• 천문학회보
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• 제40권2호
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• pp.28.2-28.2
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• 2015

High redshift quasars (z > 5) hold keys to understanding the evolution of the universe in its early stage. Yet, the number of high redshift quasars uncovered from previous studies is relatively small (70 or so), and are concentrated mostly in a limited redshift range (z ~ 6). To understand the early mass growth of supermassive black holes and the final stage of the cosmic reionization, it is important to find a statistically meaningful sample of quasars with various physical properties. Here we present a survey for high redshift quasars at 5 < z < 7. Through color selection techniques using multi-wavelength data, we found quasar candidates and carried out imaging follow-up observations to reduce contaminants. After optical spectroscopy, we discovered eight new quasars. We obtained near-infrared spectra for 3 of these 8 quasars, measured their physical properties such as black hole masses and Eddington ratios, and found that the high redshift quasars we discovered are growing via accretion more vigorous than those of their lower redshift counterparts. We estimated the quasar number densities from our discoveries and compared them to those expected from the quasar luminosity functions in literature. In contrast to the observed number density of quasars at z ~ 5, which agrees with literature, the observed number density at z ~ 7 shows values lower than what is expected, even after considering an extrapolated number density evolution. We conclude that the quasar number density at z ~ 7 declines toward higher redshift, more steeply than the empirically expected evolution.

• 천문학회보
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.78.3-78.3
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• 2015

About 70 high redshift quasars with $z{\geq}5$ have been discovered through combinations of standard broad-band filters to distinguish them from contaminating sources. However, among the discovered quasars so far, there is a redshift gap at $5{\leq}z{\leq}6$ due to the limitation of traditional filter sets and selection techniques. To understand the early mass growth of supermassive black holes and the final stage of the cosmic reionization, it is important to find a statistically meaningful sample of quasars with various physical properties. Here we suggest a new selection technique of high redshift quasars using medium-band filters: nine filters with bandwidths of 50nm and central wavelengths from 625 to 1025nm. Photometry with these medium-bands traces the spectral energy distribution (SED) of a source, similar to spectroscopy with R~15. We installed these filters to SED camera for QUasars in EArly uNiverse (SQUEAN) on the 2.1m telescope at McDonald Observatory, and conducted test observations of known high redshift quasars at $4.7{\leq}z{\leq}6.1$ and also dwarf stars for comparison. We found differences in SED shapes between high redshift quasars and dwarf stars, determined their locations on color-color diagrams, and demonstrated that the medium-band filters can enhance the efficiency of selecting robust quasar candidates in this redshift range. In this poster, we propose an effective selection method of high redshift quasars using these medium-band filters and discuss its effect on our high redshift quasar survey.

• 천문학회보
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.69.1-69.1
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• 2013

We describe a survey of quasars in the early universe beyond z=5, which is one of the main sciences of the Infrared Medium-deep Survey (IMS) performed by the Center for the Exploration of the Origin of the Universe (CEOU). We use multi-wavelength archival data such as SDSS, CFHTLS, UKIDSS, and SWIRE, which provide deep images over wide areas sufficient enough for searching high redshift quasars. In addition, we carried out a J-band imaging survey at the United Kingdom InfraRed Telescope (UKIRT) with a depth of ~23 AB and survey area of ~100 $deg^2$, which makes IMS the most suitable survey for finding high redshift quasars at z~7. Also for the quasar candidates at z~5.5, we are conducting observations with the Camera for QUasars in EArly uNiverse (CQUEAN), which are efficient for selecting robust quasar candidate samples in this redshift range. We used various color-color diagrams suitable to the specific redshift ranges, which can reduce the contaminating sources such as M/L/T dwarfs, low redshift galaxies, and instrumental defects. The high redshift quasars we are confirming can provide us with clues to the growth of super massive black holes since z~7. Also by expanding the quasar sample at 5

• 천문학논총
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.405-407
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• 2015

We describe a survey of quasars in the early universe, beyond z ~ 5, which is one of the main science goals of the Infrared Medium-deep Survey (IMS) conducted by the Center for the Exploration of the Origin of the Universe (CEOU). We use multi-wavelength archival data from SDSS, CFHTLS, UKIDSS, WISE, and SWIRE, which provide deep images over wide areas suitable for searching for high redshift quasars. In addition, we carried out a J-band imaging survey at the United Kingdom InfraRed Telescope with a depth of ~23 AB mag and survey area of ${\sim}120deg^2$, which makes IMS a suitable survey for finding faint, high redshift quasars at z ~ 7. In addition, for the quasar candidates at z ~ 5.5, we are conducting observations with the Camera for QUasars in EArly uNiverse (CQUEAN) on the 2.1m telescope at McDonald Observatory, which has a custom-designed filter set installed to enhance the efficiency of selecting robust quasar candidate samples in this redshift range. We used various color-color diagrams suitable for the specific redshift ranges, which can reduce contaminating sources such as M/L/T dwarfs, low redshift galaxies, and instrumental defects. The high redshift quasars we are confirming can provide us with clues to the growth of supermassive black holes since z ~ 7. By expanding the quasar sample at 5 < z < 7, the final stage of the hydrogen reionization in the intergalactic medium (IGM) can also be fully understood. Moreover, we can make useful constraints on the quasar luminosity function to study the contribution of quasars to the IGM reionization.

