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S. Foucaud

Publications and source records attributed to S. Foucaud.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

The evolution of the near-IR galaxy Luminosity Function and colour bimodality up to z ~ 2 from the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey Early Data Release

We present new results on the cosmological evolution of the near-infrared galaxy luminosity function, derived from the analysis of a new sample of \~22,000 K(AB) < 22.5 galaxies selected over an area of 0.6 square degrees from the Early Data Release of the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey (UDS). Our study has exploited the multi-wavelength coverage of the UDS field provided by the new UKIDSS WFCAM K and J-band imaging, the Subaru/XMM-Newton Deep Survey and the Spitzer-SWIRE Survey. The unique combination of large area and depth provided by this new survey minimises the complicating effect of cosmic variance and has allowed us, for the first time, to trace the evolution of the brightest sources out to z~2 with good statistical accuracy. In agreement with previous studies we find that the characteristic luminosity of the near-infrared luminosity function brightens by 1 magnitude between z=0 and z~2, while the total density decreases by a factor ~2. Using the rest-frame (U-B) colour to split the sample into red and blue galaxies, we confirm the classic luminosity-dependent colour bimodality at z<1. However, the strength of the colour bimodality is found to be a decreasing function of redshift, and seems to disappear by z>1.5. Due to the large size of our sample we are able to investigate the differing cosmological evolution of the red and blue galaxy populations. It is found that the space density of the brightest red galaxies (M_K < -23) stays approximately constant with redshift, and that these sources dominate the bright-end of the luminosity function at redshifts z<1. In contrast, the brightening of the characteristic luminosity and mild decrease in space density displayed by the blue galaxy population leads them to dominate the bright-end of the luminosity function at redshifts z>1.

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The UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey First Data Release

The First Data Release (DR1) of the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) took place on 2006 July 21. UKIDSS is a set of five large near-infrared surveys, covering a complementary range of areas, depths, and Galactic latitudes. DR1 is the first large release of survey-quality data from UKIDSS and includes 320 sq degs of multicolour data to (Vega) K=18, complete (depending on the survey) in three to five bands from the set ZYJHK, together with 4 sq degs of deep JK data to an average depth K=21. In addition the release includes a similar quantity of data with incomplete filter coverage. In JHK, in regions of low extinction, the photometric uniformity of the calibration is better than 0.02 mag. in each band. The accuracy of the calibration in ZY remains to be quantified, and the same is true of JHK in regions of high extinction. The median image FWHM across the dataset is 0.82 arcsec. We describe changes since the Early Data Release in the implementation, pipeline and calibration, quality control, and archive procedures. We provide maps of the areas surveyed, and summarise the contents of each of the five surveys in terms of filters, areas, and depths. DR1 marks completion of 7 per cent of the UKIDSS 7-year goals.

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VVDS-SWIRE: Clustering evolution from a spectroscopic sample of galaxies with redshift 0.2<z<2.1 selected from Spitzer IRAC 3.6 micron and 4.5 micron photometry

By combining the VVDS with the SWIRE data, we have built the currently largest spectroscopic sample of galaxies selected in the rest-frame near-infrared. These allow us to investigate, for the first time using spectroscopic redshifts, the clustering evolution of galaxies selected from their rest-frame near-infrared luminosity in the redshift range 0.2<z<2.1. Therefore we use the projected two-point correlation function wp(rp) to study the three dimensional clustering properties of galaxies detected at 3.6 and 4.5 microns with IRAC and for which we have spectroscopic redshifts from first epoch VVDS. We find that in the flux limited samples at 3.6 and 4.5 microns, the clustering length does not change from redshift ~2 to the present. In addition, we find that the clustering lengths are systematically higher when galaxy samples are selected from increasingly redder wavelengths. These values are larger than the typical values found for I-band selected galaxies in the same redshift range, but we find that the difference in clustering length between I-band and 3.6/4.5 microns selected samples is decreasing with increasing redshift to become comparable at z~1.5. We interpret this as evidence that galaxies with older stellar populations and galaxies actively forming stars reside in comparably overdense environments at epochs earlier than z~1.5. The increasing difference in clustering length observed between rest-frame UV-optical and infrared selected samples could then be an indication that star formation is gradually shifting to lower density regions as cosmic time increases.

