The explosion of data in recent years has generated an increasing need for new analysis techniques in order to extract knowledge from massive data-sets. Machine learning has proved particularly useful to perform this task. Fully automatized methods (e.g. deep neural networks) have recently gathered great popularity, even though those methods often lack physical interpretability. In contrast, feature based approaches can provide both well-performing models and understandable causalities with respect to the correlations found between features and physical processes. Efficient feature selection is an essential tool to boost the performance of machine learning models. In this work, we propose a forward selection method in order to compute, evaluate, and characterize better performing features for regression and classification problems. Given the importance of photometric redshift estimation, we adopt it as our case study. We synthetically created 4520 features by combining magnitudes, errors, radii, and ellipticities of quasars, taken from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We apply a forward selection process, a recursive method in which a huge number of feature sets is tested through a k-Nearest-Neighbours algorithm, leading to a tree of feature sets. The branches of the feature tree are then used to perform experiments with the random forest, in order to validate the best set with an alternative model. We demonstrate that the sets of features determined with our approach improve the performances of the regression models significantly when compared to the performance of the classic features from the literature. The found features are unexpected and surprising, being very different from the classic features. Therefore, a method to interpret some of the found features in a physical context is presented. The feature selection methodology described here is very general and can be used to improve the performance of machine learning models for any regression or classification task.
We present measurements of the spectral properties for a total of 526,265 quasars, out of which 63% have a continuum signal-to-noise ratio >3pixel^-1^, selected from the fourteenth data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-DR14) quasar catalog. We performed a careful and homogeneous analysis of the SDSS spectra of these sources to estimate the continuum and line properties of several emission lines such as H{alpha}, H{beta}, H{gamma}, MgII, CIII], CIV, and Ly{alpha}. From the derived emission line parameters, we estimated single-epoch virial black hole masses (M_BH_) for the sample using H{beta}, MgII, and CIV emission lines. The sample covers a wide range in bolometric luminosity (logLbol; erg/s) between 44.4 and 47.3 and logM_BH_ between 7.1 and 9.9M_{sin}_. Using the ratio of Lbol to the Eddington luminosity as a measure of the accretion rate, the logarithm of the accretion rate is found to be in the range between -2.06 and 0.43. We performed several correlation analyses between different emission line parameters and found them to match the correlation known earlier using smaller samples. We note that strong FeII sources with a large Balmer line width and highly accreting sources with large M BH are rare in our sample. We make an extended and complete catalog available online that contains various spectral properties of 526,265 quasars derived in this work along with other properties culled from the SDSS-DR14 quasar catalog.
We present new spectroscopic observations that are part of our continuing monitoring campaign of 88 quasars at z<0.7 whose broad H{beta} lines are offset from their systemic redshifts by a few thousand km/s. These quasars have been considered as candidates for hosting supermassive black hole binaries (SBHBs) by analogy with single-lined spectroscopic binary stars. We present the data and describe our improved analysis techniques, which include an extensive evaluation of uncertainties. We also present a variety of measurements from the spectra that are of general interest and will be useful in later stages of our analysis. Additionally, we take this opportunity to study the variability of the optical continuum and integrated flux of the broad H{beta} line. We compare the variability properties of the SBHB candidates to those of a sample of typical quasars with similar redshifts and luminosities observed multiple times during the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We find that the variability properties of the two samples are similar (variability amplitudes of 10%-30% on timescales of approximately 1-7 years) and that their structure functions can be described by a common model with parameters characteristic of typical quasars. These results suggest that the broad-line regions of SBHB candidates have a similar extent as those of typical quasars. We discuss the implications of this result for the SBHB scenario and the ensuing constraints on the orbital parameters.
We present abundance measurements for two super-Lyman limit systems (SLLSs; quasar absorption-line systems with 10^19^cm^-2^<N_HI_<10^20.3^cm^-2^) selected from a set of metal-strong absorbers in the SDSS quasar database.
