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Daniel Stern

Publications and source records attributed to Daniel Stern.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

The Massive and Distant Clusters of WISE Survey V: Extended Radio Sources in Massive Galaxy Clusters at z~1

We present the results from a pilot study with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) to determine the radio morphologies of extended radio sources and the properties of their host-galaxies in 10 massive galaxy clusters at z~1, an epoch in which clusters are assembling rapidly. These clusters are drawn from a parent sample of WISE-selected galaxy clusters that were cross-correlated with the VLA Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters survey (FIRST) to identify extended radio sources within 1$^{\prime}$ of the cluster centers. Out of the ten targeted sources, six are FR II sources, one is an FR I source, and three sources have undetermined morphologies. Eight radio sources have associated Spitzer data, 75% presenting infrared counterparts. A majority of these counterparts are consistent with being massive galaxies. The angular extent of the FR sources exhibits a strong correlation with the cluster-centric radius, which warrants further investigation with a larger sample.

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Chandra Observations of NuSTAR Serendipitous Sources near the Galactic Plane

The NuSTAR serendipitous survey has already uncovered a large number of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), providing new information about the composition of the Cosmic X-ray Background. For the AGN off the Galactic plane, it has been possible to use the existing X-ray archival data to improve source localizations, identify optical counterparts, and classify the AGN with optical spectroscopy. However, near the Galactic Plane, better X-ray positions are necessary to achieve optical or near-IR identifications due to the higher levels of source crowding. Thus, we have used observations with the Chandra X-ray Observatory to obtain the best possible X-ray positions. With eight observations, we have obtained coverage for 19 NuSTAR serendips within 12 deg of the plane. One or two Chandra sources are detected within the error circle of 15 of the serendips, and we report on these sources and search for optical counterparts. For one source (NuSTAR J202421+3350.9), we obtained a new optical spectrum and detected the presence of hydrogen emission lines. The source is Galactic, and we argue that it is likely a Cataclysmic Variable. For the other sources, the Chandra positions will enable future classifications in order to place limits on faint Galactic populations, including high-mass X-ray binaries and magnetars.

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NuSTAR and Keck Observations of Heavily Obscured Quasars Selected by WISE

A primary aim of the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) mission is to find and characterize heavily obscured Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs). Based on mid-infrared photometry from the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and optical photometry from the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys, we have selected a large population of luminous obscured AGN (i.e., obscured quasars). Here we report NuSTAR observations of four WISE-selected heavily obscured quasars for which we have optical spectroscopy from the Southern African Large Telescope and W. M. Keck Observatory. Optical diagnostics confirm that all four targets are AGNs. With NuSTAR hard X-ray observations, three of the four objects are undetected, while the fourth has a marginal detection. We confirm that these objects have observed hard X-ray (10-40 keV) luminosities at or below ~ 10^43 erg s^-1. We compare X-ray and IR luminosities to obtain estimates of the hydrogen column densities (N_H) based on the suppression of the hard X-ray emission. We estimate N_H of these quasars to be at or larger than 10^25 cm^-2, confirming that WISE and optical selection can identify very heavily obscured quasars that may be missed in X-ray surveys, and do not contribute significantly to the cosmic X-ray background. From the optical Balmer decrements, we found that our three extreme obscured targets lie in highly reddened host environments. This galactic extinction is not adequate to explain the more obscured AGN, but it may imply a different scale of obscuration in the galaxy.

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The Massive and Distant Clusters of WISE Survey IV: The Distribution of Active Galactic Nuclei in Galaxy Clusters at $z\sim1$

