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Euclid: the potential of slitless infrared spectroscopy: a z = 5.4 quasar and new ultracool dwarfs

E. Bañados, V. Le Brun, S. Belladitta, I. Momcheva, D. Stern, J. C. A. Wolf, M. Ezziati, D. Mortlock, A. Humphrey, R. L. Smart, S. L. Casewell, A. Pérez-Garrido, B. Goldman, E. L. Martín, A. Mohandasan, C. Reylé, C. Dominguez-Tagle, Y. Copin, E. Lusso, Y. Matsuoka, K. McCarthy, F. Ricci, H. -W. Rix, H. J. A. Rottgering, J. Schindler, J. R. Weaver, A. Allaoui, T. Bedrine, M. Castellano, P. Chabaud, G. Daste, F. Dufresne, J. Gracia-Carpio, M. Kümmel, M. Moresco, M. Scodeggio, C. Surace, D. Vibert, A. Balestra, A. Bonnefoi, A. Caillat, F. Cogato, A. Costille, S. Dusini, S. Ferriol, E. Franceschi, W. Gillard, K. Jahnke, D. Le Mignant, S. Ligori, E. Medinaceli, G. Morgante, F. Passalacqua, K. Paterson, S. Pires, C. Sirignano, I. T. Andika, H. Atek, D. Barrado, S. Bisogni, C. J. Conselice, H. Dannerbauer, R. Decarli, H. Dole, T. Dupuy, A. Feltre, S. Fotopoulou, B. R. Gillis, X. L. Lopez, M. Onoue, G. Rodighiero, N. Sedighi, F. Shankar, M. Siudek, L. Spinoglio, D. Vergani, G. Vietri, F. Walter, G. Zamorani, M. R. Zapatero Osorio, J. Zhang, M. Bethermin, N. Aghanim, B. Altieri, A. Amara, S. Andreon, C. Baccigalupi, M. Baldi, S. Bardelli, A. Basset, P. Battaglia, A. Biviano, A. Bonchi, D. Bonino, E. Branchini, M. Brescia, J. Brinchmann, S. Camera, V. Capobianco, C. Carbone, J. Carretero, S. Casas, G. Castignani, S. Cavuoti, A. Cimatti, C. Colodro-Conde, G. Congedo, L. Conversi, F. Courbin, H. M. Courtois, M. Cropper, J.-G. Cuby, A. C. da Silva, H. Degaudenzi, G. De Lucia, A. M. Di Giorgio, C. Dolding, F. Dubath, C. A. J. Duncan, X. Dupac, A. Ealet, M. Farina, F. Faustini, N. Fourmanoit, M. Frailis, S. Galeotta, K. George, C. Giocoli, B. R. Granett, A. Grazian, F. Grupp, L. Guzzo, S. V. H. Haugan, J. Hoar, H. Hoekstra, W. A. Holmes, I. M. Hook, F. Hormuth, A. Hornstrup, P. Hudelot, M. Jhabvala, B. Joachimi, E. Keihänen, S. Kermiche, B. Kubik, K. Kuijken, M. Kunz, H. Kurki-Suonio, P. B. Lilje, V. Lindholm, I. Lloro, G. Mainetti, D. Maino, E. Maiorano, O. Mansutti, O. Marggraf, K. Markovic, M. Martinelli, N. Martinet, F. Marulli, R. Massey, S. Mei, Y. Mellier, M. Meneghetti, E. Merlin, G. Meylan, A. Mora, L. Moscardini, C. Neissner, S. -. Niemi, J. W. Nightingale, C. Padilla, S. Paltani, F. Pasian, K. Pedersen, W. J. Percival, V. Pettorino, G. Polenta, M. Poncet, L. A. Popa, L. Pozzetti, F. Raison, R. Rebolo, A. Renzi, J. D. Rhodes, G. Riccio, E. Romelli, M. Roncarelli, E. Rossetti, R. Saglia, Z. Sakr, D. Sapone, B. Sartoris, J. A. Schewtschenko, M. Schirmer, P. Schneider, T. Schrabback, A. Secroun, E. Sefusatti, G. Seidel, M. D. Seiffert, S. Serrano, G. Sirri, L. Stanco, J. Steinwagner, P. Tallada-Crespí, A. N. Taylor, H. I. Teplitz, I. Tereno, S. Toft, R. Toledo-Moreo, F. Torradeflot, I. Tutusaus, L. Valenziano, J. Valiviita, T. Vassallo, G. A. Verdoes Kleijn, A. Veropalumbo, Y. Wang, J. Weller, F. M. Zerbi, E. Zucca, M. Bolzonella, C. Burigana, R. Cabanac, L. Gabarra, V. Scottez, M. Viel, D. Scott

Abstract
We demonstrate the potential of Euclid 's slitless spectroscopy to discover high-redshift (z>5) quasars and their main photometric contaminant, ultracool dwarfs. Sensitive infrared spectroscopy from space is able to efficiently identify both populations, as demonstrated by Euclid Near-Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer Red Grism (NISP  RGE) spectra of the newly discovered  z=5.404 quasar EUCL J181530.01 + 652054.0, as well as several ultracool dwarfs in the Euclid Deep Field North and the Euclid Early Release Observation field Abell 2764. The ultracool dwarfs were identified by cross-correlating their spectra with templates. The quasar was identified by its strong and broad  CIII and  MgII emission lines in the NISP  RGE 1206─1892 nm spectrum, and confirmed through optical spectroscopy from the Large Binocular Telescope. The NISP Blue Grism (NISP  BGE) 926─1366 nm spectrum confirms  CIV and  CIII   emission. NISP  RGE can find bright quasars at  z≈5.5 and  z≳7, redshift ranges that are challenging for photometric selection due to contamination from ultracool dwarfs. EUCL J181530.01 + 652054.0 is a high-excitation, broad absorption line quasar detected at 144 MHz by the LOw-Frequency Array ( L144=4.0×1025W Hz −1). The quasar has a bolometric luminosity of  3×1012L and is powered by a  3.4×109M black hole. The discovery of this bright quasar is noteworthy as fewer than one such object was expected in the  ≈ 20 deg 2 surveyed. This finding highlights the potential and effectiveness of NISP spectroscopy in identifying rare, luminous high-redshift quasars, previewing the census of these sources that Euclid's slitless spectroscopy will deliver over about  14000 deg2 of the sky.

Keywords
stars low mass brown dwarfs / galaxies quasars

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume 542, Page 15
2025 September

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Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia COMPETE 2020 PORTUGAL 2020 União Europeia