We present the Data Release 9 Quasar (DR9Q) catalog from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III. The catalog includes all BOSS objects that were targeted as quasar candidates during the survey, are spectroscopically confirmed as quasars via visual inspection. This catalog contains 87,822 quasars (78,086 are new discoveries) detected over 3,275{deg}^2^ with robust identification and redshift measured by a combination of principal component eigenspectra newly derived from a training set of 8,632 spectra from SDSS-DR7. The number of quasars with z>2.15 (61,931) is 2.8 times larger than the number of z>2.15 quasars previously known. Redshifts and FWHMs are provided for the strongest emission lines (CIV, CIII], MgII). The catalog identifies 7,533 broad absorption line quasars and gives their characteristics. For each object the catalog presents five-band (u,g,r,i,z) CCD-based photometry with typical accuracy of 0.03mag, and information on the morphology and selection method. The catalog also contains X-ray, ultraviolet, near-infrared, and radio emission properties of the quasars, when available, from other large-area surveys. We also provide a supplemental list of an additional 949 quasars that have been identified, among galaxy targets of the BOSS or among quasar targets after DR9 was frozen.
We present the data release 14 Quasar catalog (DR14Q) from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV (SDSS-IV). This catalog includes all SDSS-IV/eBOSS objects that were spectroscopically targeted as quasar candidates and that are confirmed as quasars via a new automated procedure combined with a partial visual inspection of spectra, have luminosities Mi [z=2] < -20.5 (in a {LAMBDA} CDM cosmology with H_0_=70km/s/Mpc, {OMEGA}_M_=0.3, and {OMEGA}_{LAMBDA}_=0.7), and either display at least one emission line with a full width at half maximum larger than 500km/s or, if not, have interesting/complex absorption features. The catalog also includes previously spectroscopically-confirmed quasars from SDSS-I, II, and III. The catalog contains 526356 quasars (144046 are new discoveries since the beginning of SDSS-IV) detected over 9376 deg^2^ (2044 deg^2^ having new spectroscopic data available) with robust identification and redshift measured by a combination of principal component eigenspectra. The catalog is estimated to have about 0.5% contamination. Redshifts are provided for the MgII emission line. The catalog identifies 21877 broad absorption line quasars and lists their characteristics. For each object, the catalog presents five-band (u, g, r, i, z) CCD-based photometry with typical accuracy of 0.03mag. The catalog also contains X-ray, ultraviolet, near-infrared, and radio emission properties of the quasars, when available, from other large-area surveys. The calibrated digital spectra, covering the wavelength region 3610-10140{AA} at a spectral resolution in the range 1300<R<2500, can be retrieved from the SDSS Science Archiver Server.
We present the first edition of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Quasar Catalog. The catalog consists of the 3814 objects (3000 discovered by the SDSS) in the initial SDSS public data release that have at least one emission line with a full width at half-maximum larger than 1000 km/s, luminosities brighter than M_I*_=-23, and highly reliable redshifts. The area covered by the catalog is 494{deg}^2^ ; the majority of the objects were found in SDSS commissioning data using a multicolor selection technique. The quasar redshifts range from 0.15 to 5.03. For each object the catalog presents positions accurate to better than 0.2" rms per coordinate, five-band (ugriz) CCD-based photometry with typical accuracy of 0.05 mag, radio and X-ray emission properties, and information on the morphology and selection method. Calibrated spectra of all objects in the catalog, covering the wavelength region 3800-9200{AA} at a spectral resolution of 1800-2100, are also available. Since the quasars were selected during the commissioning period, a time when the quasar selection algorithm was undergoing frequent revisions, the sample is not homogeneous and is not intended for statistical analysis.
