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At least 1,639 records · Page 91

VLBI IMAGING OF THE DOUBLE PEAKED EMISSION LINE SEYFERT KISSR 1494

We present here the results from dual-frequency phase-referenced Very Long Baseline Interferometry observations of the Seyfert galaxy KISSR 1494, which exhibits double peaked emission lines in its Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectrum. We detect a single radio component at 1.6 GHz, but not at 5 GHz, implying a spectral index steeper than –1.5 ± 0.5 (S {sub ν}∝ν{sup α}). The high brightness temperature of the radio component (∼1.4 × 10{sup 7} K) and the steep radio spectrum support a non-thermal synchrotron origin. A crude estimate of the black hole mass derived from the M {sub BH}-σ{sub *} relation is ∼1.4 ± 1.0 × 10{sup 8} M {sub ☉}; it is accreting at an Eddington rate of ∼0.02. The radio data are consistent with either the radio emission coming from the parsec-scale base of a synchrotron wind originating in the magnetized corona above the accretion disk, or from the inner ionized edge of the accretion disk or torus. In the former case, the narrow line region (NLR) clouds may form a part of the broad outflow, while in the latter, the NLR clouds may form a part of an extended disk beyond the torus. The radio and NLR emission may also be decoupled so that the radio emission originates in an outflow while the NLR is in a disk and vice versa. While with the present data it is not possible to clearly distinguish between these scenarios, there appears to be greater circumstantial evidence supporting the coronal wind picture in KISSR 1494. From the kiloparsec-scale radio emission, the time-averaged kinetic power of this outflow is estimated to be Q ≈ 1.5 × 10{sup 42} erg s{sup –1}, which is typical of radio outflows in low-luminosity active galactic nuclei. This supports the idea that radio ''jets'' and outflowing coronal winds are indistinguishable in Seyfert galaxies.

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MAPPING THE SURFACE OF THE MAGNETAR 1E 1048.1–5937 IN OUTBURST AND QUIESCENCE THROUGH PHASE-RESOLVED X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY

We model the pulse profiles and the phase-resolved spectra of the anomalous X-ray pulsar 1E 1048.1–5937 obtained with XMM-Newton to map its surface temperature distribution during an active and a quiescent epoch. We develop and apply a model that takes into account the relevant physical and geometrical effects on the neutron star surface, magnetosphere, and spacetime. Using this model, we determine the observables at infinity as a function of pulse phase for different numbers and sizes of hot spots on the surface. We show that the pulse profiles extracted from both observations can be modeled with a single hot spot and an antipodal cool component. The size of the hot spot changes from ≈80° in 2007, three months after the onset of a dramatic flux increase, to ≈30° during the quiescent observation in 2011, when the pulsed fraction returned to the pre-outburst ≈65% level. For the 2007 observation, we also find that a model consisting of a single 0.4 keV hot spot with a magnetic field strength of 1.8 × 10{sup 14} G accounts for the spectra obtained at three different pulse phases but underpredicts the flux at the pulse minimum, where the contribution to the emission from the cooler component is non-negligible. The inferred temperature of the spot stays approximately constant between different pulse phases, in agreement with a uniform temperature, single hot spot model. These results suggest that the emitting area grows significantly during outbursts but returns to its persistent and significantly smaller size within a timescale of a few years.

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3D Magnetohydrodynamic Models of Nonthermal Photon Emission in the Binary System γ{sup 2} Velorum