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The cosmic star formation rate evolution from z=5 to z=0 from the VIMOS VLT Deep Survey

We present the evolution of the comoving SFR density in the redshift range 0 < z < 5 using the first epoch data release of the VVDS, that is 11564 spectra selected at I_AB=24 over 2200 arcmin^2 in two fields of view, the VVDS-0226-04 and the VVDS-CDFS-0332-27, and the cosmological parameters (Omega_M, Omega_L, h)=(0.3, 0.7, 0.7). We study the multi-wavelength non dust-corrected luminosity densities at 0 < z < 2 from the rest-frame FUV to the optical passbands, and the rest-frame 1500A luminosity functions and densities at 2.7 < z < 5. They evolve from z=1.2 to 0.05 according to (1+z)^{x} with x = 2.05, 1.94, 1.92, 1.14, 0.73, 0.42, 0.30 in the FUV-1500, NUV-2800, U-3600, B-4400, V-5500, R-6500, and I-7900 passbands, respectively. From z = 1.2 to 0.2 the B-band density for the irregular-like galaxies decreases markedly by a factor 3.5 while it increases by a factor 1.7 for the elliptical-like galaxies. We identify several SFR periods; from z = 5 to 3.4 the FUV-band density increases by at most 0.5dex, from z=3.4 to 1.2 it decreases by 0.08dex, from z=1.2 to 0.05 it declines steadily by 0.6dex. For the most luminous M_AB(1500) < -21 galaxies the FUV-band density drops by 2dex from z = 3.9 to 1.2, and for the intermediate -21 < M_AB(1500) < -20 galaxies it drops by 2dex from z = 0.2 to 0. Comparing with dust corrected surveys, at 0.4 < z < 2 the FUV seems obscured by a constant factor of ~1.8-2 mag, while at z < 0.5 it seems progressively less obscured by up to ~0.9-1 mag when the dust-deficient early-type population is increasingly dominating the B-band density. The VVDS results agree with a downsizing picture where the most luminous sources cease to efficiently produce new stars 12 Gyrs ago (at z~4), while intermediate luminosity sources keep producing stars until 2.5 Gyrs ago (at z~0.2).(abridged)

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The colour selection of distant galaxies in the UKIDSS Ultra-Deep Survey Early Data Release

We investigate colour selection techniques for high redshift galaxies in the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey Early Data Release (UDS EDR). Combined with very deep Subaru optical photometry, the depth (K_AB = 22.5) and area (0.62 deg^2) of the UDS EDR allows us to investigate optical/near-IR selection using a large sample of over 30,000 objects. By using the B-z, z-K colour-colour diagram (the BzK technique) we identify over 7500 candidate galaxies at z > 1.4, which can be further separated into passive and starforming systems (pBzK and sBzK respectively). Our unique sample allows us to identify a new feature not previously seen in BzK diagrams, consistent with the passively evolving track of early type galaxies at z < 1.4. We also compare the BzK technique with the R-K colour selection of Extremely Red Objects (EROs) and the J-K selection of Distant Red Galaxies (DRGs), and quantify the overlap between these populations. We find that the majority of DRGs, at these relatively bright magnitudes are also EROs. Since previous studies have found that DRGs at these magnitudes have redshifts of z ~ 1 we determine that these DRG/ERO galaxies have SEDs consistent with being dusty star-forming galaxies or AGN at z < 2. Finally we observe a flattening in the number counts of pBzK galaxies, similar to other studies, which may indicate that we are sampling the luminosity function of passive z > 1 galaxies over a narrow redshift range.

