arXiv subjects

Masafusa Onoue

Publications and source records attributed to Masafusa Onoue.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

Hydrogen reionisation ends by $z=5.3$: Lyman-$α$ optical depth measured by the XQR-30 sample

The presence of excess scatter in the Ly-$α$ forest at $z\sim 5.5$, together with the existence of sporadic extended opaque Gunn-Peterson troughs, has started to provide robust evidence for a late end of hydrogen reionisation. However, low data quality and systematic uncertainties complicate the use of Ly-$α$ transmission as a precision probe of reionisation's end stages. In this paper, we assemble a sample of 67 quasar sightlines at $z>5.5$ with high signal-to-noise ratios of $>10$ per $\leq 15$ km s$^{-1}$ spectral pixel, relying largely on the new XQR-30 quasar sample. XQR-30 is a large program on VLT/X-Shooter which obtained deep (SNR $>20$ per pixel) spectra of 30 quasars at $z>5.7$. We carefully account for systematics in continuum reconstruction, instrumentation, and contamination by damped Ly-$α$ systems. We present improved measurements of the mean Ly-$α$ transmission over $4.9 3.5 σ$). Our results indicate that reionisation-related fluctuations, whether in the UVB, residual neutral hydrogen fraction, and/or IGM temperature, persist in the intergalactic medium until at least $z=5.3$ ($t=1.1$ Gyr after the Big Bang). This is further evidence for a late end to reionisation.

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arXiv2022

Chemical Abundance of z~6 Quasar Broad-Line Regions in the XQR-30 Sample

The elemental abundances in the broad-line regions of high-redshift quasars trace the chemical evolution in the nuclear regions of massive galaxies in the early universe. In this work, we study metallicity-sensitive broad emission-line flux ratios in rest-frame UV spectra of 25 high-redshift (5.8 < z < 7.5) quasars observed with the VLT/X-shooter and Gemini/GNIRS instruments, ranging over $\log(M_{\rm{BH}}/M_{\odot})= 8.4-9.8$ in black hole mass and $\log(L_{\rm{bol}}/\rm{erg\, s}^{-1})= 46.7-47.7$ in bolometric luminosity. We fit individual spectra and composites generated by binning across quasar properties: bolometric luminosity, black hole mass, and blueshift of the \civ\, line, finding no redshift evolution in the emission-line ratios by comparing our high-redshift quasars to lower-redshift (2.0 < z < 5.0) results presented in the literature. Using Cloudy-based locally optimally-emitting cloud photoionisation model relations between metallicity and emission-line flux ratios, we find the observable properties of the broad emission lines to be consistent with emission from gas clouds with metallicity that are at least 2-4 times solar. Our high-redshift measurements also confirm that the blueshift of the CIV emission line is correlated with its equivalent width, which influences line ratios normalised against CIV. When accounting for the CIV blueshift, we find that the rest-frame UV emission-line flux ratios do not correlate appreciably with the black hole mass or bolometric luminosity.

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arXiv2022

Co-evolution of massive black holes and their host galaxies at high redshift: discrepancies from six cosmological simulations and the key role of JWST

The James Webb Space Telescope will have the power to characterize high-redshift quasars at z>6 with an unprecedented depth and spatial resolution. While the brightest quasars at such redshift (i.e., with bolometric luminosity L_bol> 10^46 erg/s) provide us with key information on the most extreme objects in the Universe, measuring the black hole (BH) mass and Eddington ratios of fainter quasars with L_bol= 10^45-10^46 erg/s opens a path to understand the build-up of more normal BHs at z>6. In this paper, we show that the Illustris, TNG100, TNG300, Horizon-AGN, EAGLE, and SIMBA large-scale cosmological simulations do not agree on whether BHs at z>4 are overmassive or undermassive at fixed galaxy stellar mass with respect to the M_BH-M_star scaling relation at z=0 (BH mass offsets). Our conclusions are unchanged when using the local scaling relation produced by each simulation or empirical relations. We find that the BH mass offsets of the simulated faint quasar population at z>4, unlike those of bright quasars, represent the BH mass offsets of the entire BH population, for all the simulations. Thus, a population of faint quasars with L_bol= 10^45-10^46 erg/s observed by JWST can provide key constraints on the assembly of BHs at high redshift. Moreover, this will help constraining the high-redshift regime of cosmological simulations, including BH seeding, early growth, and co-evolution with the host galaxies. Our results also motivate the need for simulations of larger cosmological volumes down to z=6, with the same diversity of sub-grid physics, in order to gain statistics on the most extreme objects at high redshift.

