AU - Smith, R. C.

AU - Sobreira, F.

AU - Suchyta, E.

AU - Swanson, M. E.C.

AU - Tarle, G.

AU - Thomas, D.

AU - Tucker, D. L.

AU - Vikram, V.

N1 - Funding Information: Funding for the DES Projects has been provided by the US Department of Energy, the US National Science Foundation, the Ministry of Science and Education of Spain, the Science and Technology Facilities Council of UK, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the Kavli Institute of Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago, Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos, Fundac¸ão Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo á Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Conselho Nacional de Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Y. Shen for helpful comments and discussions and the referee for valuable insights. SLR, RGM, PCH, and EP acknowledge the support of the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). MB acknowledges funding from the STFC via an Ernest Rutherford Fellowship as well as funding from the Royal Society via a University Research Fellowship. Support by European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant 320596 ‘The Emergence of Structure during the Epoch of Reionization’ is gratefully acknowledged by RGM. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1615553 to PM. Funding Information: The analysis presented here is based on observations obtained as part of the VISTA Hemisphere Survey, ESO Progamme, 179.A2010 (PI: McMahon). The analysis presented here is based on observations obtained as part of European Southern Observatory (ESO) Progammes 098.A-0439 and 0100.A00346 (PI: McMahon). Based on observations obtained at the Gemini Observatory (Program GS-2016B-FT-8), which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the Gemini partnership: the National Science Foundation (United States), the National Research Council (Canada), CONICYT (Chile), Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva (Argentina), and Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovac¸ão (Brazil). Publisher Copyright: © 2019 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.

PY - 2019/8/1

Y1 - 2019/8/1

N2 - We report the results from a search for z > 6.5 quasars using the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Year 3 data set combined with the VISTA Hemisphere Survey (VHS) and WISE All-Sky Survey. Our photometric selection method is shown to be highly efficient in identifying clean samples of high-redshift quasars, leading to spectroscopic confirmation of three new quasars - VDES J0244-5008 (z = 6.724), VDES J0020-3653 (z = 6.834), and VDES J0246-5219 (z = 6.90) - which were selected as the highest priority candidates in the survey data without any need for additional follow-up observations. We have obtained spectroscopic observations in the near-infrared for VDES J0244-5008 and VDES J0020-3653 as well as our previously identified quasar, VDES J0224-4711 at z = 6.50 from Reed et al. We use the near-infrared spectra to derive virial black holemasses from the full width at half-maximum of the MgII line. These black hole masses are ≃1-2 × 109M⊙. Combined with the bolometric luminosities of these quasars of Lbol ≃ 1-3 × 1047, these imply that the Eddington ratios are high, ≃0.6-1.1. We consider the C IV emission line properties of the sample and demonstrate that our highredshift quasars do not have unusual C IV line properties when compared to carefully matched low-redshift samples. Our new DES + VHS z > 6.5 quasars now add to the growing census of luminous, rapidly accreting supermassive black holes seen well into the epoch of reionization.

AB - We report the results from a search for z > 6.5 quasars using the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Year 3 data set combined with the VISTA Hemisphere Survey (VHS) and WISE All-Sky Survey. Our photometric selection method is shown to be highly efficient in identifying clean samples of high-redshift quasars, leading to spectroscopic confirmation of three new quasars - VDES J0244-5008 (z = 6.724), VDES J0020-3653 (z = 6.834), and VDES J0246-5219 (z = 6.90) - which were selected as the highest priority candidates in the survey data without any need for additional follow-up observations. We have obtained spectroscopic observations in the near-infrared for VDES J0244-5008 and VDES J0020-3653 as well as our previously identified quasar, VDES J0224-4711 at z = 6.50 from Reed et al. We use the near-infrared spectra to derive virial black holemasses from the full width at half-maximum of the MgII line. These black hole masses are ≃1-2 × 109M⊙. Combined with the bolometric luminosities of these quasars of Lbol ≃ 1-3 × 1047, these imply that the Eddington ratios are high, ≃0.6-1.1. We consider the C IV emission line properties of the sample and demonstrate that our highredshift quasars do not have unusual C IV line properties when compared to carefully matched low-redshift samples. Our new DES + VHS z > 6.5 quasars now add to the growing census of luminous, rapidly accreting supermassive black holes seen well into the epoch of reionization.

KW - Dark ages, reionization, first stars

KW - Galaxies: active

KW - Galaxies: formation

KW - Galaxies: high-redshift

KW - Quasars: individual: VDES J0020-3653

KW - Quasars: individual: VDES J0224-4711

KW - Quasars: individual: VDES J0244-5008

KW - Quasars: individual: VDES J0246-5219

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U2 - 10.1093/mnras/stz1341

DO - 10.1093/mnras/stz1341

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85071134457

SN - 0035-8711

VL - 487

SP - 1874

EP - 1885

JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

IS - 2

ER -

Three new VHS-DES quasars at 6.7 < z < 6.9 and emission line properties at z > 6.5

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