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# 1 Introduction

## 1 Introduction

A precision measurement of the $`B^0\overline{B}^0`$ oscillation frequency is of great importance since this quantity is sensitive to the CKM matrix element $`|V_{td}|`$ and, in combination with knowledge of the $`B_s^0\overline{B}_s^0`$ oscillation frequency, provides a stringent constraint on the Unitarity Triangle. A precision measurement of $`B`$ meson lifetimes is also of great importance for the understanding of the dynamics involved in heavy quark decays. Moreover, in the specific case of the new asymmetric B-Factories, both lifetime and time-dependent mixing measurements are powerful tools for understanding the performance of both the detector and the analysis algorithms, and therefore they represent validation analyses for the measurements of time-dependent CP asymmetries.

This paper presents a set of $`B`$ meson lifetimes and mixing measurements performed with the B AB AR detector  at the PEP-II $`e^+e^{}`$ asymmetric B-Factory. Several techniques are used, ranging from fully exclusive to completely inclusive event selections. Exclusive measurements generally offer smaller systematic uncertainties with respect to inclusive ones, but they also suffer from smaller branching fractions, and consequently larger statistical uncertainties. The following sections will detail the three main mixing and lifetime measurement procedures followed in B AB AR namely the selection of events

* where one $`B`$ meson decay is fully reconstructed in a hadronic flavour eigenstate, or
* containing two high momentum leptons from semileptonic $`B`$ meson decays (dilepton events), or
* where a $`B`$ decay is reconstructed by using a semi-exclusive technique in either an hadronic or a $`D^{}\mathrm{}\nu `$ final state.

The data sample used was collected by the B AB AR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric B-Factory, during the years 1999-2000. Unless otherwise specified, the integrated luminosities are 20.7 $`fb^1`$ on the $`\mathrm{{\rm Y}}(4\mathrm{S})`$ peak, and 2.6 $`fb^1`$ 40 MeV below resonance. All results are preliminary.

## 2 Mixing and Lifetimes with fully reconstructed hadronic $`B`$ decays

This technique is the most similar to the measurement of the time-dependent CP asymmetry also presented at this Conference , the only difference being the exclusive reconstruction of a flavour eigenstate instead of a CP eigenstate. The main ingredients necessary to perform these time-dependent measurements are:

1. to exclusively reconstruct a flavour-eigenstate hadronic final state ($`B_{reco}`$),
2. to tag the flavour of the other $`B`$ meson ($`B_{tag}`$)111This step is not needed for lifetime measurements.,
3. to measure the time difference $`\mathrm{\Delta }t`$ between the two $`B`$ meson decays.

Since $`B`$ production at the $`\mathrm{{\rm Y}}(4\mathrm{S})`$ resonance is coherent, tagging the flavour of a $`B`$ meson at its decay time will unambigously determine the flavour of the other $`B`$ at the same time. The distribution of the time difference $`\mathrm{\Delta }t`$ between $`B`$ meson decays with the opposite ($`h_+`$) or the same ($`h_{}`$) flavour is therefore

$$h_\pm =1/4\mathrm{\Gamma }e^{\mathrm{\Gamma }|\mathrm{\Delta }t|}(1\pm (12w)\mathrm{cos}(\mathrm{\Delta }m_d\mathrm{\Delta }t))$$
(1)
where $`\mathrm{\Gamma }=1/\tau _{B^0}`$ and $`w`$ is the probability to get a wrong flavour tagging. The resulting same/opposite flavour asymmetry will have a pure cosine time dependence. Equation 1 has to be modified to take into account the detector resolution function and backgrounds.

### 2.1 Exclusive reconstruction of hadronic $`B`$ decays

Several hadronic decays are reconstructed222charge conjugation is always implied in the following., based on most favourable production rates and low background contamination:

| $`\overline{B}^0`$ $``$ | $`D^{()+}\pi ^{}`$ |  |  | $`B^{}`$ $``$ | $`D^{()0}\pi ^{}`$ |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | $`D^{()+}\rho ^{}`$ |  |  |  | $`J/\psi K^{}`$ |
|  | $`D^{()+}a_1^{}`$ |  |  |  | $`\psi (2S)K^{}`$ |
|  | $`J/\psi \overline{K}^0`$ |  |  |  |  |

