The Highest Redshift Quasar at $z=7.085$: A Radio Quiet Source

Abstract

We present 1-2 GHz Very Large Array A-configuration continuum observations on the highest redshift quasar known to date, the $z=7.085$ quasar ULAS J112001.48+064124.3. The results show no radio continuum emission at the optical position of the quasar or its vicinity at a level of $\geq 3σ$ or $23.1 μ$Jy beam$^{-1}$. This $3σ$ limit corresponds to a rest frame 1.4 GHz luminosity density limit of $L_{ν,1.4\,GHz} < 1.76 \times 10^{24}$ W Hz$^{-1}$ for a spectral index of $α=0$, and $L_{ν,1.4\,GHz} < 1.42 \times 10^{25}$ W Hz$^{-1}$ for a spectral index of $α=-1$. The rest-frame 1.4 GHz luminosity limits are $L_{rad} < 6.43 \times 10^6 L_{\odot}$ and $L_{\rm rad} < 5.20 \times 10^7 L_{\odot}$ for $α=0$ and $α=-1$, respectively. The derived limits for the ratio of the rest frame 1.4 GHz luminosity density to the $B$-band optical luminosity density are $R\rlap{}_{1.4}^{*} < 0.53$ and $< 4.30$ for the above noted spectral indices, respectively. Given our upper limits on the radio continuum emission and the radio-to-optical luminosity ratio, we conclude that this quasar is radio-quiet and located at the low end of the radio quiet distribution of high redshift ($z \gtrsim 6$) quasars.

11 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in AJ