We present the first discoveries from a survey of z greater than or similar to 6 quasars using imaging data from the DECam Legacy Survey (DECaLS) in the optical, the UKIRT Deep Infrared Sky Survey (UKIDSS) and a preliminary version of the UKIRT Hemisphere Survey (UHS) in the near-IR, and ALLWISE in the mid-IR. DECaLS will image 9000 deg(2) of sky down to z(AB) similar to 23.0, and UKIDSS and UHS will map the northern sky at 0 < decl. < + 60 degrees, reaching J(VEGA) similar to 19.6 (5-sigma). The combination of these data sets allows us to discover quasars at redshift z greater than or similar to 7 and to conduct a complete census of the faint quasar population at z greater than or similar to 6. In this paper, we report on the selection method of our search, and on the initial discoveries of two new, faint z greater than or similar to 6 quasars and one new z = 6.63 quasar in our pilot spectroscopic observations. The two new z similar to 6 quasars are at z = 6.07 and z = 6.17 with absolute magnitudes at rest-frame wavelength 1450 angstrom being M-1450 = -25.83 and M-1450 = -25.76, respectively. These discoveries suggest that we can find quasars close to or fainter than the break magnitude of the Quasar Luminosity Function (QLF) at z greater than or similar to 6. The new z = 6.63 quasar has an absolute magnitude of M-1450 = -25.95. This demonstrates the potential of using the combined DECaLS and UKIDSS/UHS data sets to find z greater than or similar to 7 quasars. Extrapolating from previous QLF measurements, we predict that these combined data sets will yield similar to 200 z similar to 6 quasars to z(AB) < 21.5, similar to 1000 z similar to 6 quasars to z(AB) < 23, and similar to 30 quasars at z > 6.5 to J(VEGA) < 19.5.

The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi) has focused the intensive multi-wavelength and international observational effort on blazars since it was launched in 2008. Part of this effort involves systematic monitoring of the highly variable polarization of the continuum emission from these objects. These observations are valuable in that they provide direct information on the degree of ordering and orientation on the sky of the magnetic field within the non-thermal emission region(s). Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to measure the polarization of the inverse-Compton continuum, only that of the lower-energy synchrotron emission. The inability to directly compare the polarization of the two dominant continuum sources in blazars is a drawback and leads to more ambiguities in determining their relative locations. There are many compelling examples of strong connections between -ray, X-ray, UV/optical/IR, and radio behavior in blazars that suggest the same region produces much of the observed emission at all wavelengths at least some of the time. However, the wealth of polarization behavior seen relative to flux changes invariably results in a complex situation that is difficult to interpret and model. The long-term blazar monitoring program undertaken at Steward Observatory is designed to primarily obtain accurate optical polarimetry of -ray-bright blazars during the Fermi mission with the goal of gaining important insights into the jet structure and physics of these objects. Data from this program are available to all researchers as soon as reductions are completed. I briefly detail the current status and progress of the program and the data products available. Although the wide variety of polarization behavior in blazars adds another layer of complexity to an already difficult problem, I summarize several important conclusions that can be drawn from the polarization information gathered during the Fermi era.

We present high-resolution X-ray imaging data from the ACIS-S instrument on the Chandra telescope of the nearby interacting galaxy group NGC 4410. Four galaxies in the inner portion of this group are clearly detected by Chandra, including the peculiar low-luminosity radio galaxy NGC 4410A. In addition to a nuclear point source, NGC 4410A contains diffuse X-ray emission, including an X-ray ridge extending out to about 12″ (6 kpc) to the northwest of the nucleus. This ridge is coincident with an arc of optical emission-line gas, which has previously been shown to have optical line ratios consistent with shock ionization. This structure may be due to an expanding superbubble of hot gas caused by supernovae and stellar winds or by the active nucleus. The Chandra observations also show four or five possible compact ultraluminous X-ray (ULX) sources (L X ≥ 10 39 ergs s -1) associated with NGC 4410A. At least one of these candidate ULXs appears to have a radio counterpart, suggesting that it may be due to an X-ray binary with a stellar-mass black hole, rather than an intermediate-mass black hole. In addition, a faint diffuse intragroup X-ray component has been detected between the galaxies (L X ∼ 10 41 ergs s -1). This supports the hypothesis that the NGC 4410 group is in the process of evolving via mergers from a spiral-dominated group (which typically has no X-ray-emitting intragroup gas) to an elliptical-dominated group (which often has a substantial intragroup medium).