where $`D^+D^0\pi ^+`$, $`D^0D^0\pi ^0`$, $`\psi (2S)J/\psi \pi ^+\pi ^{}`$ or $`\mathrm{}^+\mathrm{}^{}`$, $`J/\psi \mathrm{}^+\mathrm{}^{}`$, $`\overline{K}{}_{}{}^{0}K^{}\pi ^+`$. Neutral $`D`$ mesons are reconstructed in the $`K^{}\pi ^+`$, $`K^{}\pi ^+\pi ^{}\pi ^+`$, $`K^{}\pi ^+\pi ^0`$ and (except for $`B^{}D^0\pi ^{}`$) $`K_s^0\pi ^+\pi ^{}`$ modes, charged $`D`$ mesons in the $`K^{}\pi ^+\pi ^+`$ and $`K_s^0\pi ^+`$ modes. Signal to background discrimination is based on two variables, the beam energy substituted mass, $`m_{ES}`$, and the energy difference $`\mathrm{\Delta }E`$, defined as

$`m_{ES}=\sqrt{E_{beam}^2p_B^2}`$ $`\mathrm{and}`$ $`\mathrm{\Delta }E=E_B^{}E_{beam}^{},`$
where $`E_{beam}^{}`$, $`p_B^{}`$ and $`E_B^{}`$ are respectively the beam energy and the momentum and energy of the fully reconstructed $`B`$ meson, computed in the center-of-mass (CMS) frame. The $`m_{ES}`$ resolution is about 2.6 MeV and is dominated by the beam energy spread, whereas the resolution on $`\mathrm{\Delta }E`$ is mode-dependent and varies between 20 and 30 MeV, being worse in decay chains involving neutral pions. The $`m_{ES}`$ distribution for neutral $`B`$ decays, after applying a 3$`\sigma `$ cut on $`\mathrm{\Delta }E`$, is shown in Figure 1.

The number of neutral (charged) B signal events with $`m_{ES}>5.27`$ GeV/$`c^2`$ is 6643$`\pm `$96 (6928$`\pm `$94), with a purity of about 84% (87%). The combinatorial background is estimated by fitting the $`m_{ES}`$ distribution between 5.2 and 5.3 GeV/$`c^2`$ with the sum of a gaussian for signal and an Argus function  for background. This procedure also allows to assign a signal probability on an event-by-event basis, which is used in the fitting procedure. The time dependence of combinatorial background is determined from the time distribution of events in the sideband region. In addition to combinatorial background, there is a small contribution which peaks in the signal region. This peaking background is due to pion/photon swapping between the two $`B`$ mesons in the event, and introduces a contamination from charged $`B`$ mesons in neutral $`B`$ decays and vice-versa. Detailed Monte-Carlo studies show that peaking background is at the percent level.

### 2.2 B-flavour tagging and particle identification

After reconstructing a full $`B`$ meson decay chain ($`B_{reco}`$), the remaining tracks of the event are analyzed to determine the $`B_{tag}`$ flavour. Powerful tagging signatures are primary leptons in semileptonic $`B`$ decays, kaons resulting from $`bcs`$ transitions and slow pions from $`D^{}`$ in $`BD^{}X`$ decays. The tagging algorithm assigns events to one (and only one) of the following categories, in order of decreasing priority:

* primary lepton tag (electron with $`p>1`$ GeV/$`c`$ in the CMS or muon with $`p>1.1`$ GeV/$`c`$ in the CMS if no electron is found), with the tag determined by the lepton charge;
* kaon tag, with tagging defined by the sum of all kaon charges (required to be non-zero);
* NT1 and NT2 tags, based on the output of a neural network.

NT1 and NT2 are aimed at recovering leptons which do not pass the requirements for the primary lepton tag, resolving ambiguous cases where a lepton tag has a conflicting kaon tag, and identifying slow pions from $`D^{}`$ decays. Figure 2 shows the tagging efficiency $`\epsilon `$ versus the fraction of wrong tags $`w`$.

The figure of merit for tagging is defined as $`Q=\epsilon (12w)^2`$. The kaon tagging category has the highest $`Q`$, followed by lepton, NT1 and NT2 tags. The number of tagged neutral $`B`$ events is 4538$`\pm `$75, which gives a tagging efficiency of 68%. The mistag fractions are determined from the fit to data in the mixing analysis (see 2.4).

Most of the tagging power relies on particle identification , which has therefore to be optimized for maximal efficiency and low misidentification probability.