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arXiv2022

Rapid growth of seed black holes during early bulge formation

We study the early growth of massive seed black holes (BHs) via accretion in protogalactic nuclei where the stellar bulge component is assembled, performing axisymmetric two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamical simulations. We find that when a seed BH with $M_\bullet \sim 10^5~M_\odot$ is embedded in dense metal-poor gas ($Z=0.01~Z_\odot$) with a density of $\gtrsim 100~{\rm cm}^{-3}$ and bulge stars with a total mass of $M_\star \gtrsim 100~M_\bullet$, a massive gaseous disk feeds the BH efficiently at rates of $\gtrsim 0.3-1~M_\odot~{\rm yr}^{-1}$ and the BH mass increases nearly tenfold within $\sim 2$ Myr. This rapid accretion phase lasts until a good fraction of the gas bounded within the bulge accretes onto the BH, although the feeding rate is regulated owing to strong outflows driven by ionizing radiation emitted from the accreting BH. The transient growing mode can be triggered for seed BHs formed in massive dark-matter halos with masses of $\gtrsim 10^9~M_\odot$ at $z\sim 15-20$ (the virial temperature is $T_{\rm vir}\simeq 10^5~{\rm K}$). The host halos are heavier and rarer than those of typical first galaxies, but are more likely to end up in quasar hosts by $z\simeq 6$. This mechanism naturally yields a mass ratio of $M_\bullet/M_\star >0.01$ higher than the value seen in the local universe and the existence of such overmassive BHs provides us a unique opportunity of detecting highly accreting seed BHs at $z\sim 15$ with AB magnitude of $m_{\rm AB} \sim26 - 29$ mag at $2~μ{\rm m}$ (rest-frame 10 eV) by the upcoming observations by the James Webb Space Telescope and Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

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arXiv2021

Subaru High-z Exploration of Low-Luminosity Quasars (SHELLQs). XVI. 69 New Quasars at 5.8 < z < 7.0

We present the spectroscopic discovery of 69 quasars at 5.8 < z < 7.0, drawn from the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) Subaru Strategic Program (SSP) imaging survey data. This is the 16th publication from the Subaru High-z Exploration of Low-Luminosity Quasars (SHELLQs) project, and completes identification of all but the faintest candidates (i.e., i-band dropouts with zAB < 24 and y-band detections, and z-band dropouts with yAB < 24) with Bayesian quasar probability Pq > 0.1 in the HSC-SSP third public data release (PDR3). The sample reported here also includes three quasars with Pq < 0.1 at z ~ 6.6, which we selected in an effort to completely cover the reddest point sources with simple color cuts. The number of high-z quasars discovered in SHELLQs has now grown to 162, including 23 type-II quasar candidates. This paper also presents identification of seven galaxies at 5.6 < z < 6.7, an [O III] emitter at z = 0.954, and 31 Galactic cool stars and brown dwarfs. High-z quasars and galaxies comprise 75 % and 16 % respectively of all the spectroscopic SHELLQs objects that pass our latest selection algorithm with the PDR3 photometry. That is, a total of 91 % of the objects lie at z > 5.6. This demonstrates that the algorithm has very high efficiency, even though we are probing an unprecedentedly low-luminosity population down to M1450 ~ -21 mag.

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arXiv2021

Subaru High-z Exploration of Low-Luminosity Quasars (SHELLQs). XIV. A Candidate Type-II Quasar at z=6.1292