We present an analysis of the radial distribution of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) in $2300$ galaxy clusters from the Massive and Distant Clusters of {\it WISE} Survey (MaDCoWS). MaDCoWS provides the largest coverage of the extragalactic sky for a cluster sample at $z\sim1$. We use literature catalogs of AGN selected via optical, mid-infrared (MIR), and radio data, and by optical-to-MIR (OIR) color. Stacking the radial distribution of AGN within the $6\arcmin$ of the centers of MaDCoWS galaxy clusters, we find a distinct overdensity of AGN within $1\arcmin$ of the galaxy cluster center for AGN of all selection methods. The fraction of red galaxies that host AGN as a function of clustercentric distance is, however, dependent on the AGN selection. The fraction of red galaxies in cluster environments that host AGN selected by optical signatures or blue OIR color is at a deficit compared to the field, while MIR-selected and red OIR color AGN are enhanced in the centers of clusters when compared to field levels. The radio-selected AGN fraction is more than $2.5$ times that of the field, implying that the centers of clusters are conducive to the triggering of radio emission in AGN. We do not find a statistically significant change in the AGN fraction as a function of cluster richness. We also investigate the correlation of central radio activity with other AGN in galaxy clusters. Clusters with radio activity have more central AGN than radio-inactive clusters, implying that central cluster radio activity and AGN triggering may be linked.

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Super-Eddington Accretion in the WISE-Selected Extremely Luminous Infrared Galaxy W2246-0526

We use optical and near-infrared spectroscopy to observe rest-UV emission lines and estimate the black hole mass of WISEA J224607.56-052634.9 (W2246-0526) at z = 4.601, the most luminous hot dust-obscured galaxy yet discovered by WISE. From the broad component of the MgII-2799A emission line, we measure a black hole mass of log (M_BH/M_sun) = 9.6 +- 0.4. The broad CIV-1549A line is asymmetric and significantly blue-shifted. The derived M_BH from the blueshift-corrected broad CIV line width agrees with the MgII result. From direct measurement using a well-sampled SED, the bolometric luminosity is 3.6 * 10^14 L_sun. The corresponding Eddington ratio for W2246-0526 is lambda_Edd = L_AGN / L_Edd = 2.8. This high Eddington ratio may reach the level where the luminosity is saturating due to photon trapping in the accretion flow, and be insensitive to the mass accretion rate. In this case, the M_BH growth rate in W2246-0526 would exceed the apparent accretion rate derived from the observed luminosity.

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Gaia GraL: Gaia DR2 Gravitational Lens Systems. IV. Keck/LRIS spectroscopic confirmation of GRAL113100-441959 and model prediction of time-delays

We report the spectroscopic confirmation and modeling of the quadruply imaged quasar GRAL113100-441959, the first gravitational lens (GL) to be discovered mainly from astrometric considerations. Follow-up spectra obtained with Keck/LRIS reveal the lensing nature of this quadruply-imaged quasar with redshift $z_s = 1.090 \pm 0.002$, but show no evidence of the central lens galaxy. Using the image positions and $G$-band flux ratios provided by Gaia Data Release 2 as constraints, we model the system with a singular power-law elliptical mass distribution (SPEMD) plus external shear, to different levels of complexity. We show that relaxing the isothermal constraint of the SPEMD is not statistically significant, and thus we simplify the SPEMD to a singular isothermal ellipsoid to estimate the Einstein radius of the main lens galaxy $θ_{\text{E}} = 0.\!\!^{\prime\prime}851$, the intensity and position angle of the external shear $(γ,θ_γ) = (0.044,11.\!\!^{\circ}5)$, and we predict the lensing galaxy position to be $(x_{\text{gal}},y_{\text{gal}}) = (-0.\!\!^{\prime\prime}424,-0.\!\!^{\prime\prime}744)$ with respect to image A. We provide time delay predictions for pairs of images, assuming a plausible range of lens redshift values $z_l$ between $0.5$ and $0.9$. We finally examine the impact on time delays of the so-called Source Position Transformation, a family of degeneracies existing between different lens density profiles that reproduce most of the lensing observables equally well. We show that this effect contributes significantly to the time delay error budget and cannot be ignored during the modeling. This has implications for robust cosmography applications of lensed systems. GRAL113100-441959 is the first in a series of seven new spectroscopically confirmed GLs discovered from Gaia Data Release 2.