Recent reports claiming an association of the massive star binary system γ{sup 2} Velorum (WR 11) with a high-energy γ-ray source observed by Fermi-LAT contrast the so far exclusive role of η Carinae as the hitherto only detected γ-ray emitter in the source class of particle-accelerating colliding-wind binary (CWB) systems. We offer support to this claim of association by providing dedicated model predictions for the nonthermal photon emission spectrum of γ{sup 2} Velorum. We use 3D magnetohydrodynamic modeling (MHD) to investigate the structure and conditions of the wind-collision region (WCR) of γ{sup 2} Velorum including the important effect of radiative braking in the stellar winds. A transport equation is then solved for the entire computational domain to study the propagation of relativistic electrons and protons. The resulting distributions of particles are subsequently used to compute nonthermal photon emission components. In agreement with observation in X-ray spectroscopy, our simulations yield a large shock-cone opening angle. We find the nonthermal γ-ray emission of γ{sup 2} Velorum to be of hadronic origin owing to the strong radiation fields in the binary system, which inhibit the acceleration of electrons to energies sufficiently high for efficient inverse-Compton radiation. We also discuss the strong dependence of a hadronic γ-ray component on the energy-dependent diffusion used in the simulations. Of two mass-loss rates for the WR star found in literature, only the higher rate is able to accommodate the observed γ-ray spectrum with reasonable values for important simulation parameters such as the injection ratio of high-energy particles within the WCR.

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The emerging planetary nebula CRL 618 and its unsettled central star(s)

We report deep long-slit emission-line spectra, the line flux ratios, and Doppler profile shapes of various bright optical lines. The low-ionization lines (primarily [N I], [O I], [S II], and [N II]) originate in shocked knots, as reported by many previous observers. Dust-scattered lines of higher ionization are seen throughout the lobes but do not peak in the knots. Our analysis of these line profiles and the readily discernible stellar continuum shows that (1) the central star is an active symbiotic (whose spectrum resembles the central stars of highly bipolar and young planetary nebulae such as M2-9 and Hen2-437) whose compact companion shows a WC8-type spectrum, (2) extended nebular lines of [O III] and He I originate in the heavily obscured nuclear H II region, and (3) the Balmer lines observed throughout the lobes are dominated by reflected Hα emission from the symbiotic star. Comparing our line ratios with those observed historically shows that (1) the [O III]/Hβ and He I/Hβ ratios have been steadily rising by large amounts throughout the nebula, (2) the Hα/Hβ ratio is steadily decreasing while Hγ/Hβ remains nearly constant, and (3) the low-ionization line ratios formed in the shocked knots have been in decline in different ways at various locations. We show that the first two of these results might be expected if the symbiotic central star has been active and if its bright Hα line has faded significantly in the past 20 years.

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THE GALACTIC CENTER: NOT AN ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS

We present 10 {mu}m-35 {mu}m Spitzer spectra of the interstellar medium in the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ), the central 210 pc Multiplication-Sign 60 pc of the Galactic center (GC). We present maps of the CMZ in ionic and H{sub 2} emission, covering a more extensive area than earlier spectroscopic surveys in this region. The radial velocities and intensities of ionic lines and H{sub 2} suggest that most of the H{sub 2} 0-0 S(0) emission comes from gas along the line-of-sight, as found by previous work. We compare diagnostic line ratios measured in the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey to our data. Previous work shows that forbidden line ratios can distinguish star-forming galaxies from low-ionization nuclear emission-line regions (LINERs) and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Our GC line ratios agree with star-forming galaxies and not with LINERs or AGNs.

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GMC COLLISIONS AS TRIGGERS OF STAR FORMATION. I. PARAMETER SPACE EXPLORATION WITH 2D SIMULATIONS

We utilize magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations to develop a numerical model for giant molecular cloud (GMC)–GMC collisions between nearly magnetically critical clouds. The goal is to determine if, and under what circumstances, cloud collisions can cause pre-existing magnetically subcritical clumps to become supercritical and undergo gravitational collapse. We first develop and implement new photodissociation region based heating and cooling functions that span the atomic to molecular transition, creating a multiphase ISM and allowing modeling of non-equilibrium temperature structures. Then in 2D and with ideal MHD, we explore a wide parameter space of magnetic field strength, magnetic field geometry, collision velocity, and impact parameter and compare isolated versus colliding clouds. We find factors of ∼2–3 increase in mean clump density from typical collisions, with strong dependence on collision velocity and magnetic field strength, but ultimately limited by flux-freezing in 2D geometries. For geometries enabling flow along magnetic field lines, greater degrees of collapse are seen. We discuss observational diagnostics of cloud collisions, focussing on {sup 13}CO(J = 2–1), {sup 13}CO(J = 3–2), and {sup 12}CO(J = 8–7) integrated intensity maps and spectra, which we synthesize from our simulation outputs. We find that the ratio of J = 8–7 to lower-J emission is a powerful diagnostic probe of GMC collisions.