We present deep Keck/MOSFIRE near-infrared spectroscopy of a strong Lyman alpha emitting source at z=6.1292, HSC J142331.71-001809.1, which was discovered by the SHELLQS program from imaging data of the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) survey. This source is one of five objects that show unresolved (<230 km s-1) and prominent (>10^44 erg s-1) Lyman alpha emission lines at absolute 1450 angstrom continuum magnitudes of M1450~-22 mag. Its rest-frame Lyman alpha equivalent width (EW) is 370+/-30 angstrom. In the 2 hour Keck/MOSFIRE spectrum in Y band, the high-ionization CIV 1548,1550 doublet emission line was clearly detected with FWHM =120+/-20 km s-1 and a total rest-frame EW of 37-5+6 angstrom. We also report the detection of weak continuum emission, and the tentative detection of OIII] 1661,1666 in the 4 hour J band spectrum. Judging from the UV magnitude, line widths, luminosities, and EWs of Lyman alpha and CIV, we suggest that this source is a reionization-era analog of classical type-II AGNs, although there is a possibility that it represents a new population of AGN/galaxy composite objects in the early universe. We compare the properties of J1423-0018 to intermediate-redshift type-II AGNs and CIV emitters seen in z=6-7 galaxy samples. Further observations of other metal emission lines in the rest-frame UV or optical, and X-ray follow-up observations of the z=6-7 narrow-line quasars are needed for more robust diagnostics and to determine their nature.

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arXiv2021

Optical Spectroscopy of Dual Quasar Candidates from the Subaru HSC-SSP program

We report on a spectroscopic program to search for dual quasars using Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) images of SDSS quasars which represent an important stage during galaxy mergers. Using Subaru/FOCAS and Gemini-N/GMOS, we identify three new physically associated quasar pairs having projected separations less than 20 kpc, out of 26 observed candidates. These include the discovery of the highest redshift ($z=3.1$) quasar pair with a separation $<$ 10 kpc. Based on the sample acquired to date, the success rate of identifying physically associated dual quasars is $19\%$ when excluding stars based on their HSC colors. Using the full sample of six spectroscopically confirmed dual quasars, we find that the black holes in these systems have black hole masses ($M_{BH} \sim 10^{8-9}M_{\odot}$) similar to single SDSS quasars as well as their bolometric luminosities and Eddington ratios. We measure the stellar mass of their host galaxies based on 2D image decomposition of the five-band ($grizy$) optical emission and assess the mass relation between supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and their hosts. Dual SMBHs appear to have elevated masses relative to their host galaxies. Thus mergers may not necessarily align such systems onto the local mass relation, as suggested by the Horizon-AGN simulation. This study suggests that dual luminous quasars are triggered prior to the final coalescence of the two SMBHs, resulting in early mass growth of the black holes relative to their host galaxies.

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arXiv2021

Subaru High-z Exploration of Low-Luminosity Quasars (SHELLQs). XIII. Large-scale Feedback and Star Formation in a Low-Luminosity Quasar at z = 7.07 on the Local Black Hole to Host Mass Relation

We present ALMA [CII] 158 $μ$m line and underlying far-infrared (FIR) continuum emission observations ($0''.70 \times 0''.56$ resolution) toward HSC J124353.93$+$010038.5 (J1243$+$0100) at $z = 7.07$, the only low-luminosity ($M_{\rm 1450} > -25$ mag) quasar currently known at $z > 7$. The FIR continuum is bright (1.52 mJy) and resolved with a total luminosity of $L_{\rm FIR} = 3.5 \times 10^{12}~L_\odot$. The spatially extended component is responsible for $\sim 40\%$ of the emission. The area-integrated [CII] spectrum shows a broad wing (${\rm FWHM} = 997$ km s$^{-1}$, $L_{\rm [CII]} = 1.2 \times 10^9~L_\odot$) as well as a bright core (${\rm FWHM} = 235$ km s$^{-1}$, $L_{\rm [CII]} = 1.9 \times 10^9~L_\odot$). This wing is the first detection of a galactic-scale quasar-driven outflow (atomic outflow rate $> 447~M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$) at $z > 7$. The estimated large mass loading factor of the total outflow (e.g., $\gtrsim 9$ relative to the [CII]-based SFR) suggests that this outflow will soon quench the star-formation of the host. The core gas dynamics are governed by rotation, with a rotation curve suggestive of a compact bulge ($\sim 3.3 \times 10^{10}~M_\odot$), although it is not yet spatially resolved. Finally, we found that J1243$+$0100 has a black hole mass-to-dynamical mass ratio (and -to-bulge mass ratio) of $\sim 0.4\%$ ($\sim 1\%$), consistent with the local value within uncertainties. Our results therefore suggest that the black hole-host co-evolution relation is already in place at $z \sim 7$ for this object.