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The VVDS type-1 AGN sample: The faint end of the luminosity function

In a previous paper (Gavignaud et al. 2006), we presented the type-1 Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) sample obtained from the first epoch data of the VIMOS-VLT Deep Survey (VVDS). The sample consists of 130 faint, broad-line AGN with redshift up to z=5 and 17.5< I <24.0, selected on the basis of their spectra. In this paper we present the measurement of the Optical Luminosity Function up to z=3.6 derived from this sample, we compare our results with previous results from brighter samples both at low and at high redshift. Our data, more than one magnitude fainter than previous optical surveys, allow us to constrain the faint part of the luminosity function up to high redshift. By combining our faint VVDS sample with the large sample of bright AGN extracted from the SDSS DR3 (Richards et al., 2006b) and testing a number of different evolutionary models, we find that the model which better represents the combined luminosity functions, over a wide range of redshift and luminosity, is a luminosity dependent density evolution (LDDE) model, similar to those derived from the major X-surveys. Such a parameterization allows the redshift of the AGN space density peak to change as a function of luminosity and explains the excess of faint AGN that we find at 1.0< z <1.5. On the basis of this model we find, for the first time from the analysis of optically selected samples, that the peak of the AGN space density shifts significantly towards lower redshift going to lower luminosity objects. This result, already found in a number of X-ray selected samples of AGN, is consistent with a scenario of "AGN cosmic downsizing", in which the density of more luminous AGN, possibly associated to more massive black holes, peaks earlier in the history of the Universe, than that of low luminosity ones.

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The VIMOS-VLT Deep Survey. Color bimodality and the mix of galaxy populations up to z~2

In this paper we discuss the mix of star-forming and passive galaxies up to z~2, based on the first epoch VIMOS-VLT Deep Survey (VVDS) data.In agreement with previous works we find that the galaxy rest-frame color distribution follows a bimodal distribution at z<=1, and we establish that this bimodality holds up to z~2. The details of the rest-frame color distribution depend however on redshift and on galaxy luminosity: faint galaxies are bluer than the luminous ones over the whole redshift range of our data, and galaxies become bluer as redshift increases. This blueing trend does not depend, to a first approximation, on galaxy luminosity. Using our spectroscopic dataset we can also separate galaxies based on a star-formation, estimated combining the equivalent width of the [OII] emission line and the strength of the Dn(4000) break. The comparison between this spectral classification and the rest-frame colors shows that about 35-40 % of the red objects are star forming galaxies. Hence we conclude that the red sequence cannot be used to effectively isolate a sample of purely passively evolving objects within a cosmological survey. We also find that the color-magnitude relations derived for the color and for the spectroscopically selected early-type galaxies have remarkably similar properties, with the contaminating star-forming galaxies within the red sequence objects introducing no significant offset in the rest frame colors. Therefore the average color of the red objects does not appear to be a very sensitive indicator for measuring the evolution of the early-type galaxy population.Finally, we use the multi-band VVDS photometric data and SED fitting to derive multi-color galaxy types, which have a slightly higher efficiency than rest-frame color in isolating the passive, non star-forming galaxies within the VVDS sample.

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Number counts and clustering properties of bright Distant Red Galaxies in the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey Early Data Release

We describe the number counts and spatial distribution of 239 Distant Red Galaxies (DRGs), selected from the Early Data Release of the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey. The DRGs are identified by their very red infrared colours with (J-K)AB>1.3, selected over 0.62 sq degree to a 90% completeness limit of KAB~20.7. This is the first time a large sample of bright DRGs has been studied within a contiguous area, and we provide the first measurements of their number counts and clustering. The population shows strong angular clustering, intermediate between those of K-selected field galaxies and optical/infrared-selected Extremely Red Galaxies. Adopting the redshift distributions determined from other recent studies, we infer a high correlation length of r0~11 h-1 Mpc. Such strong clustering could imply that our galaxies are hosted by very massive dark matter halos, consistent with the progenitors of present-day L>L* elliptical galaxies.

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The VIRMOS-VLT Deep Survey: the last 10 billion years of evolution of galaxy clustering

We discuss the evolution of clustering of galaxies in the Universe from the present epoch back to z ~ 2, using the first-epoch data from the VIMOS-VLT Deep Survey (VVDS). We present the evolution of the projected two-point correlation function of galaxies for the global galaxy population, as well as its dependence on galaxy intrinsic luminosities and spectral types. While we do not find strong variations of the correlation function parameters with redshift for the global galaxy population, the clustering of objects with different intrinsic luminosities evolved significantly during last 8-10 billion years. Our findings indicate that bright galaxies in the past traced higher density peaks than they do now and that the shape of the correlation function of most luminous galaxies is different from observed for their local counterparts, which is a supporting evidence of a non-trivial evolution of the galaxy vs. dark matter bias.

