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DOE OSTI2012

CONSTRAINTS ON THE FAINT END OF THE QUASAR LUMINOSITY FUNCTION AT z {approx} 5 IN THE COSMOS FIELD

We present the result of our low-luminosity quasar survey in the redshift range of 4.5 {approx}< z {approx}< 5.5 in the COSMOS field. Using the COSMOS photometric catalog, we selected 15 quasar candidates with 22 < i' < 24 at z {approx} 5 that are {approx}3 mag fainter than the Sloan Digital Sky Survey quasars in the same redshift range. We obtained optical spectra for 14 of the 15 candidates using FOCAS on the Subaru Telescope and did not identify any low-luminosity type-1 quasars at z {approx} 5, while a low-luminosity type-2 quasar at z {approx} 5.07 was discovered. In order to constrain the faint end of the quasar luminosity function at z {approx} 5, we calculated the 1{sigma} confidence upper limits of the space density of type-1 quasars. As a result, the 1{sigma} confidence upper limits on the quasar space density are {Phi} < 1.33 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -7} Mpc{sup -3} mag{sup -1} for -24.52 < M{sub 1450} < -23.52 and {Phi} < 2.88 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -7} Mpc{sup -3} mag{sup -1} for -23.52 < M{sub 1450} < -22.52. The inferred 1{sigma} confidence upper limits of the space density are then used to provide constraints on the faint-end slope and the break absolute magnitude of the quasar luminosity function at z {approx} 5. We find that the quasar space density decreases gradually as a function of redshift at low luminosity (M{sub 1450} {approx} -23), being similar to the trend found for quasars with high luminosity (M{sub 1450} < -26). This result is consistent with the so-called downsizing evolution of quasars seen at lower redshifts.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2012

CONTRIBUTION OF THE ACCRETION DISK, HOT CORONA, AND OBSCURING TORUS TO THE LUMINOSITY OF SEYFERT GALAXIES: INTEGRAL AND SPITZER OBSERVATIONS

We estimate the relative contributions of the supermassive black hole (SMBH) accretion disk, corona, and obscuring torus to the bolometric luminosity of Seyfert galaxies, using Spitzer mid-infrared (MIR) observations of a complete sample of 68 nearby active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the INTEGRAL all-sky hard X-ray (HX) survey. This is the first HX-selected (above 15 keV) sample of AGNs with complementary high angular resolution, high signal-to-noise, MIR data. Correcting for the host galaxy contribution, we find a correlation between HX and MIR luminosities: L{sub 15{mu}m}{proportional_to}L{sup 0.74{+-}0.06}{sub HX}. Assuming that the observed MIR emission is radiation from an accretion disk reprocessed in a surrounding dusty torus that subtends a solid angle decreasing with increasing luminosity (as inferred from the declining fraction of obscured AGNs), the intrinsic disk luminosity, L{sub Disk}, is approximately proportional to the luminosity of the corona in the 2-300 keV energy band, L{sub Corona}, with the L{sub Disk}/L{sub Corona} ratio varying by a factor of 2.1 around a mean value of 1.6. This ratio is a factor of {approx}2 smaller than for typical quasars producing the cosmic X-ray background. Therefore, over three orders of magnitude in luminosity, HX radiation carries a large, and roughly comparable, fraction of the bolometric output of AGNs. We estimate the cumulative bolometric luminosity density of local AGNs at {approx}(1-3) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 40} erg s{sup -1} Mpc{sup -3}. Finally, the Compton temperature ranges between kT{sub c} Almost-Equal-To 2 and Almost-Equal-To 6 keV for nearby AGNs, compared to kT{sub c} Almost-Equal-To 2 keV for typical quasars, confirming that radiative heating of interstellar gas can play an important role in regulating SMBH growth.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2012

DISTRIBUTION OF MAXIMAL LUMINOSITY OF GALAXIES IN THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY

Extreme value statistics is applied to the distribution of galaxy luminosities in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We analyze the DR8 Main Galaxy Sample (MGS), as well as the luminous red galaxies (LRGs). Maximal luminosities are sampled from batches consisting of elongated pencil beams in the radial direction of sight. For the MGS, results suggest a small and positive tail index {xi}, effectively ruling out the possibility of having a finite maximum cutoff luminosity, and implying that the luminosity distribution function may decay as a power law at the high-luminosity end. Assuming, however, {xi} = 0, a non-parametric comparison of the maximal luminosities with the Fisher-Tippett-Gumbel distribution (limit distribution for variables distributed by the Schechter fit) indicates a good agreement provided that uncertainties arising from both the finite batch size and the batch-size distribution are accounted for. For a volume-limited sample of LRGs, results show that they can be described as being the extremes of a luminosity distribution with an exponentially decaying tail, provided that the uncertainties related to batch-size distribution are taken care of.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2012

