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Cited by 323Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, PhenomenaAstrophysical Phenomena and ObservationsStellar, planetary, and galactic studies

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 146 of the 147 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

A systematic search for changing-look quasars in SDSS

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MacLeod, Chelsea L., Ross, Nicholas P., Lawrence, Andy, Goad, Mike, Horne, Keith, Burgett, William, Chambers, Ken C., Flewelling, Heather, Hodapp, Klaus, Kaiser, Nick, Magnier, Eugene, Wainscoat, Richard, Waters, Christopher·2016·Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
DOI 10.1093/mnras/stv2997
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Abstract

We present a systematic search for changing-look quasars based on repeat photometry from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and Pan-STARRS1, along with repeat spectra from SDSS and SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. Objects with large, |Δg| > 1 mag photometric variations in their light curves are selected as candidates to look for changes in broad emission line (BEL) features. Out of a sample of 1011 objects that satisfy our selection criteria and have more than one epoch of spectroscopy, we find 10 examples of quasars that have variable and/or ‘changing-look’ BEL features. Four of our objects have emerging BELs, five have disappearing BELs, and one object shows tentative evidence for having both emerging and disappearing BELs. With redshifts in the range 0.20 < z < 0.63, this sample includes the highest redshift changing-look quasars discovered to date. We highlight the quasar J102152.34+464515.6 at z = 0.204. Here, not only have the Balmer emission lines strongly diminished in prominence, including Hβ all but disappearing, but the blue continuum fν∝ν1/3 typical of an active galactic nuclei is also significantly diminished in the second epoch of spectroscopy. Using our selection criteria, we estimate that >15 per cent of strongly variable luminous quasars display changing-look BEL features on rest-frame time-scales of 8 to 10 yr. Plausible time-scales for variable dust extinction are factors of 2–10 too long to explain the dimming and brightening in these sources, and simple dust reddening models cannot reproduce the BEL changes. On the other hand, an advancement such as disc reprocessing is needed if the observed variations are due to accretion rate changes.

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Metadata

Authors
MacLeod, C. L., Ross, N. P., Lawrence, A., Goad, M., Horne, K., Burgett, W., Chambers, K. C., Flewelling, H., Hodapp, K., Kaiser, N., Magnier, E., Wainscoat, R., & Waters, C.
Affiliations
  • Royal Observatory (GB)
  • University of Leicester (GB)
  • University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (US)
Corresponding author
MacLeod, Chelsea L.
ORCID
Venue
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2016-01-20
Volume
457
Issue
1
Pages
389-404
ISSN
  • 0035-8711 (ISSN-L)
  • 1365-2966
DOI
10.1093/mnras/stv2997
OpenAlex
W2233780967
Cited by
323
References
147
Citations by year
2026: 26 · 2025: 38 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 38 · 2019: 36 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 15
FWCI
16.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (publishedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (acceptedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Leicester Research Archive (University of Leicester) (submittedVersion)
  • HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
  • Edinburgh Research Explorer (University of Edinburgh) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • St Andrews Research Repository (St Andrews Research Repository) (submittedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (1313422, 0909182, 1238877)
  • Smithsonian Institution
  • U.S. Department of Energy
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (AST-1313422, NNG05GF22G, AST-0909182, NNX08AR22G, AST-1238877)
  • Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (NNX08AR22G)
  • Yale University
  • Vanderbilt University
  • Princeton University
  • Ohio State University
  • Harvard University
  • University of Washington
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • University of Pittsburgh
  • Carnegie Mellon University
  • Case Western Reserve University
  • Drexel University
  • Universität Basel
  • University of Portsmouth
  • New Mexico State University
  • Space Telescope Science Institute (NNX08AR22G)
  • York University
  • Queen's University Belfast
  • Durham University
  • Chinese Academy of Sciences
  • Queen's University
  • Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
  • National Central University
  • Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem
  • Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie
  • Office of Science
  • College of Engineering, Michigan State University
  • Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
  • Science Mission Directorate (NNX08AR22G)
  • Science and Technology Facilities Council (ST/N000757/1, ST/M001296/1, ST/L005050/1, ST/M001229/1, ST/K001000/1, ST/L00481X/1, ST/J004626/1)
  • U.S. Naval Observatory
  • Planetary Science Division (NNX08AR22G)
  • Fermilab
  • Brookhaven National Laboratory
  • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
  • Los Alamos National Laboratory
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
Keywords
changing-look quasars, broad emission lines, quasar variability, interstellar extinction, quasar light curves, high-redshift quasars

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