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arXiv2021

Random Forests as a viable method to select and discover high redshift quasars

We present a method of selecting quasars up to redshift $\approx$ 6 with random forests, a supervised machine learning method, applied to Pan-STARRS1 and WISE data. We find that, thanks to the increasing set of known quasars we can assemble a training set that enables supervised machine learning algorithms to become a competitive alternative to other methods up to this redshift. We present a candidate set for the redshift range 4.8 to 6.3 which includes the region around z = 5.5 where quasars are difficult to select due to photometric similarity to red and brown dwarfs. We demonstrate that under our survey restrictions we can reach a high completeness ($66 \pm 7 \%$ below redshift 5.6 / $83^{+6}_{-9}\%$ above redshift 5.6) while maintaining a high selection efficiency ($78^{+10}_{-8}\%$ / $94^{+5}_{-8}\%$). Our selection efficiency is estimated via a novel method based on the different distributions of quasars and contaminants on the sky. The final catalog of 515 candidates includes 225 known quasars. We predict the candidate catalog to contain an additional $148^{+41}_{-33}$ new quasars below redshift 5.6 and $45^{+5}_{-8}$ above and make the catalog publicly available. Spectroscopic follow-up observations of 37 candidates lead us to discover 20 new high redshift quasars (18 at $4.6\le z\le5.5$, 2 $z\sim5.7$). These observations are consistent with our predictions on efficiency. We argue that random forests can lead to higher completeness because our candidate set contains a number of objects that would be rejected by common color cuts, including one of the newly discovered redshift 5.7 quasars.

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arXiv2021

Subaru High-z Exploration of Low-Luminosity Quasars (SHELLQs) XII. Extended [C II] Structure (Merger or Outflow) in a z = 6.72 Red Quasar

We present ALMA [C II] 158 $μ$m line and far-infrared (FIR) continuum emission observations toward HSC J120505.09$-$000027.9 (J1205$-$0000) at $z = 6.72$ with the beam size of $\sim 0''.8 \times 0''.5$ (or 4.1 kpc $\times$ 2.6 kpc), the most distant red quasar known to date. Red quasars are modestly reddened by dust, and are thought to be in rapid transition from an obscured starburst to an unobscured normal quasar, driven by powerful active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback which blows out a cocoon of interstellar medium (ISM). The FIR continuum of J1205$-$0000 is bright, with an estimated luminosity of $L_{\rm FIR} \sim 3 \times 10^{12}~L_\odot$. The [C II] line emission is extended on scales of $r \sim 5$ kpc, greater than the FIR continuum. The line profiles at the extended regions are complex and broad (FWHM $\sim 630-780$ km s$^{-1}$). Although it is not practical to identify the nature of this extended structure, possible explanations include (i) companion/merging galaxies and (ii) massive AGN-driven outflows. For the case of (i), the companions are modestly star-forming ($\sim 10~M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$), but are not detected by our Subaru optical observations ($y_{\rm AB,5σ} = 24.4$ mag). For the case of (ii), our lower-limit to the cold neutral outflow rate is $\sim 100~M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$. The outflow kinetic energy and momentum are both much smaller than what predicted in energy-conserving wind models, suggesting that the AGN feedback in this quasar is not capable of completely suppressing its star formation.

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arXiv2020

Interstellar and Circumgalactic Properties of an Unseen $z=6.84$ Galaxy: Abundances, Ionization, and Heating in the Earliest Known Quasar Absorber