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The NuSTAR Extragalactic Surveys: unveiling rare, buried AGNs and detecting the contributors to the peak of the Cosmic X-ray Background

We report on the results of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) detection by NuSTAR performed in three extragalactic survey fields (COSMOS, UDS, ECDFS) in three hard bands, namely H1 (8-16 keV), H2 (16-24 keV) and VH (35-55 keV). The aggregated area of the surveys is $\sim 2.7$ deg$^2$. While a large number of sources is detected in the H1 band (72 at the $97\%$ level of reliability), the H2 band directly probing close to the peak of the Cosmic X-ray Background (CXB) returns four significant detections, and two tentative, although not significant, detections are found in the VH band. All the sources detected above 16 keV are also detected at lower energies. We compute the integral number counts for sources in such bands, which show broad consistency with population synthesis models of the CXB. We furthermore identify two Compton-thick AGNs, one in the COSMOS field, associated with a hard and faint Chandra source, and one in the UDS field, never detected in the X-ray band before. Both sources are at the same redshift $z \sim 1.25$, which shifts their Compton-hump into the H1 band, and were previously missed in the usually employed NuSTAR bands, confirming the potential of using the H1 band to discover obscured AGNs at $z > 1$ in deep surveys.

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A new physical interpretation of optical and infrared variability in quasars

Changing-look quasars are a recently identified class of active galaxies in which the strong UV continuum and/or broad optical hydrogen emission lines associated with unobscured quasars either appear or disappear on timescales of months to years. The physical processes responsible for this behaviour are still debated, but changes in the black hole accretion rate or accretion disk structure appear more likely than changes in obscuration. Here we report on four epochs of spectroscopy of SDSS J110057.70-005304.5, a quasar at a redshift of $z=0.378$ whose UV continuum and broad hydrogen emission lines have faded, and then returned over the past $\approx$20 years. The change in this quasar was initially identified in the infrared, and an archival spectrum from 2010 shows an intermediate phase of the transition during which the flux below rest-frame $\approx$3400Å has decreased by close to an order of magnitude. This combination is unique compared to previously published examples of changing-look quasars, and is best explained by dramatic changes in the innermost regions of the accretion disk. The optical continuum has been rising since mid-2016, leading to a prediction of a rise in hydrogen emission line flux in the next year. Increases in the infrared flux are beginning to follow, delayed by a $\sim$3 year observed timescale. If our model is confirmed, the physics of changing-look quasars are governed by processes at the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) around the black hole, and the structure of the innermost disk. The easily identifiable and monitored changing-look quasars would then provide a new probe and laboratory of the nuclear central engine.

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The Habitable Exoplanet Observatory (HabEx) Mission Concept Study Interim Report

For the first time in human history, technologies have matured sufficiently to enable a mission capable of discovering and characterizing habitable planets like Earth orbiting sunlike stars other than the Sun. At the same time, such a platform would enable unique science not possible from ground-based facilities. This science is broad and exciting, ranging from new investigations of our own solar system to a full range of astrophysics disciplines. The Habitable Exoplanet Observatory, or HabEx, is one of four studies currently being undertaken by NASA in preparation for the 2020 Astrophysics Decadal Survey. HabEx has been designed to be the Great Observatory of the 2030s, with community involvement through a competed and funded Guest Observer (GO) program. This interim report describes the HabEx baseline concept, which is a space-based 4-meter diameter telescope mission concept with ultraviolet (UV), optical, and near-infrared (near-IR) imaging and spectroscopy capabilities. More information on HabEx can be found at https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/habex

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Mountain pass energies between homotopy classes of maps

For non-homotopic maps $u,v\in C^{\infty}(M,N)$ between closed Riemannian manifolds, we consider the smallest energy level $γ_p(u,v)$ for which there exist paths $u_t\in W^{1,p}(M,N)$ connecting $u_0=u$ to $u_1=v$ with $\|du_t\|_{L^p}^p\leq γ_p(u,v)$. When $u$ and $v$ are $(k-2)$-homotopic, work of Hang and Lin shows that $γ_p(u,v)<\infty$ for $p\in [1,k)$, and using their construction, one can obtain an estimate of the form $γ_p(u,v)\leq \frac{C(u,v)}{k-p}$. When $M$ and $N$ are oriented, and $u$ and $v$ induce different maps on real cohomology in degree $k-1$, we show that the growth $γ_p(u,v)\sim \frac{1}{k-p}$ as $p\to k$ is sharp, and obtain a lower bound for the coefficient $\liminf_{p\to k}(k-p)γ_p(u,v)$ in terms of the min-max masses of certain non-contractible loops in the space of codimension-$k$ integral cycles in $M$. In the process, we establish lower bounds for a related smaller quantity $γ_p^*(u,v)\leqγ_p(u,v)$, for which there exist critical points $u_p\in W^{1,p}(M,N)$ of the $p$-energy functional satisfying $γ_p^*(u,v)\leq \|du_p\|_{L^p}^p\leq γ_p(u,v).$

