A4 Refereed article in a conference publication
The role of LoBALs in quasar evolution
Authors: Wethers Clare, Kotilainen Jari, Schramm Malte, Schulze Andreas
Editors: Mirjana Pović, Paola Marziani, Josefa Masegosa, Hagai Netzer, Seblu H. Negu, Solomon B. Tessema
Conference name: Symposium of the International Astronomical Union
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Publication year: 2021
Journal: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Book title : Nuclear Activity in Galaxies Across Cosmic Time
Journal name in source: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Series title: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Number in series: S356
Volume: 15
First page : 285
Last page: 289
ISSN: 1743-9213
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921320003117
Broad absorption line quasars (BALs) represent an interesting yet poorly understood population of quasars showing direct evidence for feedback processes via powerful outflows. Whilst an orientation model appears sufficient in explaining the sub-population of high-ionisation BALs (HiBALs), low-ionisation BALs (LoBALs) may instead represent an evolutionary phase, in which LoBALs exist in a short-lived phase following a merger-driven starburst. Throughout this work, we test this evolutionary picture of LoBALs by comparing the FIR detection rates, SFRs and environments for a sample of 12 LoBALs to other quasar populations at 2.0 < z < 2.5, making use of archival Herschel SPIRE data. We find the LoBAL detection rate to exceed that of both HiBALs and non-BALs, indicating a potential enhancement in their SFRs. Indeed, we also find direct evidence for high SFRs (>750 M ¯yr-1) within our sample which may be consistent with an evolutionary paradigm.