185 research outputs found
Deep WFPC2 and Ground-based Imaging of a Complete Sample of 3C Quasars and Galaxies
We present the results of an HST and ground-based imaging study of a complete
3C sample of z ~ 1 sources, including 5 quasars and 5 radio galaxies. We have
resolved continuum structure around all of our quasars in the WFPC2 images and
in four of the five ground-based K' images. All of the quasars have some
optical continuum structure that is aligned with the radio axis. In 3 of these
cases, some of this optical structure is most likely due to optical synchrotron
radiation, including optical counterparts to two radio jets and one radio lobe.
Two quasars have aligned continuum and emission-line structures that are
probably not due to beamed optical synchrotron emission. In another quasar, we
see a red aligned object that lies 3 arcsec beyond the radio lobe, and may be
an unassociated foreground galaxy, but has a remarkable morphological
resemblance to the radio lobe itself. The radio galaxies and the quasars in
this small sample have similar incidence of alignment, and the optical and K'
flux densities are consistent within the high dispersion. The average quasar
host galaxy luminosity is equivalent to, or a little fainter than, L*. All
components around the quasars have optical-infrared colors that are redder than
or similar to the colors of their respective nuclei; this is generally more
consistent with a stellar rather than scattered origin for the emission. This
study provides qualitative support for the unification of FRII quasars and
galaxies.Comment: 69 pages, LaTeX (aaspp4.sty); 10 tables (aj_pt4.sty); 22 figures;
accepted to A.J., August 199
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