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COMPARISON OF PHOTOMETRIC VARIABILITY BEFORE AND AFTER STELLAR FLARES

The energy in the solar acoustic spectrum is known to be correlated with flares, but it is not known if the same is true for stellar flares. In order to answer this question, we have analyzed 73 flares in 39 solar-like stars. These flares were identified in the 854 solar-like stars observed by the Kepler spacecraft that have stellar parameters measured with asteroseismology. Though we were not able to identify a statistically significant enhancement of the energy in the high-frequency part of the post-flare acoustic spectra compared to the pre-flare spectra of these stars, we did identify a larger variability between the energy in the high-frequency part of the post- and pre-flare acoustic spectra compared to spectra taken at random times.

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CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVAE AND HOST GALAXY STELLAR POPULATIONS

We have used images and spectra of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to examine the host galaxies of 519 nearby supernovae (SN). The colors at the sites of the explosions, as well as chemical abundances, and specific star formation rates (SFRs) of the host galaxies provide circumstantial evidence on the origin of each SN type. We examine separately SN II, SN IIn, SN IIb, SN Ib, SN Ic, and SN Ic with broad lines (SN Ic-BL). For host galaxies that have multiple spectroscopic fibers, we select the fiber with host radial offset most similar to that of the SN. Type Ic SN explode at small host offsets, and their hosts have exceptionally strongly star-forming, metal-rich, and dusty stellar populations near their centers. The SN Ic-BL and SN IIb explode in exceptionally blue locations, and, in our sample, we find that the host spectra for SN Ic-BL show lower average oxygen abundances than those for SN Ic. SN IIb host fiber spectra are also more metal-poor than those for SN Ib, although a significant difference exists for only one of two strong-line diagnostics. SN Ic-BL host galaxy emission lines show strong central specific SFRs. In contrast, we find no strong evidence for different environments for SN IIn compared to the sites of SN II. Because our SN sample is constructed from a variety of sources, there is always a risk that sampling methods can produce misleading results. We have separated the SN discovered by targeted surveys from those discovered by galaxy-impartial searches to examine these questions and show that our results do not depend sensitively on the discovery technique.

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LITHIUM ABUNDANCES IN CARBON-ENHANCED METAL-POOR STARS

Carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars are believed to show the chemical imprints of more massive stars (M {approx}> 0.8 M{sub Sun }) that are now extinct. In particular, it is expected that the observed abundance of Li should deviate in these stars from the standard Spite lithium plateau. We study here a sample of 11 metal-poor stars and a double-lined spectroscopic binary with -1.8 < [Fe/H] < -3.3 observed with the Very Large Telescope/UVES spectrograph. Among these 12 metal-poor stars, there are 8 CEMP stars for which we measure or constrain the Li abundance. In contrast to previous arguments, we demonstrate that an appropriate regime of dilution permits the existence of 'Li-Spite plateau and C-rich' stars, whereas some of the 'Li-depleted and C-rich' stars call for an unidentified additional depletion mechanism that cannot be explained by dilution alone. We find evidence that rotation is related to the Li depletion in some CEMP stars. Additionally, we report on a newly recognized double-lined spectroscopic binary star in our sample. For this star, we develop a new technique from which estimates of stellar parameters and luminosity ratios can be derived based on a high-resolution spectrum alone, without the need for input from evolutionary models.