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A Mid-IR Selected Changing-Look Quasar and Physical Scenarios for Abrupt AGN Fading

We report a new changing-look quasar, WISE~J105203.55+151929.5 at $z=0.303$, found by identifying highly mid-IR variable quasars in the WISE/NEOWISE data stream. Compared to multi-epoch mid-IR photometry of a large sample of SDSS-confirmed quasars, WISE J1052+1519 is an extreme photometric outlier, fading by more than a factor of two at $3.4$ and $4.6 μ$m since 2009. Swift target-of-opportunity observations in 2017 show even stronger fading in the soft X-rays compared to the ROSAT detection of this source in 1995, with at least a factor of fifteen decrease. We obtained second-epoch spectroscopy with the Palomar telescope in 2017 which, when compared with the 2006 archival SDSS spectrum, reveals that the broad H$β$ emission has vanished and that the quasar has become significantly redder. The two most likely interpretations for this dramatic change are source fading or obscuration, where the latter is strongly disfavored by the mid-IR data. We discuss various physical scenarios that could cause such changes in the quasar luminosity over this timescale, and favor changes in the innermost regions of the accretion disk that occur on the thermal and heating/cooling front timescales. We discuss possible physical triggers that could cause these changes, and predict the multiwavelength signatures that could distinguish these physical scenarios.

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The Discovery of a Gravitationally Lensed Supernova Ia at Redshift 2.22

We present the discovery and measurements of a gravitationally lensed supernova (SN) behind the galaxy cluster MOO J1014+0038. Based on multi-band Hubble Space Telescope and Very Large Telescope (VLT) photometry of the supernova, and VLT spectroscopy of the host galaxy, we find a 97.5% probability that this SN is a SN Ia, and a 2.5% chance of a CC SN. Our typing algorithm combines the shape and color of the light curve with the expected rates of each SN type in the host galaxy. With a redshift of 2.2216, this is the highest redshift SN Ia discovered with a spectroscopic host-galaxy redshift. A further distinguishing feature is that the lensing cluster, at redshift 1.23, is the most distant to date to have an amplified SN. The SN lies in the middle of the color and light-curve shape distributions found at lower redshift, disfavoring strong evolution to z = 2.22. We estimate an amplification due to gravitational lensing of 2.8+0.6-0.5 (1.10 +- 0.23 mag)---compatible with the value estimated from the weak-lensing-derived mass and the mass-concentration relation from LambdaCDM simulations---making it the most amplified SN Ia discovered behind a galaxy cluster.

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An Iwasawa-Taniguchi Effect for Compton-thick Active Galactic Nuclei

We present the first study of an Iwasawa-Taniguchi/X-ray Baldwin effect for Compton-thick active galactic nuclei (AGN). We report a statistically significant anti-correlation between the rest-frame equivalent width (EW) of the narrow core of the neutral Fe K$α$ fluorescence emission line, ubiquitously observed in the reflection spectra of obscured AGN, and the mid-infrared 12$\,μ$m continuum luminosity (taken as a proxy for the bolometric AGN luminosity). Our sample consists of 72 Compton-thick AGN selected from pointed and deep-field observations covering a redshift range of $z\sim0.0014-3.7$. We employ a Monte Carlo-based fitting method, which returns a Spearman's Rank correlation coefficient of $ρ=-0.28\pm0.12$, significant to 98.7% confidence. The best fit found is ${\rm log}({\rm EW}_{{\rm Fe\,K}α})\,\propto\,-0.08\pm0.04\,{\rm log}(L_{12\,μ{\rm m}})$, which is consistent with multiple studies of the X-ray Baldwin effect for unobscured and mildly obscured AGN. This is an unexpected result, as the Fe K$α$ line is conventionally thought to originate from the same region as the underlying reflection continuum, which together constitute the reflection spectrum. We discuss the implications this could have if confirmed on larger samples, including a systematic underestimation of the line of sight X-ray obscuring column density and hence the intrinsic luminosities and growth rates for the most luminous AGN.

