Spectroscopic Target Selection in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: The Quasar Sample

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dc.creatorRichards, Gordon T.
dc.creatorFan, Xiaohui
dc.creatorNewberg, Heidi Jo
dc.creatorStrauss, Michael A.
dc.creatorBerk, Daniel E. Vanden
dc.creatorSchneider, Donald P.
dc.creatorYanny, Brian
dc.creatorBoucher, Adam
dc.creatorBurles, Scott
dc.creatorFrieman, Joshua A.
dc.creatorGunn, James E.
dc.creatorHall, Patrick B.
dc.creatorIvezic, Zeljko
dc.creatorKent, Stephen
dc.creatorLoveday, Jon
dc.creatorLupton, Robert H.
dc.creatorRockosi, Constance M.
dc.creatorSchlegel, David J.
dc.creatorStoughton, Chris
dc.creatorSubbaRao, Mark
dc.creatorYork, Donald G.
dc.date2002-02-13
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T10:31:11Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T10:31:11Z
dc.descriptionWe describe the algorithm for selecting quasar candidates for optical spectroscopy in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Quasar candidates are selected via their non-stellar colors in "ugriz" broad-band photometry, and by matching unresolved sources to the FIRST radio catalogs. The automated algorithm is sensitive to quasars at all redshifts lower than z=5.8. Extended sources are also targeted as low-redshift quasar candidates in order to investigate the evolution of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) at the faint end of the luminosity function. Nearly 95% of previously known quasars are recovered (based on 1540 quasars in 446 square degrees). The overall completeness, estimated from simulated quasars, is expected to be over 90%, whereas the overall efficiency (quasars:quasar candidates) is better than 65%. The selection algorithm targets ultraviolet excess quasars to i^*=19.1 and higher-redshift (z>3) quasars to i^*=20.2, yielding approximately 18 candidates per square degree. In addition to selecting ``normal'' quasars, the design of the algorithm makes it sensitive to atypical AGN such as Broad Absorption Line quasars and heavily reddened quasars.
dc.description62 pages, 15 figures (8 color), 8 tables. Accepted by AJ. For a version with higher quality color figures, see http://archive.stsci.edu/sdss/quasartarget/RichardsGT_qsotarget.preprint.ps
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0202251
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0202251
dc.identifierAstron.J.123:2945,2002
dc.identifierdoi:10.1086/340187
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/178327
dc.subjectAstrophysics
dc.titleSpectroscopic Target Selection in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: The Quasar Sample
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