• 천문학논총
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.157-161
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• 2017

The dusty torus of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) is one of the important components for the unification theory of AGNs. The geometry and properties of the dusty torus are key factors in understanding the nature of AGNs as well as the formation and evolution of AGNs. However, they are still under discussion. Infrared observation is useful for understanding the dusty torus as thermal emission from hot dust with the dust sublimation temperature (~ 1500 K) has been observed in the infrared. We have analyzed infrared spectroscopic data of low-redshift and high-redshift quasars, which are luminous AGNs. For the low-redshift quasars, we constructed the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) with AKARI near-infrared and Spitzer mid-infrared spectra and decomposed the SEDs into a power-law component from the nuclei, silicate features, and blackbody components with different temperatures from the dusty torus. From the decomposition, the temperature of the innermost dusty torus shows the range between 900-2000 K. For the high-redshift quasars, AKARI traced rest-frame optical and near-infrared spectra of AGNs. Combining with WISE data, we have found that the temperature of the innermost dusty torus in high redshift quasars is lower than that in typical quasars. The hydrogen $H{\alpha}$ emission line from the braod emission line region in the quasars also shows narrow full width at half maximum of $3000-4000km\;s^{-1}$. These results indicate that the dusty torus and the broad emission line region are more extended than those of typical quasars.

• 천문학회지
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• 제49권1호
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• pp.25-35
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• 2016

Multiple color selection techniques are successful in identifying quasars from wide-field broadband imaging survey data. Among the quasars that have been discovered so far, however, there is a redshift gap at 5 ≲ z ≲ 5.7 due to the limitations of filter sets in previous studies. In this work, we present a new selection technique of high redshift quasars using a sequence of medium-band filters: nine filters with central wavelengths from 625 to 1025 nm and bandwidths of 50 nm. Photometry with these medium-bands traces the spectral energy distribution (SED) of a source, similar to spectroscopy with resolution R ~ 15. By conducting medium-band observations of high redshift quasars at 4.7 ≤ z ≤ 6.0 and brown dwarfs (the main contaminants in high redshift quasar selection) using the SED camera for QUasars in EArly uNiverse (SQUEAN) on the 2.1-m telescope at the McDonald Observatory, we show that these medium-band filters are superior to multi-color broad-band color section in separating high redshift quasars from brown dwarfs. In addition, we show that redshifts of high redshift quasars can be determined to an accuracy of Δz/(1 + z) = 0.002 - 0.026. The selection technique can be extended to z ~ 7, suggesting that the medium-band observation can be powerful in identifying quasars even at the re-ionization epoch.

• 천문학회지
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• 제55권4호
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• pp.131-138
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• 2022

We report the discovery of four quasars with M₁₄₅₀ ≳ -25.0 mag at z ~ 5 and supermassive black hole mass measurement for one of the quasars. They were selected as promising high-redshift quasar candidates via deep learning and Bayesian information criterion, which are expected to be effective in discriminating quasars from the late-type stars and high-redshift galaxies. The candidates were observed by the Double Spectrograph on the Palomar 200-inch Hale Telescope. They show clear Lyα breaks at about 7000-8000 Å, indicating they are quasars at 4.7 < z < 5.6. For HSC J233107-001014, we measure the mass of its supermassive black hole (SMBH) using its C _IV λ1549 emission line. The SMBH mass and Eddington ratio of the quasar are found to be ~10⁸ M_⊙ and ~0.6, respectively. This suggests that this quasar possibly harbors a fast growing SMBH near the Eddington limit despite its faintness (L_Bol < 10⁴⁶ erg s^-1). Our 100% quasar identification rate supports high efficiency of our deep learning and Bayesian information criterion selection method, which can be applied to future surveys to increase high-redshift quasar sample.

• 천문학회보
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• 제41권1호
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• pp.72.2-72.2
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• 2016

The SDSS-IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic (eBOSS) will provide new photometry and spectroscopy of an unprecedented number of quasars in a novel redshift range, along with some re-observations of SDSS DR12 objects. We present here an observational study of the geometry, spatial distribution, luminosity function, and clustering of a sample of low- and high-z quasars obtained from the first SDSS-IV data release (DR13). In particular, we characterize the amount of overlapping between different data releases, and then focus on the synergy among high- and low-z quasars as tracers of the cosmic web, particularly considering their cross-correlations and cosmological implications.

• 천문학회보
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.63.2-63.2
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• 2011

We describe the Infrared Medium-deep Survey (IMS), a survey of quasars in the early universe beyond z=5. IMS uses multi-wavelength archival data such as SDSS, CFHT-LS, UKIDSS, and SWIRE, which provide deep images over wide area enough for searching of high redshift bright quasars. In addition, we are carrying out J-band imaging survey with the depth of 23AB at UKIRT for up to 200 $deg^2$, of which 50 $deg^2$ is covered so far. For the quasar candidates at z~5.5, we are making observations with custom-made filters, which are more efficient to make robust quasar candidate samples in this redshift range. Because of the deeper survey depth and the unique methods, our IMS can provide a large number of high redshift quasars comparing with ongoing high redshift bright quasar survey. The high redshift quasars we confirm will give us with clues of the growth of super massive black holes and the metal enrichment history in the early universe.

• 천문학회보
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.43.2-43.2
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• 2015

The massive limit of black holes (BHs) is observed as present day ten billion solar masses. We search for observational signatures of BHs that become extremely massive (EMBHs, 1-10 billion solar masses). I will report on the evolution of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) through the growth of BH mass and their dust emission strength. First, we measured 26 EMBH masses of quasars at 1