The X-ray Spectrum of the z=6.30 QSO SDSS J1030+0524

Abstract

We present a deep XMM-Newton observation of the z=6.30 QSO SDSS J1030+0524, the second most distant quasar currently known. The data contain sufficient counts for spectral analysis, demonstrating the ability of XMM-Newton to measure X-ray spectral shapes of z~6 QSOs with integration times >100ks. The X-ray spectrum is well fit by a power law with index Gamma=2.12 +/- 0.11, an optical-X-ray spectral slope of a_{ox}=-1.80, and no absorption excess to the Galactic value, though our data are also consistent with a power law index in the range 2.02 < Gamma < 2.5 and excess absorption in the range 0 < N_H(cm^-2) < 8x10^22. There is also a possible detection (2 sigma) of FeKa emission. The X-ray properties of this QSO are, overall, similar to those of lower-redshift radio-quiet QSOs. This is consistent with the statement that the X-ray properties of radio-quiet QSOs show no evolution over 0<z<6.3. Combined with previous results, this QSO appears indistinguishable in any way from lower redshift QSOs, indicating that QSOs comparable to those seen locally existed less than one Gyr after the Big Bang.Comment: ApJ Letters, accepte