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The VIMOS VLT Deep Survey:The ultraviolet galaxy luminosity function and luminosity density at 3<z<4

We study the LF of the high-z galaxy population with 3<z<4 using a purely I-band magnitude-selected spectroscopic sample obtained in the framework of the VVDS. We determine the LF from the VVDS, taking care to add as few assumptions and as simple corrections as possible, and compare our results with those obtained from photometric studies, based on Lyman-break selections or photo-z measurements. We find that in the range 3<z<4, the VVDS LF is parameterized by phi*=1.24+-0.50 10-3 mag-1 Mpc-3 and M*=-21.49+-0.19, assuming a slope alpha=-1.4 consistent with most previous studies. While phi* is comparable to previously found values, M* is significantly brighter by about 0.5 mag at least. Using the conservative slope -1.4, we find a LD at 1700A rho(M<-18.5)=2.4 10 19 W Mpc-3 and rho Tot=3.1 10 19 W Mpc-3, comparable to that estimated in other studies. The unexpectedly large number of very bright galaxies found in the VVDS indicates that the color-selection and photo-z techniques that are generally used to build high-z galaxy samples may be affected by a significant fraction of color-measurement failures or by incomplete modelling of the mix of stellar emission, AGN contribution, dust absorption and intergalactic extinction assumed to identify high-z galaxies, making pure magnitude selection better able to trace the full population. Because of the difficulty to identify all low-luminosity galaxies in a spectroscopic survey, the LD could still be significantly underestimated. We also find that the relative contribution of the most luminous galaxies compared to the fainter ones is at least twice as large in the VVDS compared to former estimates. Therefore, the VVDS paints a quite different picture of the role of the most actively star-forming galaxies in the history of star formation.

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Witnessing the build-up of the colour-density relation

We investigate the redshift and luminosity evolution of the galaxy colour-density relation using the data from the First Epoch VIMOS-VLT Deep Survey (VVDS) on scales of R=5 h^(-1)Mpc up to redshift z ~ 1.5. While at lower redshift we confirm the existence of a steep colour-density relation, with the fraction of the reddest(/bluest) galaxies of the same luminosity increasing(/decreasing) as a function of density, this trend progressively disappears in the highest redshift bins investigated.Our results suggest the existence of an epoch (more remote for brighter galaxies) characterized by the absence of the colour-density relation on the R=5 h^(-1)Mpc scales investigated. The rest frame u*-g' colour-magnitude diagram shows a bimodal pattern in both low and high density environments up to redshift z ~ 1.5. We find that the bimodal distribution is not universal but strongly depends upon environment. Both the colour-density and colour-magnitude-density relations, on the R=5 h^(-1)Mpc scales, appear to be a transient, cumulative product of genetic and environmental factors that have been operating over at least a period of 9 Gyr. These findings support an evolutionary scenario in which star formation/gas depletion processes are accelerated in more luminous objects and in high density environments: star formation activity is progressively shifting with cosmic time towards lower luminosity galaxies (downsizing), and out of high density environments.

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NIR Follow-Up of the VVDS 02hr Field

We present a new K-band survey covering 623 arcmin$^2$ in the VVDS 0226-0430 deep field down to a limiting magnitude K$_{\rm{Vega}}$ $\leq$ 20.5. We use the spectroscopic sample extracted from this new K-band catalogue to assess the effectiveness of optical-near infrared color selections in identifying extreme classes of objects at high redshift.