MAGNITUDE GAP STATISTICS AND THE CONDITIONAL LUMINOSITY FUNCTION

In a recent preprint, Hearin et al. (H12) suggest that the halo mass-richness calibration of clusters can be improved by using the difference in the magnitude of the brightest and the second brightest galaxy (magnitude gap) as an additional observable. They claim that their results are at odds with the results from Paranjape and Sheth (PS12) who show that the magnitude distribution of the brightest and second brightest galaxies can be explained based on order statistics of luminosities randomly sampled from the total galaxy luminosity function. We find that a conditional luminosity function (CLF) for galaxies which varies with halo mass, in a manner which is consistent with existing observations, naturally leads to a magnitude gap distribution which changes as a function of halo mass at fixed richness, in qualitative agreement with H12. We show that, in general, the luminosity distribution of the brightest and the second brightest galaxy depends upon whether the luminosities of galaxies are drawn from the CLF or the global luminosity function. However, we also show that the difference between the two cases is small enough to evade detection in the small sample investigated by PS12. This shows that the luminosity distribution is not the appropriate statistic to distinguish between the two cases, given the small sample size. We argue in favor of the CLF (and therefore H12) based upon its consistency with other independent observations, such as the kinematics of satellite galaxies, the abundance and clustering of galaxies, and the galaxy-galaxy lensing signal from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2013

GALACTIC ULTRACOMPACT X-RAY BINARIES: EMPIRICAL LUMINOSITIES

Ultracompact X-ray binaries (UCXBs) are thought to have relatively simple binary evolution post-contact, leading to clear predictions of their luminosity function. We test these predictions by studying the long-term behavior of known UCXBs in our Galaxy, principally using data from the MAXI All-Sky Survey and the Galactic bulge scans with RXTE's Proportional Counter Array instrument. Strong luminosity variations are common (and well documented) among persistent UCXBs, which requires an explanation other than the disk instability mechanism. We measure the luminosity function of known UCXBs in the Milky Way, which extends to lower luminosities than some proposed theoretical luminosity functions of UCXBs. The difference between field and globular cluster (GC) X-ray luminosity functions in other galaxies cannot be explained by an increased fraction of UCXBs in GCs. Instead, our measured luminosity function suggests that UCXBs only make up a small fraction of the X-ray binaries above a few Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 36} erg s{sup -1} in both old field populations and GCs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2013

PROBING HIGH-REDSHIFT GALAXY FORMATION AT THE HIGHEST LUMINOSITIES: NEW INSIGHTS FROM DEIMOS SPECTROSCOPY

We present Keck DEIMOS spectroscopic observations of the most UV-luminous star-forming galaxies at redshifts 3.2 < z < 4.6. Our sample, selected in the Booetes field of the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey, contains galaxies with luminosities of L* {approx}< L{sub UV} {approx}< 7 L* and is one of the largest samples to date of the most UV-luminous galaxies at these redshifts. Our spectroscopic data confirm 41 candidates as star-forming galaxies at 3.2 < z < 4.6 and validate the relatively clean selection of the photometric candidates with a contamination rate of 11%-28%. We find that the fraction of Ly{alpha} emitting galaxies increases with decreasing UV luminosity. None of the 12 galaxies with M{sub UV} < -22 (i.e., L{sub UV} > 3 L*) exhibit strong Ly{alpha} emission. We find strong evidence of large-scale outflows, transporting the neutral/ionized gas in the interstellar medium away from the galaxy. Galaxies exhibiting both interstellar absorption and Ly{alpha} emission lines show a significant offset between the two features, with a relative velocity of 200-1150 km s{sup -1}. We find tentative evidence that this measure of the outflow velocity increases with UV luminosity and/or stellar mass. The luminosity- and mass-dependent outflow strengths suggest that the efficiency of feedback and enrichment of the surrounding medium depend on these galaxy parameters. We also stack the individual spectra to construct composite spectra of the absorption-line-only and Ly{alpha}-emitting subsets of the UV luminous galaxies at z {approx_equal} 3.7. The composite spectra are very similar to those of lower-redshift and lower-luminosity Lyman break galaxy (LBG) samples, but with some subtle differences. Analyses of the composite spectra suggest that the UV luminous LBGs at z {approx_equal} 3.7 may have a higher covering fraction of absorbing gas, and may be older (or have had more prolonged star formation histories) than their lower-redshift and lower-luminosity counterparts. In addition, we have discovered that five galaxies in the sample belong to a massive overdensity at z = 3.78. Finally, two galaxies each show two distinct sets of interstellar absorption features. The latter may be a sign of a final stage of major merger, or clumpy disk formation. These systems are not expected in our sample: their presence implies that the frequency of such sources among our luminous z {approx_equal} 3.7 LBGs may be an order of magnitude higher than in lower-redshift and lower-luminosity samples.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2013