Electron identification is based on track matching with a calorimeter cluster, on the momentum-to-energy ratio (0.89$`<E/p<`$1.2, where $`E`$ and $`p`$ are the energy measured in the calorimeter and the track momentum measured in the drift chamber, respectively), on requirements on the electro-magnetic shower shape, and on consistency for $`dE/dx`$ and the Cherenkov angle measured in the DIRC (when available) with the electron hypothesis.

Muon identification relies mainly on the Instrumented Flux Return (IFR), namely on the number of measured interaction lengths (greater than 2), on the difference between the measured and the expected number of interaction lenghts (less than 1), on matching between IFR hits and the extrapolated track, and on requirements on the average number and spread of IFR hits per layer.

Kaons are identified with a neural network based on likelihood ratios computed from quantities measured in the DCH and SVT ($`dE/dx`$), and in DIRC, where single hits are compared with the pattern expected for Cherenkov light in the kaon/pion hypotheses. Kaon/pion separation is above 3$`\sigma `$ for momenta up to 3.5 GeV/$`c`$.

Table 1 shows the efficiencies and pion misidentification rates for electrons, muons and kaons, as determined from data control samples.

### 2.3 Vertexing and time measurement

The time difference between the two $`B`$ meson decays $`\mathrm{\Delta }t`$ is inferred from the distance between their decay vertices along the beam line, $`\mathrm{\Delta }z`$, via the boost factor:

$$\mathrm{\Delta }t=\mathrm{\Delta }z/(\beta \gamma c).$$

Since $`<\beta \gamma >`$=0.56 at PEP-II, the average separation between the two $`B`$ decay vertices is about 250 $`\mu `$m, which is measurable by a vertex detector. The $`B_{reco}`$ decay vertex is conceptually easily identified, whereas the $`B_{tag}`$ vertex has to be reconstructed inclusively by using all other tracks in the event. Particular care has to be taken in order to avoid any bias coming from tracks not originating from the tagging $`B`$ vertex:

* neutral long-lived particle (e.g. $`K^0`$, $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$) are searched for and used in the vertex fit instead of their charged decay products;
* tracks originating from secondary (charm) decay vertices are excluded from the vertex fit by an algorithm which removes iteratively the track which gives the biggest chi-square difference between the vertices reconstructed with and without the track itself. The procedure is repeated until the chi-square difference for every remaining track is less than 6 or until there are no remaining tracks.

Additional kinematic constraints derived from the $`B_{reco}`$ momentum and decay vertex position, from the beam spot position and size and from the knowledge of the boost, are used during the reconstruction of the $`B_{tag}`$ vertex.

The resulting $`\mathrm{\Delta }z`$ resolution function is parametrized with three gaussians (core, tail, outlier) for the mixing fit, and with a sum of a gaussian and the same gaussian convoluted with an exponential decay for the lifetime fit. Table 2 reports the resolution parameters for the $`z`$ position of the fully reconstructed vertex and for $`\mathrm{\Delta }z`$. The dominant contribution to the $`\mathrm{\Delta }z`$ resolution is due to the tagging vertex.

In the mixing fit, the widths of the core and tail gaussians are scaled on an event-by-event basis with the error computed from the vertex fits, whereas the outlier gaussian has a fixed width of 8$`ps`$. A possible remaining bias due to secondary vertex tracks not removed in the fitting procedure is taken into account by allowing a non-zero mean of the core and tail gaussians. Since the bias depends on tagging category, different core biases are allowed for each of them. Most of the resolution function parameters are fitted in data: two scale factors for the core and tail widths, one tail and four core biases, the relative core/tail/outlier amounts, and a bias for the outliers.

### 2.4 Results

An unbinned maximum likelihood technique is applied to fit simultaneously the distribution of mixed and unmixed events. The signal is parametrized as in Equation 1, whereas the combinatorial background is taken into account by a zero-lifetime and a non-oscillatory, non-zero lifetime components, both convoluted with a two-gaussian background resolution function. Fit parameters are 34: $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_d`$, the mistag fractions $`w`$ for the four tagging categories, the signal and background resolution functions, and the background parameters. The correlation between any other parameter and $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_d`$ is less than 10%. The $`\mathrm{\Delta }z`$ distributions for mixed and unmixed events and the resulting time-dependent asymmetry are shown in figure 3, together with the fit result.

