Lance Miller

Abstract:

We cross-correlate APM and SDSS galaxies with background QSOs from the 2dF QSO Redshift Survey, and detect a significant (2.8sigma) anti-correlation. The lack of a signal between 2dF stars and our galaxy samples suggests the anti-correlation is not due to a systematic error. The possibility that dust in the foreground galaxies could produce the anti-correlation is marginally rejected, at the 2sigma level through consideration of QSO colours. It is possible that dust that obscures QSOs without reddening them, or preferentially discards reddened QSOs from the 2QZ sample, could produce such an anti-correlation, however, such models are at odds with the positive QSO-galaxy correlations found at bright magnitudes by other authors. Our detection of a galaxy-QSO anti-correlation is consistent with statistical lensing theory. When combined with earlier results that have reported a positive galaxy-QSO correlation, a consistent, compelling picture emerges that spans faint and bright QSO samples showing positive or negative correlations according to the QSO N(m) slope. We find that galaxies are highly anti-biased on small scales. We consider two models that use different descriptions of the lensing matter and find they yield consistent predictions for the strength of galaxy bias on 0.1Mpc/h scales of b~0.1 (for LCDM). Whilst the slope of our power-law fit to the QSO-galaxy cross-correlation does not rule out linear bias, when we compare our measurement of b on 100 kpc/h scales to independent methods that determine b~1 on Mpc/h scales, we conclude that bias, on these small scales, is scale-dependent. These results indicate more mass, at least on the 100 kpc/h scales probed, than predicted by simple LCDM biasing prescriptions, and can thus constrain halo occupation models of the galaxy distribution.

Abstract:

Co-addition of blank-field FIRST data at the location of over 8000 QSOs in the 2QZ survey has yielded statistical detections of radio quiet QSOs with median flux levels of 20-40microJy. We show that the total radio flux of radio-quiet QSOs in the 2QZ is consistent with a smooth extrapolation of the 2QZ radio-loud QSO number-flux distribution based on the slope of the relation flattening near the FIRST flux limit. However, we are unable to distinguish a smooth extrapolation of the luminosity function to faint levels from a bimodal luminosity function with a break close to or below the FIRST radio detection limit. We also demonstrate that the redshift dependence of the median radio-to-optical spectral index for these radio quiet QSOs is consistent with that obtained for individual radio-loud 2QZ QSOs detected by FIRST.

Abstract:

The Oxford Dartmouth Thirty Degree Survey (ODTS) is a deep, wide, multi-band imaging survey designed to cover a total of 30 square degrees in BVRi'Z, with a subset of U and K band data, in four separate fields of 5-10 deg^2 centred at 00:18:24 +34:52, 09:09:45 +40:50, 13:40:00 +02:30 and 16:39:30 +45:24. Observations have been made using the Wide Field Camera on the 2.5-m Isaac Newton Telescope in La Palma to average limiting depths (5 sigma Vega, aperture magnitudes) of U=24.8, B=25.6, V=25.0, R=24.6, and i'=23.5, with observations taken in ideal conditions reaching the target depths of U=25.3, B=26.2, V=25.7, R=25.4, and i'=24.6. The INT Z band data was found to be severely effected by fringing and, consequently, is now being obtained at the MDM observatory in Arizona. A complementary K-band survey has also been carried out at MDM, reaching an average depth of K_{5\sigma}~18.5. At present, approximately 23 deg^2 of the ODTS have been observed, with 3.5 deg^2 of the K band survey completed. This paper details the survey goals, field selection, observation strategy and data reduction procedure, focusing on the photometric calibration and catalogue construction. Preliminary photometric redshifts have been obtained for a subsample of the objects with R <= 23. These results are presented alongside a brief description of the photometric redshift determination technique used. The median redshift of the survey is estimated to be z~0.7 from a combination of the ODTS photometric redshifts and comparison with the redshift distributions of other surveys. Finally, galaxy number counts for the ODTS are presented which are found to be in excellent agreement with previous studies.

Abstract:

We present results of a Gemini adaptive optics (AO) imaging program to investigate the host galaxies of typical QSOs at z ∼ 2. Our aim is to study the host galaxies of typical L*QSO QSOs at the epoch of peak QSO and star formation activity. The large database of faint QSOs provided by the Two-Degree Field QSO Redshift Survey allows us to select a sample of QSOs at z = 1.75-2.5 that have nearby (<12″ separation) bright stars suitable for use as AO guide stars. We have observed a sample of nine QSOs. The images of these sources have AO-corrected FWHM of between 0″.11 and 0″.25. We use multiple observations of point-spread function (PSF) calibration star pairs to quantify any uncertainty in the PSF. We then factored these uncertainties into our modeling of the QSO plus host galaxy. In only one case did we convincingly detect a host (2QZ J133311.4+001949, at z = 1.93). This host galaxy has K = 18.5 ± 0.2 mag with a half-light radius Re = 0″.55 ± 0″.1 equivalent to ∼3L*gal, assuming a simple passively evolving model. From detailed simulations of our host galaxy modeling process, we find that for four of our targets we should be sensitive to host galaxies that are equivalent to ∼2L*gal (passively evolved). Our nondetections therefore place tight constraints on the properties of L*QSO QSO host galaxies, which can be no brighter (after allowing for passive evolution) than the host galaxies of L*QSO active galactic nuclei at low redshift, although the QSOs themselves are a factor of ∼50 brighter. This implies that either the fueling efficiency is much greater at high redshift or that more massive black holes are active at high redshift.