We present a combined morphological and X-ray analysis of Was. 49, an isolated, dual-AGN system notable for the presence of a dominant AGN, Was 49b, in the disk of the primary galaxy, Was 49a, at a projected radial distance of 8. kpc from the nucleus. Using X-ray data from Chandra, the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, and Swift, we find that this AGN has a bolometric luminosity of L-bol similar to 10(45) erg s(-1), with a black hole mass of M-BH = 1.3(-0.9)(+10)M(circle dot) . Despite the large mass, our analysis of optical data from the Discovery Channel Telescope shows that the supermassive black hole (SMBH) is hosted by a stellar counterpart with a mass of only 5.6(-2.6)(+4.9)M(circle dot), which makes the SMBH potentially larger than expected from SMBH-galaxy scaling relations, and the stellar counterpart exhibits a morphology that is consistent with dwarf elliptical galaxies. Our analysis of the system in the r and K bands indicates that Was. 49 is a minor merger, with the mass ratio of Was 49b to Was 49a between similar to 1:7 and similar to 1:15. This is in contrast with findings that the most luminous merger-triggered AGNs are found in major mergers and that minor mergers predominantly enhance AGN activity in the primary galaxy.

We present the results of a new spectroscopic survey for dusty intervening absorption systems, particularly damped Ly alpha absorbers (DLAs), toward reddened quasars. The candidate quasars are selected from mid-infrared photometry from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer combined with optical and near-infrared photometry. Out of 1073 candidates, we secure low-resolution spectra for 108 using the Nordic Optical Telescope on La Palma, Spain. Based on the spectra, we are able to classify 100 of the 108 targets as quasars. A large fraction (50%) is observed to have broad absorption lines (BALs). Moreover, we find six quasars with strange breaks in their spectra, which are not consistent with regular dust reddening. Using template fitting, we infer the amount of reddening along each line of sight ranging from A(V). approximate to. 0.1 to 1.2 mag (assuming a Small Magellanic Cloud extinction curve). In four cases, the reddening is consistent with dust exhibiting the 2175 angstrom feature caused by an intervening absorber, and for two of these, an Mg II absorption system is observed at the best-fit absorption redshift. In the rest of the cases, the reddening is most likely intrinsic to the quasar. We observe no evidence for dusty DLAs in this survey. However, the large fraction of BAL quasars hampers the detection of absorption systems. Out of the 50 non-BAL quasars, only 28 have sufficiently high redshift to detect Ly alpha in absorption.

Ly alpha nebulae, or "Ly alpha blobs," are extended (up to similar to 100 kpc), bright (L-Ly alpha greater than or similar to 10(43) erg s(-1)) clouds of Lya emitting gas that tend to lie in overdense regions at z similar to 2-5. The origin of the Lya emission remains unknown, but recent theoretical work suggests that measuring the polarization might discriminate among powering mechanisms. Here we present the first narrowband imaging polarimetry of a radio-loud Lya nebula, B3 J2330+3927, at z - 3.09, with an embedded active galactic nucleus (AGN). The AGN lies near the blob's Lya emission peak, and its radio lobes align roughly with the blob's major axis. With the SPOL polarimeter on the 6.5 m MMT telescope, we map the total (Ly alpha + continuum) polarization in a grid of circular apertures of a radius of 0.'' 6 (4.4 kpc), detecting a significant (>2 sigma) polarization fraction P-% in nine apertures and achieving strong upper limits (as low as 2%) elsewhere. P-% increases from <2% at similar to 5 kpc from the blob center to 17% at similar to 15-25 kpc. The detections are distributed asymmetrically, roughly along the nebula's major axis. The polarization angles theta are mostly perpendicular to this axis. Comparing the Ly alpha flux to that of the continuum and conservatively assuming that the continuum is highly polarized (20%-100%) and aligned with the total polarization, we place lower limits on the polarization of the Lya emission P-%,P-Ly alpha ranging from no significant polarization at similar to 5 kpc from the blob center to 3%-17% at 10-25 kpc. Like the total polarization, the Ly alpha polarization detections occur more often along the blob's major axis.