The neutral $`B`$ oscillation frequency is measured to be

$`\mathrm{\Delta }m_d=(0.519\pm 0.020_{stat}\pm 0.016_{syst})\mathrm{}ps^1,`$
and the systematic uncertainty is dominated by resolution and background modeling.

Shortly after this Conference, the charged and neutral $`B`$ meson lifetime measurements presented in ICHEP2000  were also updated to the full 1999-2000 data sample (figure 4).

The new results are

$`\tau _{B^0}`$ $`=`$ $`(1.546\pm 0.032_{stat}\pm 0.022_{syst})ps,`$
$`\tau _{B^+}`$ $`=`$ $`(1.673\pm 0.032_{stat}\pm 0.022_{syst})ps,`$
$`\tau _{B^+}/\tau _{B^0}`$ $`=`$ $`1.082_{stat}\pm 0.026\pm 0.011_{syst},`$
in good agreement with world averages.

## 3 Mixing with dilepton events

Measuring $`B`$ meson properties relying only on two leptons from double semileptonic $`B`$ decays is conceptually simpler than a fully exclusive analysis, and more powerful in statistical terms, due to the relatively large semileptonic branching fractions and high lepton identification efficiencies. Moreover, the $`B`$ flavour is easily identified by the charge of the lepton. The asymmetry between unlike- and like-sign dilepton events evolves as

$$\frac{N_\mathrm{}^+\mathrm{}^{}(\mathrm{\Delta }t)N_{\mathrm{}^+\mathrm{}^+,\mathrm{}^{}\mathrm{}^{}}(\mathrm{\Delta }t)}{N_\mathrm{}^+\mathrm{}^{}(\mathrm{\Delta }t)+N_{\mathrm{}^+\mathrm{}^+,\mathrm{}^{}\mathrm{}^{}}(\mathrm{\Delta }t)}=\mathrm{cos}(\mathrm{\Delta }m_d\mathrm{\Delta }t).$$

However, the main drawbacks of this approach are the presence of non negligible backgrounds due to leptons from the $`bc\mathrm{}`$ decay chain (cascade decays), which are also the main source of wrong tags, and most seriously, the presence of charged and neutral $`B`$ mesons in almost equal proportion in the selected sample, which dilutes the mixing asymmetry.

Background from cascade decays is minimized with a neural network technique which uses five input variables (the lepton momenta and opening angle, and the total and missing energies, all in the CMS), and offers better performance in terms of both signal efficiency and mistag rate with respect to a traditional approach based on high momentum cuts.

The fraction $`R`$ of charged $`B`$ in the selected sample can be either fit in data or taken (with further assumptions) from previous measurements at the $`\mathrm{{\rm Y}}(4\mathrm{S})`$. In the former case, the statistical accuracy on the mixing measurement decreases substantially, due to the high correlation between the oscillation frequency $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_d`$ and $`R`$. In the latter case the systematic uncertainty is dominated by the knowledge of $`R`$. With the current data sample either approach gives similar total uncertainties. However, the present analysis fits $`R`$ because in the fitting procedure this parameter absorbs any difference in efficiency or mistag rate between charged and neutral $`B`$ decays, which would be otherwise another source of systematic uncertainty.

Other selection criteria of the dilepton analysis include cuts on event shape variables to suppress continuum background, on track quality to improve the $`\mathrm{\Delta }z`$ resolution function, and invariant mass cuts to reject backgrounds from $`J/\psi `$ decays and photon conversions. The signal purity after all cuts is 78%. The main backgrounds are due to events with at least one lepton from cascade decays (12%), to events with at least one fake lepton (5%), and to continuum events (5%).

The $`z`$ difference between $`B`$ decay vertices is defined by the $`z`$ difference of the point of closest approach of the leptons to a $`\mathrm{{\rm Y}}(4\mathrm{S})`$ vertex in the transverse plane. This vertex is determined with a chi-square fit which uses the two lepton tracks and a beam spot constraint. The resulting $`\mathrm{\Delta }z`$ resolution, estimated from signal Monte-Carlo events, has core and tail widths of about 90 $`\mu `$m and 200 $`\mu `$m respectively, and 75% of the events in the core. A comparison of the $`\mathrm{\Delta }z`$ distribution for leptons from inclusive $`J/\psi `$ decays shows an agreement within 10% between data and simulation.