THE SDSS-III BARYON OSCILLATION SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY: THE QUASAR LUMINOSITY FUNCTION FROM DATA RELEASE NINE

We present a new measurement of the optical quasar luminosity function (QLF), using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-III: Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (SDSS-III: BOSS). From the SDSS-III Data Release Nine, a uniform sample of 22,301 i {approx}< 21.8 quasars are selected over an area of 2236 deg{sup 2}, with confirmed spectroscopic redshifts between 2.2 < z < 3.5, filling in a key part of the luminosity-redshift plane for optical quasar studies. The completeness of the survey is derived through simulated quasar photometry, and this completeness estimate is checked using a sample of quasars selected by their photometric variability within the BOSS footprint. We investigate the level of systematics associated with our quasar sample using the simulations, in the process generating color-redshift relations and a new quasar K-correction. We probe the faint end of the QLF to M{sub i} (z = 2.2) Almost-Equal-To -24.5 and see a clear break in the QLF at all redshifts up to z = 3.5. A log-linear relation (in log {Phi}* - M*) for a luminosity evolution and density evolution model is found to adequately describe our data within the range 2.2 < z < 3.5; across this interval the break luminosity increases by a factor of {approx}2.6 while {Phi}* declines by a factor of {approx}8. At z {approx}< 2.2 our data are reasonably well fit by a pure luminosity evolution model, and only a weak signature of ''AGN downsizing'' is seen, in line with recent studies of the hard X-ray luminosity function. We compare our measured QLF to a number of theoretical models and find that models making a variety of assumptions about quasar triggering and halo occupation can fit our data over a wide range of redshifts and luminosities.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2014

Variations of cyclotron line energy with luminosity in accreting X-ray pulsars

I develop a new model for changes of cyclotron line energy with luminosity based on changes in polar cap dimensions and the direction of photon propagation as well as a shock height. In X0115+63 and V0332+53, the fundamental cyclotron line energy has been observed to decrease with increasing luminosity. This phenomenon has been interpreted as a change of a shock height with luminosity. However, the rates of the observed changes are quite different, in which the line energy in V0332+53 varies slowly with luminosity compared with that in X0115+63. I demonstrate that a new model successfully reproduces the changes of the fundamental cyclotron line energies with luminosity in both X0115+63 and V0332+53. On the other hand, the cyclotron line energies in Her X–1, GX301–2, and GX304–1 were reported to increase with increasing luminosity. I discuss the positive correlation between the cyclotron line energy and luminosity based on changes in a beam pattern for Her X–1, GX301–2, and GX304–1. In addition, I discuss how a switch of the predominant, observed emission region from pole1 to pole2 influences cyclotron line energy for GX304–1 and A0535+26.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2014

The luminosity function at z ∼ 8 from 97 Y-band dropouts: Inferences about reionization