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ON THE ORIGIN OF THE {gamma}-RAY/OPTICAL LAGS IN LUMINOUS BLAZARS

Blazars are strongly variable sources that occasionally show spectacular flares visible in various energy bands. These flares are often, but not always, correlated. In a number of cases, the peaks of optical flares are found to be somewhat delayed with respect to the {gamma}-ray peaks. One notable example of such a delay was found in 3C 279 by Hayashida et al. and interpreted as a result of steeper drop with a distance of the energy density of an external radiation field than of the magnetic energy density. In this paper, we demonstrate that, in general, depending on the respective energy density profile along the jet, such lags can have both signs and that they can take place for any ratio of these energy densities. We study the dependence of such lags on the ratio of these energy densities at a distance of a maximal energy dissipation in a jet, on their gradients, as well as on the time profile of the relativistic electron injection within the moving source. We show how prominent such lags can be, and their expected timescales. We suggest that studies of such lags can provide a powerful tool to resolve the structure of relativistic jets and their radiative environment. As an example we model the lag observed in 3C 279, showing that in this object the flare is produced at a distance of a few parsecs from the central black hole, consistent with our previous inferences based on the spectra and optical polarization properties.

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A NOVEL APPROACH IN THE WEAKLY INTERACTING MASSIVE PARTICLE QUEST: CROSS-CORRELATION OF GAMMA-RAY ANISOTROPIES AND COSMIC SHEAR

Both cosmic shear and cosmological gamma-ray emission stem from the presence of dark matter (DM) in the universe: DM structures are responsible for the bending of light in the weak-lensing regime and those same objects can emit gamma rays, either because they host astrophysical sources (active galactic nuclei or star-forming galaxies) or directly by DM annihilations (or decays, depending on the properties of the DM particle). Such gamma rays should therefore exhibit strong correlation with the cosmic shear signal. In this Letter, we compute the cross-correlation angular power spectrum of cosmic shear and gamma rays produced by the annihilation/decay of weakly interacting massive particle DM, as well as by astrophysical sources. We show that this observable provides novel information on the composition of the extragalactic gamma-ray background (EGB), since the amplitude and shape of the cross-correlation signal strongly depend on which class of sources is responsible for the gamma-ray emission. If the DM contribution to the EGB is significant (at least in a definite energy range), although compatible with current observational bounds, its strong correlation with the cosmic shear makes such signal potentially detectable by combining Fermi Large Area Telescope data with forthcoming galaxy surveys, like the Dark Energy Survey and Euclid. At the same time, the same signal would demonstrate that the weak-lensing observables are indeed due to particle DM matter and not to possible modifications of general relativity.

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The H I absorption zoo: JVLA extension to z ~ 0.4

Here, we present an H I 21 cm absorption study of a sample of 26 radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN) at 0.25 < z < 0.4 carried out with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. Our aim was to study the rate of incidence of H I in different classes of radio AGN, the morphology and kinematics of the detected H I, and the nature of the interaction between the H I and the radio source at these redshifts. Our sample consists of 14 sources with sizes of up to tens of kpc and 12 compact sources (< a few kpc) in the radio-power range 10 25.7 W Hz –1 –10 26.5 W Hz –1 . We detect H I in five sources, corresponding to a detection rate of ~19%. Within the error bars, this agrees with the detection rate found at lower redshifts. We find that the rest-frame UV luminosities of most of the sources in the sample, including all the detections, are below the proposed threshold above which the H I is supposed to have been ionised. An analysis of the optical emission-line spectra of the sources shows that despite their high radio powers, about one-third of the sample, including two detections, are low-ionisation sources. The radio continuum emission from the sources detected in H I is unresolved at ~5 to 10 kpc scales in our observations, but shows extended structure on parsec scales. We analysed the H I 21 cm absorption spectra of the detections to understand the morphology and kinematics of H I. The absorption profiles are mostly complex with widths between the nulls ranging from ~60 km s –1 to 700 km s –1 . These detections also exhibit remarkably high H I column densities in the range ~10 21 cm –2 –10 22 cm –2 for T spin = 100 K and unit covering factor. Our modelling of the H I 21 cm absorption profiles suggests that in two sources the gas appears to be disturbed, and in three cases, including one with disturbed H I, the majority of the absorption is consistent with it arising from an H I disc. Despite the high radio power of our sources, we do not detect fast outflows. However, the optical emission lines in these detections show the presence of significantly disturbed gas in the nuclear regions in the form of very wide and highly blueshifted emission-line components. Since some of our detections are also low-ionisation AGN, it is quite possible that this disturbance is caused by the radio jets. Overall, our findings point towards a continuation of the low-z trends in the H I detection rate and the incidence of H I in radio AGN up to z ~ 0.4.