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Galaxy clusters at 0.6 < z < 1.4 in the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey Early Data Release

We present the first cluster catalogue extracted from the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey Early Data Release. The catalogue is created using UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey infrared J and K data combined with 3.6 micro-m and 4.5 micro-m Spitzer bands and optical BVRi'z' imaging from the Subaru Telescope over 0.5 square degrees in the Subaru XMM-Newton Deep Field. We have created a new cluster-detection algorithm, based on the Friends-Of-Friends and Voronoi Tessellation methods, which utilises probability distribution functions derived from a photometric redshift analysis. We employ mock catalogues to understand the selection effects and contamination associated with the algorithm. The cluster catalogue contains 13 clusters at redshifts 0.61 <= z <= 1.39 with luminosities 10 L* <~ L_tot <~ 50 L*, corresponding to masses 5 x 10^13 M_sun <~ M_cluster <~ 3 x 10^14 M_sun for (M/M_sun) / (L/L_sun) = 75h. The measured sky surface density of ~ 10 deg^-2 for high-redshift (z=0.5-1.5), massive (>10^14 M_sun) clusters is precisely in line with theoretical predictions presented by Kneissl et al. (2001).

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The discovery of a significant sample of massive galaxies at redshifts 5 < z < 6 in the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey Early Data Release

We have exploited the large area coverage of the combined UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey (UDS) and Subaru/XMM-Newton Deep Survey (SXDS) to search for bright Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs) at z >= 5. Using the available optical+near-infrared photometry to efficiently exclude low-redshift contaminants, we identify nine z >= 5 LBG candidates brighter than z'=25(AB) within the 0.6 square degree overlap region between the UDS early data release (EDR) and the optical coverage of the SXDS. Accounting for selection incompleteness, we estimate the corresponding surface density of z >= 5 LBGs with z'<=25(AB) to be 0.005+/-0.002 per square arcmin. Modelling of the optical+near-infrared photometry constrains the candidates' redshifts to lie in the range 5.1 < z < 5.9, and provides estimates for their stellar masses. Although the stellar mass estimates are individually uncertain, a stacking analysis suggests that the typical stellar mass of the LBG candidates is >~5x10^10 Msun which, if confirmed, places them amongst the most massive galaxies currently known at z >= 5. It is found that Lambda CDM structure formation can produce sufficient numbers of dark matter halos at z >= 5 to accommodate our estimated number density of massive LBGs for plausible values of sigma_8 and the ratio of stellar to dark matter. Moreover, it is found that recent galaxy formation models can also account for the existence of such massive galaxies at z >= 5. Finally, no evidence is found for the existence of LBGs with stellar masses in excess of ~3x10^11 Msun at this epoch, despite the large co-moving volume surveyed.

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The VIMOS VLT Deep Survey: The build-up of the colour-density relation

We investigate the redshift and luminosity evolution of the galaxy colour-density relation using the data from the First Epoch VIMOS-VLT Deep Survey (VVDS). The size (6582 galaxies), depth (I_AB<=24) and redshift sampling rate of the survey enable us to reconstruct the 3D galaxy environment on relatively local scales (R=5 Mpc) up to z~1.5. Particular attention has been devoted to calibrate a density reconstruction scheme, which factors out survey selection effects and reproduces in an unbiased way the underlying `real' galaxy environment. While at lower redshift we confirm the existence of a steep colour-density relation, with the fraction of the reddest(/bluest) galaxies of the same luminosity increasing(/decreasing) as a function of density, this trend progressively disappears in the highest redshift bins investigated. The rest frame u*-g' colour-magnitude diagram shows a bimodal pattern in both low and high density environments up to z~1.5. We find that the bimodal distribution is not universal but strongly depends upon environment: at lower redshifts the colour-magnitude diagrams in low and high density regions are significantly different while the progressive weakening of the colour-density relation causes the two bimodal distributions to nearly mirror each other in the highest redshift bin investigated. Both the colour-density and the colour-magnitude-density relations appear to be a transient, cumulative product of genetic and environmental factors operating over at least a period of 9 Gyr. These findings support an evolutionary scenario in which star formation/gas depletion processes are accelerated in more luminous objects and in high density environments: star formation activity is shifting with cosmic time towards lower luminosity (downsizing), and out of high density environments.