We analyze relative abundances and ionization conditions in a strong absorption system at z=6.84, seen in the spectrum of the z=7.54 background quasar ULAS J134208.10+092838.61. Singly ionized C, Si, Fe, Mg, and Al measurements are consistent with a warm neutral medium that is metal-poor but not chemically pristine. Firm non-detections of C IV and Si IV imply that any warm ionized phase of the IGM or CGM has not yet been enriched past the ultra-metal-poor regime (<0.001Z_{solar}), unlike lower redshift DLAs where these lines are nearly ubiquitous. Relative abundances of the heavy elements 794 Myr after the Big Bang resemble those of metal-poor damped Lyman Alpha systems at intermediate redshift and Milky Way halo stars, and show no evidence of enhanced [alpha/Fe], [C/Fe] or other signatures of yields dominated by massive stars. A detection of the CII* fine structure line reveals local sources of excitation from heating, beyond the level of photo-excitation supplied by the CMB. We estimate the total and [CII] cooling rates, balancing against ISM heating sources to develop an heuristic two-phase model of the neutral medium. The implied heating requires a surface density of star formation slightly exceeding that of the Milky Way but not at the level of a strong starburst. For a typical (assumed) NHI=10^{20.6}, an abundance of [Fe/H]=-2.2 matches the columns of species in the neutral phase. To remain undetected in C IV, a warm ionized phase would either need much lower [C/H]<-4.2 over an absorption path of 1 kpc, or else a very small absorption path (a few pc). While still speculative, these results suggest a significant reduction in heavy element enrichment outside of neutral star forming regions of the ISM, as would be expected in early stages of galactic chemical evolution.

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arXiv2020

Faint Quasars Live in the Same Number Density Environments as Lyman Break Galaxies at z ~ 4

Characterizing high-z quasar environments is key to understanding the co-evolution of quasars and the surrounding galaxies. To restrict their global picture, we statistically examine the g-dropout galaxy overdensity distribution around 570 faint quasar candidates at z ~ 4, based on the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program survey. We compare the overdensity significances of g-dropout galaxies around the quasars with those around g-dropout galaxies, and find no significant difference between their distributions. A total of 4 (22) out of the 570 faint quasars, 0.7_{-0.4}^{+0.4} (3.9_{-0.8}^{+0.8}) %, are found to be associated with the > 4 sigma overdense regions within an angular separation of 1.8 (3.0) arcmin, which is the typical size of protoclusters at this epoch. This is similar to the fraction of g-dropout galaxies associated with the > 4 sigma overdense regions. This result is consistent with our previous work that 1.3_{-0.9}^{+0.9} % and 2.0_{-1.1}^{+1.1} % of luminous quasars detected in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey exist in the > 4 sigma overdense regions within 1.8 and 3.0 arcmin separations, respectively. Therefore, we suggest that the galaxy number densities around quasars are independent of their luminosity, and most quasars do not preferentially appear in the richest protocluster regions at z ~ 4. The lack of an apparent positive correlation between the quasars and the protoclusters implies that: i) the gas-rich major merger rate is relatively low in the protocluster regions, ii) most high-z quasars may appear through secular processes, or iii) some dust-obscured quasars exist in the protocluster regions.

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arXiv2020

The X-SHOOTER/ALMA sample of Quasars in the Epoch of Reionization. I. NIR spectral modeling, iron enrichment and broad emission line properties

We present X-SHOOTER near-infrared spectroscopy of a large sample of 38 luminous ($M_{1450}=-29.0$ to $-24.4$) quasars at $5.78<z<7.54$, which have complementary CII observations from ALMA. This X-SHOOTER/ALMA sample provides us with the most comprehensive view of reionization-era quasars to date, allowing us to connect the quasar properties with those of its host galaxy. In this work we introduce the sample, discuss data reduction and spectral fitting, and present an analysis of the broad emission line properties. The measured FeII/MgII flux ratio suggests that the broad line regions of all quasars in the sample are already enriched in iron. We also find the MgII line to be on average blueshifted with respect to the CII redshift with a median of $-391\,\rm{km}\,\rm{s}^{-1}$. A significant correlation between the MgII-CII and CIV-CII velocity shifts indicates a common physical origin. Furthermore, we frequently detect large CIV-MgII emission line velocity blueshifts in our sample with a median value of $-1848\,\rm{km}\,\rm{s}^{-1}$. While we find all other broad emission line properties not to be evolving with redshift, the median CIV-MgII blueshift is much larger than found in low-redshift, luminosity-matched quasars ($-800\,\rm{km}\,\rm{s}^{-1}$). Dividing our sample into two redshift bins, we confirm an increase of the average CIV-MgII blueshift with increasing redshift. Future observations of the rest-frame optical spectrum with the James Webb Space Telescope will be instrumental in further constraining the possible evolution of quasar properties in the epoch of reionization.