We present the largest search to date for Y-band dropout galaxies (z ∼ 8 Lyman break galaxies, LBGs) based on 350 arcmin{sup 2} of Hubble Space Telescope observations in the V, Y, J, and H bands from the Brightest of Reionizing Galaxies (BoRG) survey. In addition to previously published data, the BoRG13 data set presented here includes approximately 50 arcmin{sup 2} of new data and deeper observations of two previous BoRG pointings, from which we present 9 new z ∼ 8 LBG candidates, bringing the total number of BoRG Y-band dropouts to 38 with 25.5 ≤ m{sub J} ≤ 27.6 (AB system). We introduce a new Bayesian formalism for estimating the galaxy luminosity function, which does not require binning (and thus smearing) of the data and includes a likelihood based on the formally correct binomial distribution as opposed to the often-used approximate Poisson distribution. We demonstrate the utility of the new method on a sample of 97 Y-band dropouts that combines the bright BoRG galaxies with the fainter sources published in Bouwens et al. from the Hubble Ultra Deep Field and Early Release Science programs. We show that the z ∼ 8 luminosity function is well described by a Schechter function over its full dynamic range with a characteristic magnitude M{sup ⋆}=−20.15{sub −0.38}{sup +0.29}, a faint-end slope of α=−1.87{sub −0.26}{sup +0.26}, and a number density of log{sub 10} ϕ{sup ⋆}[Mpc{sup −3}]=−3.24{sub −0.24}{sup +0.25}. Integrated down to M = –17.7, this luminosity function yields a luminosity density log{sub 10} ϵ[erg s{sup −1} Hz{sup −1} Mpc{sup −3}]=25.52{sub −0.05}{sup +0.05}. Our luminosity function analysis is consistent with previously published determinations within 1σ. The error analysis suggests that uncertainties on the faint-end slope are still too large to draw a firm conclusion about its evolution with redshift. We use our statistical framework to discuss the implication of our study for the physics of reionization. By assuming theoretically motivated priors on the clumping factor and the photon escape fraction we show that the UV luminosity density from galaxy samples down to M = –17.7 can ionize only 10%-50% of the neutral hydrogen at z ∼ 8. Full reionization would require extending the luminosity function down to M = –15. The data are consistent with a substantial fraction of neutral hydrogen at z > 7, in agreement with recent suggestions based on deep spectroscopy of z ∼ 8 LBGs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2015

PRIMUS: The effect of physical scale on the luminosity dependence of galaxy clustering via cross-correlations

We report small-scale clustering measurements from the PRIsm MUlti-object Survey (PRIMUS) spectroscopic redshift survey as a function of color and luminosity. We measure the real-space cross-correlations between 62,106 primary galaxies with PRIMUS redshifts and a tracer population of ∼545,000 photometric galaxies over redshifts from z = 0.2 to z = 1. We separately fit a power-law model in redshift and luminosity to each of three independent color-selected samples of galaxies. We report clustering amplitudes at fiducial values of z = 0.5 and L=1.5L{sup ∗}. The clustering of the red galaxies is ∼3 times as strong as that of the blue galaxies and ∼1.5 as strong as that of the green galaxies. We also find that the luminosity dependence of the clustering is strongly dependent on physical scale, with greater luminosity dependence being found between r=0.0625 h{sup −1} Mpc and r=0.25 h{sup −1} Mpc, compared to the r=0.5 h{sup −1} Mpc to r=2 h{sup −1} Mpc range. Moreover, over a range of two orders of magnitude in luminosity, a single power-law fit to the luminosity dependence is not sufficient to explain the increase in clustering at both the bright and faint ends at the smaller scales. We argue that luminosity-dependent clustering at small scales is a necessary component of galaxy-halo occupation models for blue, star-forming galaxies as well as for red, quenched galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2013

A PHYSICAL MODEL FOR THE 0 {approx}< z {approx}< 8 REDSHIFT EVOLUTION OF THE GALAXY ULTRAVIOLET LUMINOSITY AND STELLAR MASS FUNCTIONS

We present a model to understand the redshift evolution of the UV luminosity and stellar mass functions of Lyman break galaxies. Our approach is based on the assumption that the luminosity and stellar mass of a galaxy is related to its dark-matter (DM) halo assembly and gas infall rate. Specifically, galaxies experience a burst of star formation at the halo assembly time, followed by a constant star formation rate, representing a secular star formation activity sustained by steady gas accretion. Star formation from steady gas accretion is the dominant contribution to the galaxy UV luminosity at all redshifts. The model is calibrated by constructing a galaxy luminosity versus halo mass relation at z = 4 via abundance matching. After this luminosity calibration, the model naturally fits the z = 4 stellar mass function, and correctly predicts the evolution of both luminosity and stellar mass functions from z = 0 to z = 8. While the details of star formation efficiency and feedback are hidden within our calibrated luminosity versus halo mass relation, our study highlights that the primary driver of galaxy evolution across cosmic time is the buildup of DM halos, without the need to invoke a redshift-dependent efficiency in converting gas into stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2016