The analysis presented in ICHEP2000  has been updated shortly after this Conference by using the entire 1999-2000 data sample. About 100000 events are selected. In the analysis update, the total dilepton sample is divided in two independent subsamples, enriched respectively in neutral and charged $`B`$ decays. This is accomplished by reconstructing inclusively the $`\overline{B}{}_{}{}^{0}D^+\mathrm{}^{}\nu `$ decay, where the $`D^{}`$ properties are inferred from the soft pion produced in its decay . Pions of less than 190 MeV/$`c`$ momentum are identified, the $`D^{}`$ energy and momentum are computed and the squared missing mass of the neutrino $`M_\nu ^2`$ is computed for both lepton/soft pion combinations. An event is assigned to the $`B^0`$-enriched sample if a combination satisfies $`|M_\nu ^2|1.5(GeV/c^2)^2`$, to the $`B^+`$-enriched sample otherwise333if both combinations satisfy the cut, the one with the smallest $`|M_\nu ^2|`$ is chosen.. Both subsamples provide similar statistical power to the $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_d`$ measurement. A simultaneous binned maximum likelihood fit of the same- and opposite-sign leptons time distributions on both subsamples gives

$`\mathrm{\Delta }m_d=(0.499\pm 0.010_{stat}\pm 0.012_{syst})\mathrm{}ps^1,`$
which is at present the most precise single measurement of the neutral $`B`$ meson oscillation frequency. Figure 5 shows the time-dependent asymmetries for the two subsamples, together with the fit results.

The systematic uncertainties are dominated by the knowledge of the resolution function (0.009), the background parametrization (0.006) and the error on the $`B`$ meson lifetimes (0.004), which are fixed to the PDG2000  values. Separate fits to the two independent subsamples give $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_d=(0.498\pm 0.015_{stat})\mathrm{}ps^1`$ and $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_d=(0.504\pm 0.014_{stat})\mathrm{}ps^1`$ for the $`B^+`$-enriched and $`B^0`$-enriched samples, respectively. These results are consistent with an independent analysis, based on an unbinned maximum likelihood fitting technique, with the same or even with a different, momentum-cut based, event selection.

## 4 Overview of other lifetimes and mixing results

The following results were presented at ICHEP2000  and are being updated with the full 1999-2000 B AB AR data sample.

### 4.1 Mixing from fully reconstructed $`B^0D^{}\mathrm{}\nu `$ decays

This measurement is very similar to the mixing measurement with fully reconstructed hadronic decays, the only difference being in the flavour eigenstate, namely $`B^0D^{}\mathrm{}\nu `$ with $`D^{}D^0\pi ^+`$. Neutral $`D`$ mesons are reconstructed in the $`K^{}\pi ^+`$, $`K^{}\pi ^+\pi ^{}\pi ^+`$ and $`K^{}\pi ^+\pi ^0`$ decay modes. By using a data sample corresponding to a luminosity of 8.9 $`fb^1`$ at the $`\mathrm{{\rm Y}}(4\mathrm{S})`$ resonance, 7517$`\pm `$104 $`B^0D^{}\mathrm{}\nu `$ are reconstructed and the mixing parameter is measured to be

$`\mathrm{\Delta }m_d=(0.508\pm 0.020_{stat}\pm 0.022_{syst})\mathrm{}ps^1.`$
### 4.2 Lifetimes from partial reconstruction techniques

Partial reconstruction techniques allow a dramatic enhancement in statistical power, but they are more sensitive to the parametrization of physics processes and to biases in the vertex reconstruction, the latter due essentially to track swappings between the two $`B`$ mesons. Two decay chains are partially reconstructed:

* $`B^0D^{}\pi `$, where the missing mass due to the non-reconstructed $`D^0`$ meson is computed by using only the (fast) pion from the $`B`$ decay, the (slow) pion from the $`D^{}`$ decay and the appropriate kinematic constraints. About 1700 events are selected by requiring $`M_{miss}>`$1.854 GeV/$`c^2`$ in 7.4 $`fb^1`$ $`\mathrm{{\rm Y}}(4\mathrm{S})`$ data.
* $`B^0D^{}\mathrm{}\nu `$, where the same slow pion technique already described in Section 3 is applied. The signature of a signal event is a pair of oppositely charged lepton-soft pion tracks, whereas same sign pairs are used to determine the amount (about 40% of the entire sample) and time dependence of the combinatorial background. The analysis selects about 90000 signal events on 7.4 $`fb^1`$ $`\mathrm{{\rm Y}}(4\mathrm{S})`$ data.

