The Reddest DR3 SDSS/ XMM‐Newton Quasars

Abstract

We have cross-correlated the SDSS DR3 Schneider et al. (2005) quasar catalog with the XMM-Newton archive. Color and redshift selections(g-r>=0.5 and 0.9 =10,500 km s -1), moderately flat but unabsorbedX-ray spectra ( =1.66+/-0.08), and low accretion rates(Ṁ/Ṁ Edd ~0.01). We suggest low accretion rates as apossible physical explanation for quasars with intrinsically red opticalcontinua. We find that 8 of 17 quasars can be classified as dustreddened. Three of these have upper limits on the absorption column fromX-ray spectral fits of N H =(3-13)×10 22 cm 2, while the other five quasars must be absorbed by atleast N H =10 23 cm 2 in order to beconsistent with a comparably selectedα ox -l uv distribution. Two objects in thesample are unclassified.