We present the second edition of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Quasar Catalog. The catalog consists of the 16,713 objects in the SDSS First Data Release that have luminosities larger than M_i_=-22 (in a cosmology with H_0_=70km/s/Mpc, {Omega}_M_=0.3, and {Omega}_{Lambda}_=0.7), have at least one emission line with FWHM larger than 1000km/s, and have highly reliable redshifts. The area covered by the catalog is 1360{deg}^2^. The quasar redshifts range from 0.08 to 5.41, with a median value of 1.43. For each object, the catalog presents positions accurate to better than 0.2" rms per coordinate, five-band (ugriz) CCD-based photometry with typical accuracy of 0.03mag, and information on the morphology and selection method. The catalog also contains some radio, near-infrared, and X-ray emission properties of the quasars, when available, from other large-area surveys. Calibrated digital spectra of all objects in the catalog, covering the wavelength region 3800-9200{AA} at a spectral resolution of 1800-2100, are available. This publication supersedes the first SDSS Quasar Catalog (2002, Cat. <J/AJ/123/567>), which was based on material from the SDSS Early Data Release. A summary of corrections to current quasar databases is also provided. The majority of the objects were found in SDSS commissioning data using a multicolor selection technique. Since the quasar selection algorithm was undergoing testing during the entire observational period covered by this catalog, care must be taken when assembling samples from the catalog for use in statistical studies. A total of 15786 objects (94%) in the catalog were discovered by the SDSS; 12173 of the SDSS discoveries are reported here for the first time. Included in the new discoveries are five quasars brighter than i=16.0 and 17 quasars with redshifts larger than 4.5.
The catalog consists of the 46,420 objects in the SDSS Third Data Release that have luminosities larger than M_i_=-22 (in a cosmology with Ho=70km/s/Mpc, {Omega}_M_=0.3 and {Omega}_{Lambda}_=0.7), have at least one emission line with FWHM larger than 1000 km/s or are unambiguously broad absorption line quasars, are fainter than i=15.0 and have highly reliable redshifts. The area covered by the catalog is about 4188 deg^2^. The quasar redshifts range from 0.08 to 5.41, with a median value of 1.47; the high-redshift sample includes 520 quasars at redshifts greater than four, of which 17 are at redshifts greater than five. For each object the catalog presents positions accurate to better than 0.2" rms per coordinate, five-band (ugriz) CCD-based photometry with typical accuracy of 0.03 mag, and information on the morphology and selection method. The catalog also contains radio, near-infrared, and X-ray emission properties of the quasars, when available, from other large-area surveys. The calibrated digital spectra cover the wavelength region 3800-9200{AA} at a spectral resolution of about 2000; the spectra can be retrieved from the public database using the information provided in the catalog. A total of 44,221 objects in the catalog were discovered by the SDSS; 28,400 of the SDSS discoveries are reported here for the first time.
SDSS quasar catalog, sixteenth data release (DR16Q)
Short Name:
VII/289
Date:
21 Oct 2021
Publisher:
CDS
Description:
We present the final Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV (SDSS-IV) quasar catalog from Data Release 16 of the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS). This catalog comprises the largest selection of spectroscopically confirmed quasars to date. The full catalog includes two subcatalogs (the current versions are DR16Q_v4 and DR16Q_Superset_v3 at http://data.sdss.org/sas/dr16/eboss/qso/DR16Q): a "superset" of all SDSS-IV/eBOSS objects targeted as quasars containing 1,440,615 observations and a quasar-only catalog containing 750,414 quasars, including 225,082 new quasars appearing in an SDSS data release for the first time, as well as known quasars from SDSS-I/II/III. We present automated identification and redshift information for these quasars alongside data from visual inspections for 320,161 spectra. The quasar-only catalog is estimated to be 99.8% complete with 0.3%-1.3% contamination. Automated and visual inspection redshifts are supplemented by redshifts derived via principal component analysis and emission lines. We include emission-line redshifts for H{alpha}, H{beta}, MgII, CIII], CIV, and Ly{alpha}. Identification and key characteristics generated by automated algorithms are presented for 99,856 broad absorption-line quasars and 35,686 damped Lyman alpha quasars. In addition to SDSS photometric data, we also present multiwavelength data for quasars from the Galaxy Evolution Explorer, UKIDSS, the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, FIRST, ROSAT/2RXS, XMM-Newton, and Gaia.
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