SDSS J163459.82+204936.0 is a local (z = 0.1293) infrared-luminous quasar with L-IR = 10(11.91) L-circle dot. We present a detailed multiwavelength study of both the host galaxy and the nucleus. The host galaxy, appearing as an early-type galaxy in the optical images and spectra, demonstrates violent, obscured star formation activities with SFR approximate to 140 M-circle dot yr(-1), estimated from either the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission or IR luminosity. The optical to NIR spectra exhibit a blueshifted narrow cuspy component in H beta, He I lambda lambda 5876, 10830, and other emission lines consistently with an offset velocity of approximate to 900 km s(-1), as well as additional blueshifting phenomena in high-ionization lines (e.g., a blueshifted broad component of He I lambda 10830 and the bulk blueshifting of [O III].5007), while there exist blueshifted broad absorption lines (BALs) in Na I. D and He I lambda lambda 3889, 10830, indicative of the active galactic nucleus outflows producing BALs and emission lines. Constrained mutually by the several BALs in the photoionization simulations with Cloudy, the physical properties of the absorption line outflow are derived as follows: density 10(4) < n(H) less than or similar to 10(5) cm(-3), ionization parameter 10(-1.3) less than or similar to U 10(-0.7), and column density 10(22.5) less than or similar to N-H less than or similar to 10(22.9) cm(-2), which are similar to those derived for the emission line outflows. This similarity suggests a common origin. Taking advantages of both the absorption lines and outflowing emission lines, we find that the outflow gas is located at a distance of similar to 48-65 pc from the nucleus and that the kinetic luminosity of the outflow is 10(44)-10(46) erg s(-1). J1634+2049 has a off-centered galactic ring on the scale of similar to 30. kpc that is proved to be formed by a recent head-on collision by a nearby galaxy for which we spectroscopically measure the redshift. Thus, this quasar is a valuable object in the transitional phase emerging out of dust enshrouding as depicted by the coevolution scenario invoking galaxy merger (or violent interaction) and quasar feedback. Its proximity enables our further observational investigations in detail (or tests) of the co-evolution paradigm.

After several years of quiescence, the blazar CTA 102 underwent an exceptional outburst in 2012 September-October. The flare was tracked from gamma-ray to near-infrared (NIR) frequencies, including Fermi and Swift data as well as photometric and polarimetric data from several observatories. An intensive Glast-Agile support programme of the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (GASP-WEBT) collaboration campaign in optical and NIR bands, with an addition of previously unpublished archival data and extension through fall 2015, allows comparison of this outburst with the previous activity period of this blazar in 2004-2005. We find remarkable similarity between the optical and gamma-ray behaviour of CTA 102 during the outburst, with a time lag between the two light curves of approximate to 1 h, indicative of cospatiality of the optical and gamma-ray emission regions. The relation between the gamma-ray and optical fluxes is consistent with the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) mechanism, with a quadratic dependence of the SSC gamma -ray flux on the synchrotron optical flux evident in the post-outburst stage. However, the gamma -ray/optical relationship is linear during the outburst; we attribute this to changes in the Doppler factor. A strong harder-when-brighter spectral dependence is seen both the in gamma-ray and optical non-thermal emission. This hardening can be explained by convexity of the UV-NIR spectrum that moves to higher frequencies owing to an increased Doppler shift as the viewing angle decreases during the outburst stage. The overall pattern of Stokes parameter variations agrees with a model of a radiating blob or shock wave that moves along a helical path down the jet.

There is strong observational evidence indicating a time lag of order of some 100 Myr between the onset of starburst and AGN activity in galaxies. Dynamical time lags have been invoked to explain this. We extend this approach by introducing a viscous time lag the gas additionally needs to flow through the AGN's accretion disc before it reaches the central black hole. Our calculations reproduce the observed time lags and are in accordance with the observed correlation between black hole mass and stellar velocity dispersion.

We present a detailed, multi-wavelength study of star formation (SF) and active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity in 11 near-infrared (IR) selected, spectroscopically confirmed massive (greater than or similar to 10(14)M(circle dot)) galaxy clusters at 1 < z < 1.75. Using new deep Herschel/PACS imaging, we characterize the optical to far-IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for IR-luminous cluster galaxies, finding that they can, on average, be well described by field galaxy templates. Identification and decomposition of AGNs through SED fittings allows us to include the contribution to cluster SF from AGN host galaxies. We quantify the star-forming fraction, dust-obscured SF rates (SFRs) and specific SFRs for cluster galaxies as a function of cluster-centric radius and redshift. In good agreement with previous studies, we find that SF in cluster galaxies at z greater than or similar to 1.4 is largely consistent with field galaxies at similar epochs, indicating an era before significant quenching in the cluster cores (r < 0.5 Mpc). This is followed by a transition to lower SF activity as environmental quenching dominates by z similar to 1. Enhanced SFRs are found in lower mass (10.1< logM(kappa)/M-circle dot < 10.8) cluster galaxies. We find significant variation in SF from cluster to cluster within our uniformly selected sample, indicating that caution should be taken when evaluating individual clusters. We examine AGNs in clusters from z = 0.5-2, finding an excess AGN fraction at z greater than or similar to 1, suggesting environmental triggering of AGNs during this epoch. We argue that our results-a transition from field-like to quenched SF, enhanced SF in lower mass galaxies in the cluster cores, and excess AGNs-are consistent with a co-evolution between SF and AGNs in clusters and an increased merger rate in massive halos at high redshift.