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FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT QUASAR X-RAY EMITTING REGIONS ARE COMPACT: X-RAY AND OPTICAL MICROLENSING IN THE LENSED QUASAR Q J0158-4325

We present four new seasons of optical monitoring data and six epochs of X-ray photometry for the doubly imaged lensed quasar Q J0158-4325. The high-amplitude, short-period microlensing variability for which this system is known has historically precluded a time delay measurement by conventional methods. We attempt to circumvent this limitation by the application of a Monte Carlo microlensing analysis technique, but we are only able to prove that the delay must have the expected sign (image A leads image B). Despite our failure to robustly measure the time delay, we successfully model the microlensing at optical and X-ray wavelengths to find a half-light radius for soft X-ray emission log (r{sub 1/2,X,soft}/cm) = 14.3{sup +0.4}{sub -0.5}, an upper limit on the half-light radius for hard X-ray emission log (r{sub 1/2,X,hard}/cm) {<=} 14.6, and a refined estimate of the inclination-corrected scale radius of the optical R-band (rest frame 3100 A) continuum emission region of log (r{sub s} /cm) = 15.6 {+-} 0.3.

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Constraints on the emission region of 3C 279 during strong flares in 2014 and 2015 through VHE γ -ray observations with H.E.S.S.

The flat spectrum radio quasar 3C 279 is known to exhibit pronounced variability in the high-energy (100 MeV < E < 100 GeV) γ-ray band, which is continuously monitored with Fermi-LAT. During two periods of high activity in April 2014 and June 2015 target-of-opportunity observations were undertaken with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) in the very-high-energy (VHE, E> 100 GeV) γ-ray domain. While the observation in 2014 provides an upper limit, the observation in 2015 results in a signal with 8.7σ significance above an energy threshold of 66 GeV. No VHE variability was detected during the 2015 observations. The VHE photon spectrum is soft and described by a power-law index of 4.2 ± 0.3. The H.E.S.S. data along with a detailed and contemporaneous multiwavelength data set provide constraints on the physical parameters of the emission region. The minimum distance of the emission region from the central black hole was estimated using two plausible geometries of the broad-line region and three potential intrinsic spectra. The emission region is confidently placed at r≳1.7 × 10 17 cm from the black hole, that is beyond the assumed distance of the broad-line region. Time-dependent leptonic and lepto-hadronic one-zone models were used to describe the evolution of the 2015 flare. In conclusion, neither model can fully reproduce the observations, despite testing various parameter sets. Furthermore, the H.E.S.S. data were used to derive constraints on Lorentz invariance violation given the large redshift of 3C 279.

