Quasar Host Galaxies in the FORS Deep Field

TL;DR

This study analyzes high-redshift quasar host galaxies using deep imaging, resolving some hosts and examining their properties, black hole masses, and star formation rates, to understand galaxy evolution and quasar activity.

Contribution

First detailed 2D decomposition of quasar host galaxies in the FORS Deep Field across multiple filters at high redshifts.

Findings

Resolved host galaxies for 2 quasars and possibly 2 more.

Host galaxy at z=0.9 is a late type with moderate star formation.

High-redshift host shows moderate star formation and a lower limit on black hole mass.

Abstract

(abriged)In this paper we study different properties of quasars and their host galaxies at high redshifts up to z~3.4. We compare our results to those of other authors and discuss the correlation between galaxy evolution and quasar activity. We analysed broad-band images in eight filters (from U to K) of eight quasars in the FORS Deep Field with redshifts between z=0.87 and z=3.37. A fully 2-dimensional decomposition was carried out to detect and resolve the host galaxies. We were able to resolve the host galaxies of two out of eight quasars between z=0.87 and z=2.75. Additionally, two host galaxies were possibly resolved. The resolved low-redshift quasar (z=0.9) was identified as a late type galaxy with a moderate star formation rate of 1.8 M_{sun}/yr hosting a supermassive black hole with a mass of <10^{8}M_{sun}. The resolved high redshift host galaxy (z=2.8) shows moderate star formation of 4.4-6.9 M_{sun}/yr, for the black hole mass we found a lower limit of >10^{7}M_{sun}. All quasars host supermassive black hole with masses in the range ~10^{7}-10^{9}M_{sun}. Our findings are well consistent with those of other authors.