The next generation virgo cluster survey (NGVS). XIII. The luminosity and mass function of galaxies in the core of the virgo cluster and the contribution from disrupted satellites

We present measurements of the galaxy luminosity and stellar mass function in a 3.71 deg{sup 2} (0.3 Mpc{sup 2}) area in the core of the Virgo Cluster, based on u{sup ∗} griz data from the Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey (NGVS). The galaxy sample—which consists of 352 objects brighter than M {sub g} = −9.13 mag, the 50% completeness limit of the survey—reaches 2.2 mag deeper than the widely used Virgo Cluster Catalog and at least 1.2 mag deeper than any sample previously used to measure the luminosity function in Virgo. Using a Bayesian analysis, we find a best-fit faint-end slope of α = −1.33 ± 0.02 for the g-band luminosity function; consistent results are found for the stellar mass function and the luminosity function in the other four NGVS bandpasses. We discuss the implications for the faint-end slope of adding 92 ultracompact dwarfs (UCDs)—previously compiled by the NGVS in this region—to the galaxy sample, assuming that UCDs are the stripped remnants of nucleated dwarf galaxies. Under this assumption, the slope of the luminosity function (down to the UCD faint magnitude limit, M {sub g} = −9.6 mag) increases dramatically, up to α = −1.60 ± 0.06 when correcting for the expected number of disrupted non-nucleated galaxies. We also calculate the total number of UCDs and globular clusters that may have been deposited in the core of Virgo owing to the disruption of satellites, both nucleated and non-nucleated. We estimate that ∼150 objects with M {sub g} ≲ −9.6 mag and that are currently classified as globular clusters might, in fact, be the nuclei of disrupted galaxies. We further estimate that as many as 40% of the (mostly blue) globular clusters in the Virgo core might once have belonged to such satellites; these same disrupted satellites might have contributed ∼40% of the total luminosity in galaxies observed in the core region today. Finally, we use an updated Local Group galaxy catalog to provide a new measurement of the luminosity function of Local Group satellites, α = −1.21 ± 0.05, which is only 1.7σ shallower than measured in the core of the Virgo Cluster.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Effect of Extinction on Quasar Luminosity Distances Determined from UV and X-Ray Flux Measurements

Abstract In Khadka et al., a sample of X-ray-detected reverberation-mapped quasars was presented and applied for the comparison of cosmological constraints inferred using two well-established relations in active galactic nuclei—the X-ray/UV luminosity ( L X – L UV ) relation and the broad-line region radius–luminosity ( R – L ) relation. L X – L UV and R – L luminosity distances to the same quasars exhibit a distribution of their differences that is generally asymmetric and positively shifted for the six cosmological models we consider. We demonstrate that this behavior can be interpreted qualitatively as arising as a result of the dust extinction of UV/X-ray quasar emission. We show that the extinction always contributes to the nonzero difference between L X – L UV -based and R – L -based luminosity distances and we derive a linear relationship between the X-ray/UV color index E X −UV and the luminosity-distance difference, which also depends on the value of the L X – L UV relation slope. Taking into account the median and the peak values of the luminosity-distance difference distributions, the average X-ray/UV color index falls in the range of E ¯ X − UV = 0.03 – 0.28 mag for the current sample of 58 sources. This amount of extinction is typical for the majority of quasars and can be attributed to the circumnuclear and interstellar media of host galaxies. After applying the standard hard X-ray and far-UV extinction cuts, heavily extincted sources are removed but overall the shift toward positive values persists. The effect of extinction on luminosity distances is more pronounced for the L X – L UV relation since the extinction of UV and X-ray emissions both contribute.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