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The synthesis, structure, magnetic and luminescent properties of a new tetranuclear dysprosium (III) cluster

The synthesis and characterization of [Dy{sub 4}(dhampH{sub 3}){sub 4}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}](NO{sub 3}){sub 2} (1), a new tetranuclear dysprosium (III) complex, is described. The compound was characterized by its X-ray structure, magnetic properties as well as the luminescent spectra. The compound crystallizes in a P1-bar space group with a zig-zag linear form of geometry. The ac magnetic susceptibilities of the molecule indicate that it is a magnetic molecule with a slow magnetization relaxation. The molecule also exhibits an emission spectrum that was confirmed to be ligand based. These results indicate that this molecule has both a slow magnetization relaxation (that could be potentially a SMM) and luminescent properties. - Graphical Abstract: A new tetranuclear dysprosium (III) complex [Dy{sub 4}(dhampH{sub 3}){sub 4}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}](NO{sub 3}){sub 2} is synthesized and reported in this paper. This molecule has luminescence and can potentially act as a SMM. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A new designed ligand (dhampH{sub 5}) was syntheisized. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A new tetra-dysprosium cluster [Dy{sub 4}(dhampH{sub 3}){sub 4}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}](NO{sub 3}){sub 2} was made. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Slow magnetization relaxation phenomenon was observed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ligand-based luminescence was observed.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Investigating temperature degradation in THz quantum cascade lasers by examination of temperature dependence of output power

In this paper, we demonstrate a method to investigate the temperature degradation of THz quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) based on analyzing the dependence of lasing output power on temperature. The output power is suggested to decrease exponentially with some characteristic activation energy indicative of the degradation mechanism. As a proof of concept, Arrhenius plots of power versus temperature are used to extract the activation energy in vertical transition THz QCLs. The extracted energies are consistent with thermally activated longitudinal optical-phonon scattering being the dominant degradation mechanism, as is generally accepted. The extracted activation energy values are shown to be in good agreement with the values predicted from laser spectra.

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Theory of molecule metal nano-particle interaction: Quantum description of plasmonic lasing

The recent quantum description of a few molecules interacting with plasmon excitations of a spherical metal nano-particle (MNP) as presented in the work of Zhang and May [Phys. Rev. B 89, 245441 (2014)] is extended to systems with up to 100 molecules. We demonstrate the possibility of multiple plasmon excitation and describe their conversion into far-field photons. The calculation of the steady-state photon emission spectrum results in an emission line-narrowing with an increasing number of molecules coupled to the MNP. This is considered as an essential criterion for the action of the molecule-MNP system as a nano-laser. To have exact results for systems with up to 20 molecules, we proceed as recently described by Richter et al. [Phys. Rev. B 91, 035306 (2015)] and study a highly symmetric system. It assumes an equatorial and regular position of identical molecules in such a way that their coupling is dominated by that to a single MNP dipole-plasmon excitation. Changing from the exact computation of the system’s complete density matrix to an approximate theory based on the reduced plasmon density matrix, systems with more than 100 molecules can be described. Finally, nonlinear rate equations are proposed which reproduce the mean number of excited plasmons in their dependence of the number of molecules and of the used pump rate. The second order intensity correlation function of emitted photons is related to the respective plasmon correlation function which approaches unity when the system starts lasing.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

A Ly{alpha} HALO AROUND A QUASAR AT REDSHIFT z = 6.4

We present long-slit spectroscopic data that reveal extended Ly{alpha} emission around the z = 6.417 radio-quiet quasar CFHQS J2329-0301. The Ly{alpha} emission is extended over 15 kpc and has a luminosity of >8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 36} W, comparable to the most luminous Ly{alpha} halos known. The emission has complex kinematics, in part due to foreground absorption, which only partly covers the extended nebula. The velocity ranges from -500 km s{sup -1} to +500 km s{sup -1}, with a peak remarkably close to the systemic velocity identified by broad Mg II emission of the quasar. There is no evidence for infall or outflow of the halo gas. We speculate that the Ly{alpha} emission mechanism is recombination after quasar photoionization of gas sitting within a high-mass dark matter halo. The immense Ly{alpha} luminosity indicates a higher covering factor of cold gas compared with typical radio-quiet quasars at lower redshift.

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