Spectral energy distributions of quasars selected in the mid-infrared

TL;DR

This study analyzes the spectral energy distributions of over 140 high-redshift quasars selected via mid-infrared, revealing diverse obscuration levels and dust properties, with implications for quasar evolution and host galaxy characteristics.

Contribution

First comprehensive SED fitting of mid-infrared selected z>1 quasars, exploring obscuration, dust components, and host galaxy masses.

Findings

Obscured quasars tend to have higher far-infrared emission.

No systematic difference in far-infrared properties between dusty and normal quasars.

Type-2 quasar hosts have stellar masses similar to radio galaxies at similar redshifts.

Abstract

We present preliminary results on fitting of SEDs to 142 z>1 quasars selected in the mid-infrared. Our quasar selection finds objects ranging in extinction from highly obscured, type-2 quasars, through more lightly reddened type-1 quasars and normal type-1s. We find a weak tendency for the objects with the highest far-infrared emission to be obscured quasars, but no bulk systematic offset between the far-infrared properties of dusty and normal quasars as might be expected in the most naive evolutionary schemes. The hosts of the type-2 quasars have stellar masses comparable to those of radio galaxies at similar redshifts. Many of the type-1s, and possibly one of the type-2s require a very hot dust component in addition to the normal torus emission.