The Next Generation Atlas of Quasar Spectral Energy Distributions from Radio To X-Rays

Access full-text files

Date

2011-09

Authors

Shang, Zhaohui
Brotherton, Michael S.
Wills, Beverley J.
Wills, D.
Cales, Sabrina L.
Dale, Daniel A.
Green, Richard F.
Runnoe, Jessie C.
Nemmen, Rodrigo S.
Gallagher, Sarah C.

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Abstract

We have produced the next generation of quasar spectral energy distributions (SEDs), essentially updating the work of Elvis et al. by using high-quality data obtained with several space-and ground-based telescopes, including NASA's Great Observatories. We present an atlas of SEDs of 85 optically bright, non-blazar quasars over the electromagnetic spectrum from radio to X-rays. The heterogeneous sample includes 27 radio-quiet and 58 radio-loud quasars. Most objects have quasi-simultaneous ultraviolet-optical spectroscopic data, supplemented with some far-ultraviolet spectra, and more than half also have Spitzer mid-infrared Infrared Spectrograph spectra. The X-ray spectral parameters are collected from the literature where available. The radio, far-infrared, and near-infrared photometric data are also obtained from either the literature or new observations. We construct composite SEDs for radio-loud and radio-quiet objects and compare these to those of Elvis et al., finding that ours have similar overall shapes, but our improved spectral resolution reveals more detailed features, especially in the mid-and near-infrared.

Department

Description

LCSH Subject Headings

Citation

Shang, Zhaohui, Michael S. Brotherton, Beverley J. Wills, Derek Wills, Sabrina L. Cales, Daniel A. Dale, Richard F. Green et al. "The Next Generation Atlas of Quasar Spectral Energy Distributions from Radio to X-Rays." The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, Vol. 196, No. 1 (Sep., 2011): 2.