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$HST$ Grism Confirmation of $16$ Structures at $1.4 < z < 2.8$ from the Clusters Around Radio-Loud AGN (CARLA) Survey

We report spectroscopic results from our 40-orbit $Hubble~Space~Telescope$ slitless grism spectroscopy program observing the 20 densest CARLA candidate galaxy clusters at $1.4 < z < 2.8$. These candidate rich structures, among the richest and most distant known, were identified on the basis of $[3.6]-[4.5]$ color from a $408~$hr multi-cycle $Spitzer$ program targeting $420$ distant radio-loud AGN. We report the spectroscopic confirmation of $16$ distant structures at $1.4 < z < 2.8$ associated with the targeted powerful high-redshift radio-loud AGN. We also report the serendipitous discovery and spectroscopic confirmation of seven additional structures at $0.87 < z < 2.12$ not associated with the targeted radio-loud AGN. We find that $10^{10} - 10^{11}\,M_{\odot}$ member galaxies of our confirmed CARLA structures form significantly fewer stars than their field counterparts at all redshifts within $1.4\leq z\leq 2$. We also observe higher star-forming activity in the structure cores up to $z = 2$, finding similar trends as cluster surveys at slightly lower redshifts ($1.0 < z < 1.5$). By design, our efficient strategy of obtaining just two grism orbits per field only obtains spectroscopic confirmation of emission-line galaxies. Deeper spectroscopy will be required to study the population of evolved, massive galaxies in these (forming) clusters. Lacking multi-band coverage of the fields, we adopt a very conservative approach of calling all confirmations "structures", although we note that a number of features are consistent with some of them being bona fide galaxy clusters. Together, this survey represents a unique and large homogenous sample of spectroscopically confirmed structures at high redshifts, potentially more than doubling the census of confirmed, massive clusters at $z > 1.4$.

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Magnetic field strength of a neutron-star-powered ultraluminous X-ray source

Ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) are bright X-ray sources in nearby galaxies not associated with the central supermassive black hole. Their luminosities imply they are powered by either an extreme accretion rate onto a compact stellar remnant, or an intermediate mass ($\sim100-10^5$ M$_{\odot}$) black hole. The recent detection of coherent pulsations coming from three bright ULXs demonstrates that some of these sources are powered by accretion onto a neutron star, implying accretion rates significantly in excess of the Eddington limit, a high degree of geometric beaming, or both. The physical challenges associated with the high implied accretion rates can be mitigated if the neutron star surface field is high - in the magnetar regime ($10^{14}$ G), since this suppresses the electron scattering cross section, reducing the radiation pressure that chokes off accretion for high luminosities. One of the few ways to determine surface magnetic fields is through the detection of cyclotron resonance scattering features (CRSFs) produced by the transition of charged particles between quantized Landau levels. To date, CRSFs have only been detected in Galactic accreting pulsars. Here we present the detection at 3.8-σ significance of a strong absorption line at a rest-frame energy of 4.5 keV in the Chandra spectrum of a ULX in M51. We find that this feature is likely to be a CRSF produced by the strong magnetic field of a neutron star. Assuming scattering off electrons, the magnetic field strength is implied to be $\sim10^{11}$ G, however the line is narrower than any electron CRSFs previously observed, and assuming thermal broadening, the implied temperature is significantly cooler than the accretion disk or column. The line shape is, however, consistent with a proton resonance scattering feature, implying that the neutron star has a magnetic field near the surface of B$\sim10^{15}$ G.