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arXiv2020

The Faint End of the Quasar Luminosity Function at $z \sim 5$ from the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam Survey

We present the quasar luminosity function at $z \sim 5$ derived from the optical wide-field survey data obtained as a part of the Subaru strategic program (SSP) with Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC). From $\sim$81.8 deg$^2$ area in the Wide layer of the HSC-SSP survey, we selected 224 candidates of low-luminosity quasars at $z \sim 5$ by adopting the Lyman-break method down to $i = 24.1$ mag. Based on our candidates and spectroscopically-confirmed quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), we derived the quasar luminosity function at $z \sim 5$ covering a wide luminosity range of $-28.76 < M_{\rm 1450} < -22.32$ mag. We found that the quasar luminosity function is fitted by a double power-law model with a break magnitude of $M^{*}_{1450} = -25.05^{+0.10}_{-0.24}$ mag. The inferred number density of low-luminosity quasars is lower, and the derived faint-end slope, $-1.22^{+0.03}_{-0.10}$, is flatter than those of previous studies at $z \sim 5$. A compilation of the quasar luminosity function at $4 \leq z \leq 6$ from the HSC-SSP suggests that there is little redshift evolution in the break magnitude and in the faint-end slope within this redshift range, although previous studies suggest that the faint-end slope becomes steeper at higher redshifts. The number density of low-luminosity quasars decreases more rapidly from $z \sim 5$ to $z \sim 6$ than from $z \sim 4$ to $z \sim 5$.

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arXiv2020

Probing the Nature of High Redshift Weak Emission Line Quasars: A Young Quasar with a Starburst Host Galaxy

We present the discovery of PSO J083.8371+11.8482, a weak emission line quasar with extreme star formation rate at $z=6.3401$. This quasar was selected from Pan-STARRS1, UHS, and unWISE photometric data. Gemini/GNIRS spectroscopy follow-up indicates a MgII-based black hole mass of $M_\mathrm{BH}=\left(2.0^{+0.7}_{-0.4}\right)\times10^9~M_\odot$ and an Eddington ratio of $L_\mathrm{bol}/L_\mathrm{Edd}=0.5^{+0.1}_{-0.2}$, in line with actively accreting supermassive black hole (SMBH) at $z\gtrsim6$. HST imaging sets strong constraint on lens-boosting, showing no relevant effect on the apparent emission. The quasar is also observed as a pure point-source with no additional emission component. The broad line region (BLR) emission is intrinsically weak and not likely caused by an intervening absorber. We found rest-frame equivalent widths of EW(Ly$α$+NV) $=5.7\pm0.7$ Angstrom, EW(CIV) $\leq5.8$ Angstrom (3-sigma upper limit), and EW(MgII) $=8.7\pm0.7$ Angstrom. A small proximity zone size ($R_\mathrm{p}=1.2\pm0.4$ pMpc) indicates a lifetime of only $t_\mathrm{Q}=10^{3.4\pm0.7}$ years from the last quasar phase ignition. ALMA shows extended [CII] emission with a mild velocity gradient. The inferred far-infrared luminosity ($L_\mathrm{FIR}=(1.2\pm0.1)\times10^{13}\,L_\odot$) is one of the highest among all known quasar hosts at $z\gtrsim6$. Dust and [CII] emissions put a constraint on the star formation rate of SFR $=900-4900~M_\odot\,\mathrm{yr^{-1}}$, similar to that of hyper-luminous infrared galaxy. Considering the observed quasar lifetime and BLR formation timescale, the weak-line profile in the quasar spectrum is most likely caused by a BLR which is not yet fully formed rather than continuum boosting by gravitational lensing or a soft continuum due to super-Eddington accretion.

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arXiv2020

Subaru High-z Exploration of Low-Luminosity Quasars (SHELLQs). XI. Proximity Zone Analysis for Faint Quasar Spectra at z~6

