Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Sdss J1254+0846: A Binary Quasar Caught In The Act Of Merging, Paul J. Green, Adam D. Myers, Wayne A. Barkhouse, John S. Mulchaey, Vardha N. Bennert, Thomas J. Cox, Thomas L. Aldcroft

Physics

We present the first luminous, spatially resolved binary quasar that clearly inhabits an ongoing galaxy merger. SDSS J125455.09+084653.9 and SDSS J125454.87+084652.1 (SDSS J1254+0846 hereafter) are two luminous z = 0.44 radio-quiet quasars, with a radial velocity difference of just 215 km s^–1, separated on the sky by 21 kpc in a disturbed host galaxy merger showing obvious tidal tails. The pair was targeted as part of a complete sample of binary quasar candidates with small transverse separations drawn from SDSS DR6 photometry. We present follow-up optical imaging which shows broad, symmetrical tidal arm features spanning some 75 kpc …