Using quasar composite spectra to constrain models of quasar spectral diversity

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Title Using quasar composite spectra to constrain models of quasar spectral diversity
Publication Type dissertation
School or College College of Science
Department Physics & Astronomy
Author Harris, David
Date 2016
Description The Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) collected more than 150,000 quasar spectra. I first create a composite spectrum of 102,150 quasar spectra from 800 A to 3300 A at a signal-to-noise ratio close to1000 per pixel (Delta v of 69 km s^{-1}) as a tool to study the demographics of this large sample. Essential to an accurate construction of this composite spectrum is a correction to account for flux calibration residuals in the BOSS spectrophotometry. I confirm that the resulting flux-calibrated spectrum is consistent with SDSS photometry, thus validating that broad-band and emission features are preserved to better than 5% in the coaddition process. I then use this unprecedented sample to investigate quasar spectral diversity through multiple composite spectra binned by quasar property. I determine the relative influence of quasar luminosity, black hole mass, accretion efficiency, and quasar spectral index on quasar emission line diversity. A comparison of models that predict the dependence of high-ionization emission features on the intrinsic quasar luminosity demonstrates that one particular model is favored.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Subject Baldwin Effect; Quasar
Dissertation Name Doctor of Philosophy in Physics
Language eng
Rights Management ©David Harris
Format application/pdf
Format Medium application/pdf
Format Extent 2,836,915 bytes
Identifier etd3/id/4187
ARK ark:/87278/s68d34kj
Setname ir_etd
ID 197733
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s68d34kj
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