We present measurements of the size of the quasar proximity zone ($R_p$) for eleven low-luminosity ($-26.16\leq M_{1450}\leq-22.83$) quasars at $z\sim6$, discovered by the Subaru High-$z$ Exploration of Low-Luminosity Quasars project (SHELLQs). Our faint quasar sample expands the $R_p$ measurement down to $M_{1450}=-22.83$ mag, where more common quasar populations dominate at the epoch. We restrict the sample to quasars whose systemic redshifts have been precisely measured by [CII] 158 $μ$m or MgII $λ$2798 emission lines. We also update the $R_p$ measurements for 26 luminous quasars presented in Eilers et al. (2017)(arXiv:1703.02539) by using the latest systemic redshift results. The luminosity dependence on $R_p$ is found to be consistent with the theoretical prediction assuming highly ionized intergalactic medium. We find a shallow redshift evolution of the luminosity-corrected $R_p$, $R_{p,{\rm corr}}^{-25}$ ($R_{p, \rm corr}^{-25}\propto(1+z)^{-3.79\pm1.72}$) over $5.8\lesssim z \lesssim6.6$. This trend is steeper than that of Eilers et al. (2017) but significantly shallower than those of the earlier studies. Our results suggest that $R_{p,\rm corr}$ is insensitive to the neutral fraction of the universe at $z\sim6$. Four quasars show exceptionally small $R_{p,\rm corr}^{-25}$ ($ \lesssim0.90$ proper Mpc), which could be the result of their young age ($<10^4$ yr) in the reionization epoch, though statistics is still small.

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arXiv2020

Statistical correlation between the distribution of Ly$α$ emitters and IGM HI at $z\sim2.2$ mapped by Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam

The correlation between neutral Hydrogen (HI) in the intergalactic medium (IGM) and galaxies now attracts great interests. We select four fields which include several coherently strong Ly$α$ absorption systems at $z\sim2.2$ detected by using background quasars from the whole SDSS/(e)BOSS database. Deep narrow-band and $g$-band imaging are performed using the Hyper Suprime-Cam on the Subaru Telescope. We select out 2,642 Ly$α$ emitter (LAE) candidates at $z=2.177\pm0.023$ down to the Ly$α$ luminosity of $L_{\text{Ly}α}\approx 2 \times 10^{42} {\rm erg~s}^{-1}$ to construct the galaxy overdensity maps, covering an effective area of 5.39 deg$^2$. Combining the sample with the Ly$α$ absorption estimated from 64 (e)BOSS quasar spectra, we find a moderate to strong correlation between the LAE overdensity $δ_{\rm LAE}$ and the effective optical depth $τ_{\rm LoS}$ in line-of-sights, with $P$-value$=0.09\%$ ($<0.01\%$) when the field that contains a significant quasar overdensity is in(ex)cluded. The cross-correlation analysis also clearly suggests that up to $4\pm1$ pMpc, LAEs tend to cluster in the regions rich in HI gas, indicated by the high $τ_{\rm LoS}$, and avoid the low $τ_{\rm LoS}$ region where the HI gas is deficient. By averaging the $τ_{\rm LoS}$ as a function of the projected distance ($d$) to LAEs, we find a $30\%$ excess signal at $2σ$ level at $d<200$ pkpc, indicating the dense HI in circumgalactic medium, and a tentative excess at $400<d<600$ pkpc in IGM regime, corroborating the cross-correlation signal detected at about $0.5$ pMpc. These statistical analyses indicate that galaxy$-$IGM HI correlations exist on scales ranging from several hundred pkpc to several pMpc at $z\sim2.2$.

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arXiv2020

Subaru High-z Exploration of Low-Luminosity Quasars (SHELLQs). IX. Identification of Two Red Quasars at z > 5.6

We present the first discovery of dust-reddened quasars (red quasars) in the high-z universe (z >5.6). This is a result from the Subaru High-z Exploration of Low-Luminosity Quasars (SHELLQs) project, which is based on the sensitive multi-band optical imaging data produced by the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) Subaru Strategic Program survey. We identified four red quasar candidates from the spectroscopically confirmed 93 high-z quasars in the SHELLQs sample, based on detections in the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) data at 3.4 and 4.6 um (rest-frame ~5000-6500 A). The amount of dust reddening was estimated with spectral energy distribution (SED) fits over optical and mid-infrared wavelengths. Two of the four candidates were found to be red quasars with dust reddening of E(B-V) > 0.1. The remaining SHELLQs quasars without individual WISE detections are significantly fainter in the WISE bands and bluer than the red quasars, although we did detect them in the W1 band in a stacked image. We also conducted the same SED fits for high-z optically-luminous quasars, but no red quasar was found. This demonstrates the power of Subaru HSC to discover high-z red quasars, which are fainter than the limiting magnitudes of past surveys in the rest-frame ultraviolet, due to dust extinction.

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