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$p$-Harmonic Maps to $S^1$ and Stationary Varifolds of Codimension 2

We study the asymptotics as $p\uparrow 2$ of stationary $p$-harmonic maps $u_p\in W^{1,p}(M,S^1)$ from a compact manifold $M^n$ to $S^1$, satisfying the natural energy growth condition $$\int_M|du_p|^p=O(\frac{1}{2-p}).$$ Along a subsequence $p_j\to 2$, we show that the singular sets $Sing(u_{p_j})$ converge to the support of a stationary, rectifiable $(n-2)$-varifold $V$ of density $Θ_{n-2}(\|V\|,\cdot)\geq 2π$, given by the concentrated part of the measure $$μ=\lim_{j\to\infty}(2-p_j)|du_{p_j}|^{p_j}dv_g.$$ When $n=2$, we show moreover that the density of $\|V\|$ takes values in $2π\mathbb{N}$. Finally, on every compact manifold of dimension $n\geq 2$ we produce examples of nontrivial families $(1,2)\ni p\mapsto u_p\in W^{1,p}(M,S^1)$ of such maps via natural min-max constructions.

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High redshift extremely red quasars in X-rays

Quasars may have played a key role in limiting the stellar mass of massive galaxies. Identifying those quasars in the process of removing star formation fuel from their hosts is an exciting ongoing challenge in extragalactic astronomy. In this paper we present X-ray observations of eleven extremely red quasars (ERQs) with $L_{\rm bol}\sim 10^{47}$ erg s$^{-1}$ at $z=1.5-3.2$ with evidence for high-velocity ($v > 1000$ km s$^{-1}$) [OIII]$λ$5007Å outflows. X-rays allow us to directly probe circumnuclear obscuration and to measure the instantaneous accretion luminosity. We detect ten out of eleven extremely red quasars available in targeted and archival data. Using a combination of X-ray spectral fitting and hardness ratios, we find that all of the ERQs show signs of absorption in the X-rays with inferred column densities of $N_{\rm H}\approx 10^{23}$ cm$^{-2}$, including four Compton-thick candidates ($N_{\rm H} > 10^{24}$ cm$^{-2}$). We stack the X-ray emission of the seven weakly detected sources, measuring an average column density of $N_{\rm H}\sim 8\times 10^{23}$ cm$^{-2}$. The absorption-corrected (intrinsic) $2-10$ keV X-ray luminosity of the stack is $2.7\times 10^{45}$ erg s$^{-1}$, consistent with X-ray luminosities of type 1 quasars of the same infrared luminosity. Thus, we find that ERQs are a highly obscured, borderline Compton-thick population, and based on optical and infrared data we suggest that these objects are partially hidden by their own equatorial outflows. However, unlike some quasars with known outflows, ERQs do not appear to be intrinsically underluminous in X-rays for their bolometric luminosity. Our observations indicate that low X-rays are not necessary to enable some types of radiatively driven winds.

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Eddington-Limited Accretion in z~2 WISE-selected Hot, Dust-Obscured Galaxies

Hot, Dust-Obscured Galaxies, or "Hot DOGs", are a rare, dusty, hyperluminous galaxy population discovered by the WISE mission. Predominantly at redshifts 2-3, they include the most luminous known galaxies in the universe. Their high luminosities likely come from accretion onto highly obscured super massive black holes (SMBHs). We have conducted a pilot survey to measure the SMBH masses of five z~2 Hot DOGs via broad H_alpha emission lines, using Keck/MOSFIRE and Gemini/FLAMINGOS-2. We detect broad H_alpha emission in all five Hot DOGs. We find substantial corresponding SMBH masses for these Hot DOGs (~ 10^{9} M_sun), and their derived Eddington ratios are close to unity. These z~2 Hot DOGs are the most luminous AGNs at given BH masses, suggesting they are accreting at the maximum rates for their BHs. A similar property is found for known z~6 quasars. Our results are consistent with scenarios in which Hot DOGs represent a transitional, high-accretion phase between obscured and unobscured quasars. Hot DOGs may mark a special evolutionary stage before the red quasar and optical quasar phases, and they may be present at other cosmic epochs.

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