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The Canada-France Deep Fields III: Photometric Redshift Distribution to I(AB) ~ 24

We compute accurate redshift distributions to I(AB) = 24 and R(AB) = 24.5 using photometric redshifts estimated from six-band UBVRIZ photometry in the Canada-France Deep Fields-Photometric Redshift Survey (CFDF-PRS). Our photometric redshift algorithm is calibrated using hundreds of CFRS spectroscopic redshifts in the same fields. The dispersion in redshift is σ/(1+z) \la 0.04 to the CFRS depth of I(AB) = 22.5, rising to σ/(1+z) \la 0.06 at our nominal magnitude and redshift limits of I(AB) = 24 and z \le 1.3, respectively. We describe a new method to compute N(z) that incorporates the full redshift likelihood functions in a Bayesian iterative analysis and we demonstrate in extensive Monte Carlo simulations that it is superior to distributions calculated using simple maximum likelihood redshifts. The field-to-field differences in the redshift distributions, while not unexpected theoretically, are substantial even on 30' scales. We provide I(AB) and R(AB) redshift distributions, median redshifts, and parametrized fits of our results in various magnitude ranges, accounting for both random and systematic errors in the analysis.

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AEGIS: The Diversity of Bright Near-IR Selected Distant Red Galaxies

We use deep and wide near infrared (NIR) imaging from the Palomar telescope combined with DEEP2 spectroscopy and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and Chandra Space Telescope imaging to investigate the nature of galaxies that are red in NIR colors. We locate these `distant red galaxies' (DRGs) through the color cut (J-K)_{vega} > 2.3 over 0.7 deg^{2}, where we find 1010 DRG candidates down to K_s = 20.5. We combine 95 high quality spectroscopic redshifts with photometric redshifts from BRIJK photometry to determine the redshift and stellar mass distributions for these systems, and morphological/structural and X-ray properties for 107 DRGs in the Extended Groth Strip. We find that many bright (J-K)_{vega}>2.3 galaxies with K_s<20.5 are at redshifts z<2, with 64% between 1 2 systems massive with M_*>10^{11} M_solar. HST imaging shows that the structural properties and morphologies of DRGs are also diverse, with the majority elliptical/compact (57%), and the remainder edge-on spirals (7%), and peculiar galaxies (29%). The DRGs at z < 1.4 with high quality spectroscopic redshifts are generally compact, with small half light radii, and span a range in rest-frame optical properties. The spectral energy distributions for these objects differ from higher redshift DRGs: they are bluer by one magnitude in observed (I-J) color. A pure IR color selection of high redshift populations is not sufficient to identify unique populations, and other colors, or spectroscopic redshifts are needed to produce homogeneous samples.

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The VIMOS VLT Deep Survey: the faint type-1 AGN sample

We present the type-1 active galactic nuclei (AGN) sample extracted from the VIMOS VLT Deep Survey first observations of 21000 spectra in 1.75 square degree. This sample, which is purely magnitude limited, free of morphological or color selection biases, contains 130 broad line AGN (BLAGN) spectra with redshift up to 5. Our data are divided into a wide (Iab < 22.5) and a deep (Iab < 24) subsample containing 56 and 74 objects respectively. Because of its depth and selection criteria, this sample is uniquely suited to study the population of faint type-1 AGN. Our measured surface density (~ 472 +- 48 BLAGN per square degree with Iab < 24) is significantly higher than that of any other optically selected sample of BLAGN with spectroscopic confirmation. By applying a morphological and color analysis to our AGN sample we find that: (1)~23% of the AGN brighter than Iab=22.5 are classified as extended; this percentage increases to ~42% for those with z < 1.6; (2) a non-negligible fraction of our BLAGN are lying close to the color space area occupied by stars in u*-g' versus g'-r' color-color diagram. This leads us to the conclusion that classical optical ultraviolet preselection technique, if employed at such deep magnitudes (Iab=22.5) in conjuction with a preselection of point-like sources, can miss miss up to ~35% of the AGN population. Finally, we present a composite spectrum of our sample of objects. While the continuum shape is very similar to that of the SDSS composite at short wavelengths, it is much redder than it at lambda > 3000 A. We interpret this as due to significant contamination from emission of the host galaxies, as expected from the faint absolute magnitudes sampled by our survey.

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