Metallicity and Black Hole Masses
of Redshift 6 Quasars
In the Universe at z > 6
6.0  0.5
Jaron Kurk (MPIA, D)
Fabian Walter, Dominik Riechers (MPIA, D)
Laura Pentericci (Monte Porzio, I)
Xiaohui Fan (Steward, AZ)
The evening star (Mucha, 1902)
The moon (Mucha, 1902)
Introduction
J1030+0524 z = 6.3
J1306+0356 z = 6.0
(Pentericci et al.
2002)
J1148+5251 z =
6.4
(Barth et al. 2003)
J0836+0054 z = 5.8
J1030+0524 z = 6.3
J1044--0125 z = 5.8
(Freudling et al. 2003)
J1148+5251 z = 6.4
(Willott et al. 2003)
J1030+0524 z = 6.3
J1044--0125 z = 5.8
J1048+4637 z = 6.2
J1148+5251 z = 6.4
J1306+0356 z = 6.0
(Maiolino et al. 2004)
Fig. by G. Djorgovski et al.
Introduction
J0005--0006 z = 5.9
J0836+0054 z = 5.8
J1030+0524 z = 6.3
J1306+0356 z = 6.0
J1411+1217 z = 6.0
(Kurk et al., in prep.)
Large(r) sample
with higher S/N
and coverage of
both CIV and MgII
Fig. by G. Djorgovski et al.
NIR spectroscopy
• Sample of five QSOs at z > 5.8 observable with
VLT
• ISAAC MR spectroscopy in SZ, J, and K bands
• Texp ~ 3 hours
per
QSO per object
z*
z band
Reference
J0836+005 18.7
4
4
J1306+035 19.4
6
7
J1411+121 19.6
7
4
J1030+052 20.0
4
5
5.82
5.99
5.95
6.28
Fan et al.
(2001)
Fan et al.
(2001)
Fan et al.
(2004)
Fan et al.
(2001)
Long spectrum (hidden title)
z’
Fan et al.
SZ
K
Mean SDSS QSO Spectrum
Vanden Berk et al. (2001)
_
z = 1.253
PL-slope
 =
--1.56
SDSS Iron Template (hidden title)
SDSS “FeII” template
Balmer continuum
Power-law continuum
Vanden Berk et al. (2001)
Vestergaard & Wilkes FeII template
Sigut & Pradhan (2003)
FeII emission under MgII
line
Vestergaard & Wilkes (2001)
FeII template Comparison
MgII line
Smoothed Vestergaard template
Mean SDSS QSO template
MgII spectra
ISAAC MR K-band
MgII spectra
SDSS “FeII” template
Simultaneous fit of power-law
continuum, Balmer pseudocontinuum and template
MgII spectra
Vestergaard template
Simultaneous fit of power-law
continuum, Balmer pseudocontinuum and template
MgII spectra
MgII line fit
After subtraction of continua and
template
CIV spectra
SZ and J band spectra
CIV spectra
SZ and J band spectra
Lorentzian curves fitted with
underlying polynomial
Long spec again (hidden title)
Long spec with fit (hidden title)
Redshifts
• CIV emission 0 < v < 4000 km s-1 blueward of
MgII
• MgII and Ly can differ by z = 0.02
• New redshift accuracy on the order of z ~ 0.002
QSO
zREF
J0836+005
5.82
4
J1306+035
5.99
6
J1411+121
5.95
7
J1030+052
6.28
4
zMgII
zFEII
zCIV
5.807 5.807
6.015 6.030 6.007
5.898 5.936 5.815
6.300 6.315 6.282
Black Holes Masses
• MgII
McLure & Jarvis (2002)
• CIV
Vestergaard (2002)
• Edd
Wandel, Peterson & Malkan (1999)
Black Holes Masses
Black hole masses in 109 M
QSO
zREF
J0836+005
4
J1306+035
6
5.8
2
5.9
9
J1411+121
7
J1030+052
4
5.9
5
6.2
8
MBH,MgII
MBH,CIV MBH,Edd
1.2
6.5
1.1
1.6
2.0
0.3
0.2
1.5
0.7
1.3
1.9
FeII/MgII ratios
2.2 < FeII/MgII < 4.7, consistent with solar metallicity
 Dietrich et al. (2003)
 Wills, Netzer, & Wills (1985)

Thompson et al. (1999)
 Iwamuro et al. (2002)

Freudling et al. (2003)
Dietrich et al. (2003)
Conclusions
• Black Hole masses from 0.2 to 1.6 109 M
– not only the most massive galaxies
– therefore MBH-BULGE relation can hold up to the
highest redshifts
• No evolution in FeII/MgII ratios up to z = 6
– star formed at z > 10
– or indication for decline?
• BH masses differ much more than
enrichment
• Accurate redshifts for follow-up and better
HII region determination
• Not mentioned: power-law slopes,
absorption by intervening gas and/or gas
within the system
The morning star (Mucha, 1902)
The pole star (Mucha, 1902)