DOE OSTI2017

Insertion Magnets

Chapter 3 in High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) : Preliminary Design Report. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is one of the largest scientific instruments ever built. Since opening up a new energy frontier for exploration in 2010, it has gathered a global user community of about 7,000 scientists working in fundamental particle physics and the physics of hadronic matter at extreme temperature and density. To sustain and extend its discovery potential, the LHC will need a major upgrade in the 2020s. This will increase its luminosity (rate of collisions) by a factor of five beyond the original design value and the integrated luminosity (total collisions created) by a factor ten. The LHC is already a highly complex and exquisitely optimised machine so this upgrade must be carefully conceived and will require about ten years to implement. The new configuration, known as High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC), will rely on a number of key innovations that push accelerator technology beyond its present limits. Among these are cutting-edge 11-12 tesla superconducting magnets, compact superconducting cavities for beam rotation with ultra-precise phase control, new technology and physical processes for beam collimation and 300 metre-long high-power superconducting links with negligible energy dissipation. The present document describes the technologies and components that will be used to realise the project and is intended to serve as the basis for the detailed engineering design of HL-LHC.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

NASA NTRS1973

The luminosity function of quasars and its evolution: A comparison of optically selected quasars and quasars found in radio catalogs

The luminosity function of quasars and its evolution are discussed, based on comparison of available data on optically selected quasars and quasars found in radio catalogs. It is assumed that the red shift of quasars is cosmological and the results are expressed in the framework of the Lambda = 0, Q sub Q = 1 cosmological model. The predictions of various density evolution laws are compared with observations of an optically selected sample of quasars and quasar samples from radio catalogs. The differences between the optical luminosity functions, the red shift distributions and the radio to optical luminosity ratios of optically selected quasars and radio quasars rule out luminosity functions where there is complete absence of correlation between radio and optical luminosities. These differences also imply that Schmidt's (1970) luminosity function, where there exists a statistical correlation between radio and optical luminosities, although may be correct for high red shift objects, disagrees with observation at low red shifts. These differences can be accounted for by postulating existence of two classes (1 and 2) of objects.

Petrosian, V.↗

NASA NTRS1978

The X-ray luminosity function of Abell clusters

X-ray sources identified with Abell clusters of galaxies in distance classes less than or equal to 3 give a quantitative estimate of the volume luminosity function for those clusters emitting between 10 to the 44th and 10 to the 45th power ergs/s in X-rays. At higher luminosities, tentative identifications with more distant clusters can be interpreted at least as an upper limit. This limit allows a smooth extension of the luminosity function, but with a fairly steep decrease in the range from 10 to the 45th to 10 to the 46th power ergs/s. No direct information is available for luminosities less than 10 to the 44th power ergs/s because current X-ray surveys are limited to nearby distances with very few Abell clusters; however, constraints at the low-luminosity end can be set by considering the total volume density of Abell clusters and the upper limit to the numbers of unidentified X-ray sources. The luminosity function must flatten or turn over below 10 to the 44th power ergs/s; therefore, counts of distant X-ray clusters to such a faint intrinsic luminosity can yield cosmological information.

Schwartz, D. A.↗

NASA NTRS1983

The cosmological evolution and luminosity function of X-ray selected active galactic nuclei

The cosmological evolution and the X-ray luminosity function of X-ray selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are derived and discussed. The sample used consists of 31 AGNs extracted from a fully identified sample of X-ray sources from the Einstein Observatory Medium Sensitivity Survey and is therefore exclusively defined by its X-ray properties. The distribution in space is found to be strongly nonuniform. The amount of cosmological evolution required by the X-ray data is derived in the framework of pure luminosity evolution and is found to be smaller than the amount determined from optically selected samples. The X-ray luminosity function is derived. It can be satisfactorily represented by a single power law only over a limited range of absolute luminosities. Evidence that the luminosity function flattens at low luminosity or steepens at high luminosity, or both, is presented and discussed.

Maccacaro, T.↗

NASA NTRS1988

X-ray, optical, and IR luminosity correlations in quasars

For a sample of 88 radio-quiet quasars that includes 12 X-ray upper limits, it is found that the X-ray and IR luminosities follow a significantly nonlinear relation that is consistent with that found for the X-ray and optical luminosities. The redshift dependence is weak and may be nonexistent. Since the optical through IR continuum of quasars is much the same shape as a function of luminosity, this implies that the nonlinear relation between the X-ray luminosity and the optical and IR luminosities is due to a systematic change in the X-ray continuum of quasars with increasing luminosity. Either the X-ray continuum must flatten with increasing luminosity, or the overall normalization relative to the optical and IR must decrease. Simple continuum models which link the IR and X-ray portions of the continuum by a single power law arising from the same synchrotron mechanism can be ruled out.

Kriss, Gerard A.↗