In the merger-driven galaxy evolution scenario, dust-obscured quasars are considered to be an intermediate population between merger-driven star-forming galaxies and unobscured quasars; however, this scenario is still controversial. To verify this, it is necessary to investigate whether dust-obscured quasars have higher Eddington ratio (λEdd) values than those of unobscured quasars, as expected in the merger-driven galaxy evolution scenario. In this study, we derive black hole (BH) masses of 10 dust-obscured quasars at z ∼ 2, during the peak period of star-formation and BH growth in the Universe, using a newly derived mid-infrared (MIR) continuum luminosity (LMIR)-based estimator that is highly resistant to dust extinction. Then, we compare the λEdd values of these dust-obscured quasars to those of unobscured type-1 quasars at similar redshifts. We find that the measured log (λEdd) values of the dust-obscured quasars, −0.06 ± 0.10, are significantly higher than those of the unobscured quasars, −0.86 ± 0.01. This result remains consistent across the redshift range from 1.5 to 2.5. Our results show that the dust-obscured quasars are at their maximal growth, consistent with the expectation from the merger-driven galaxy evolution scenario at the epoch quasar activities were most prominent in the cosmic history.

We report the discovery of four quasars with M1450 ≳ −25.0 mag at z ∼ 5 and supermassive black hole mass measurement for one of the quasars. They were selected as promising high-redshift quasar candidates via deep learning and Bayesian information criterion, which are expected to be effective in discriminating quasars from the late-type stars and high-redshift galaxies. The candidates were observed by the Double Spectrograph on the Palomar 200-inch Hale Telescope. They show clear Lyα breaks at about 7000–8000 ˚A, indicating they are quasars at 4.7 < z < 5.6. For HSC J233107-001014, we measure the mass of its supermassive black hole (SMBH) using its Civ λ1549 emission line. The SMBH mass and Eddington ratio of the quasar are found to be ∼108 M⊙ and ∼0.6, respectively. This suggests that this quasar possibly harbors a fast growing SMBH near the Eddington limit despite its faintness (LBol < 1046 erg s−1). Our 100% quasar identification rate supports high efficiency of our deep learning and Bayesian information criterion selection method, which can be applied to future surveys to increase high-redshift quasar sample.

Gravitational lensing of point sources located inside the lens caustic is known to produce four images in a conguration closely related to the source position. We study this relation in the particular case of a sample of quadruply-imaged quasars observed by the Hubble Space Telescope. Strong correlations between the parameters dening the image conguration are revealed. The relation between the image conguration and the source position is studied. Some simple features of the selected data sample are exposed and commented upon. In particular, evidence is found for the selected sample to be biased in favor of large magnication systems. While having no direct impact on practical analyses of specic systems, our results have pedagogical value and deepen our understanding of the mechanism of gravitational lensing.

We have identified 22 quasars in the AKARI far-infrared all-sky Bright Source Catalogue, using a matching radius of < 10", and excluding matches which are close to foreground extended sources or cirrus. We have confirmed a relation between quasar optical luminosity and far-infrared luminosity which was found in an earlier study. In addition, we have found that the 11 sources which are at redshift z > 1 are magnified with respect to the predicted far-infrared luminosity, and consider this may be due to gravitational lensing. If confirmed, this would provide a new way to identify lenses; if not, we may have identied an interesting new population of extreme starbursting quasars.

Utilizing a unique capability of AKARI that allows deep spectroscopy at 2.5 - 5.0 μm, we performed a spectroscopy study of more than 200 quasars through one of the AKARI mission programs, QSONG (Quasar Spectroscopic Observation with NIR Grism). QSONG targeted 155 high redshift (3:3 < z < 6:42) quasars and 90 low redshift active galactic nuclei (0:002 < z < 0:48). In order to provide black hole mass estimates based on the rest-frame optical spectra, the high redshift part of QSONG is designed to detect the Hα line and the rest-frame optical spectra of quasars at z > 3:3. The low redshift part of QSONG is geared to uncover the rest-frame 2.5 - 5.0 μm spectral features of active galactic nuclei to gain useful information such as the dust-extinction-free black hole mass estimators based on the Brackett lines and the temperatures of the hot dust torus. We outline the program strategy, and present some of the scientific highlights from QSONG, including the detection of the Hα line from a quasar at z > 4:5 which indicates a rigorous growth of black holes in the early universe, and the Brβ-based black hole mass estimators and the hot dust temperatures (~ 1100 K) of low redshift AGNs.

Multiple color selection techniques are successful in identifying quasars from wide-field broad- band imaging survey data. Among the quasars that have been discovered so far, however, there is a redshift gap at 5 . z . 5.7 due to the limitations of filter sets in previous studies. In this work, we present a new selection technique of high redshift quasars using a sequence of medium-band filters: nine filters with central wavelengths from 625 to 1025 nm and bandwidths of 50 nm. Photometry with these medium-bands traces the spectral energy distribution (SED) of a source, similar to spectroscopy with resolution R  15. By conducting medium-band observations of high redshift quasars at 4.7  z  6.0 and brown dwarfs (the main contaminants in high redshift quasar selection) using the SED camera for QUasars in EArly uNiverse (SQUEAN) on the 2.1-m telescope at the McDonald Observatory, we show that these medium-band filters are superior to multi-color broad-band color section in separating high redshift quasars from brown dwarfs. In addition, we show that redshifts of high redshift quasars can be determined to an accuracy of
z/(1 + z) = 0.002 – 0.026. The selection technique can be extended to z  7, suggesting that the medium-band observation can be powerful in identifying quasars even at the re-ionization epoch.