The neutral $`B`$ lifetime is measured to be

$`\tau _{B^0}`$ $`=`$ $`(1.55\pm 0.05_{stat}\pm 0.07_{syst})ps(B^0D^{}\pi ),`$
$`\tau _{B^0}`$ $`=`$ $`(1.63\pm 0.02_{stat}\pm 0.09_{syst})ps(B^0D^{}\mathrm{}\nu ).`$
## 5 Conclusion

Asymmetric B-Factories offer the unique possibility of precision lifetimes and mixing measurements in the $`B`$ meson sector. Any single measurement performed with the presently available data is comparable to the corresponding world average. The B AB AR experiment at PEP-II has investigated different reconstruction techniques, ranging from the full reconstruction of a $`B`$ meson decay chain to the totally inclusive selection of events with two leptons from semileptonic decays, to the partial reconstruction of hadronic and semileptonic decays. Recent preliminary measurements of the charged and neutral lifetimes and oscillation frequency with exclusive hadronic decays give

$`\tau _{B^0}`$ $`=`$ $`(1.546\pm 0.032_{stat}\pm 0.022_{syst})ps,`$
$`\tau _{B^+}`$ $`=`$ $`(1.673\pm 0.032_{stat}\pm 0.022_{syst})ps,`$
$`\tau _{B^+}/\tau _{B^0}`$ $`=`$ $`1.082\pm 0.026_{stat}\pm 0.011_{syst},`$
$`\mathrm{\Delta }m_d`$ $`=`$ $`(0.519\pm 0.020_{stat}\pm 0.016_{syst})\mathrm{}ps^1.`$
A preliminary measurement of the mixing parameter with inclusive dilepton events gives

$`\mathrm{\Delta }m_d=(0.499\pm 0.010_{stat}\pm 0.012_{syst})\mathrm{}ps^1,`$
which is at present the most precise single measurement of this quantity.

Further results on lifetimes and mixing with other techniques are being released in a short time scale.

## Acknowledgments

I wish to thank my B AB AR colleagues Riccardo Faccini, David Kirkby, Sören Prell, Gerhard Raven, Jan Stark, Vivek Sharma and Christophe Yèche for useful discussions.

## References


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# High-Redshift Quasars Found in Sloan Digital Sky Survey Commissioning Data VI. Sloan Digital Sky Survey Spectrograph Observations 1footnote 11footnote 1Based on observations obtained with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and with the Apache Point Observatory 3.5-m telescope, which are owned and operated by the Astrophysical Research Consortium

## 1 Introduction

The past few years have seen a dramatic increase in both the number of known high-redshift quasars and in the highest quasar redshift. Large area surveys, using multicolor selection techniques, have identified a number of quasars at redshifts larger than 5.0, including one object at a redshift of 5.80 (Fan et al. 2000b). Surveys using photographic plates (e.g., Kennefick, Djorgovski, & de Carvalho 1995b; Storrie-Lombardi et al. 2000, Sharp et al. 2001) and CCDs (the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS); York et al. 2000) have now produced a data base of well over 100 quasars with redshifts larger than four. Given the current pace of discovery, we expect the number of such quasars will increase by many factors in the near future.

In this series of papers we have already presented SDSS discoveries of more than 100 quasars with redshifts larger than 3.5 (four quasars with redshifts larger than 4.95); all were initially identified in SDSS imaging data and spectroscopic confirmation was obtained using the Apache Point Observatory 3.5-m, Hobby-Eberly, and Keck telescopes (see Schneider et al. 2001 for a summary of the SDSS high-redshift quasars). The SDSS spectrographs began operation in early 2000 (see Castander et al. 2001), and in the past year have returned spectra of nearly 9000 quasars; for the initial results of the SDSS quasar survey see Richards et al. (2001b) and Vanden Berk et al. (2001). In this paper we report the first results of the SDSS spectroscopic survey for high-redshift quasars: 116 quasars (92 previously unknown) with redshifts larger than 3.94 identified by commissioning versions of the SDSS Quasar Target Selection Software; the final version of this code is presented in Richards et al. (2001a). In addition, we also describe five new $`z>4.6`$ quasars that were found in the SDSS imaging data and spectroscopically confirmed with the Apache Point Observatory 3.5-m telescope. Finding charts for all objects lacking published identifications are given in Figure 1.

The SDSS imaging observations and target selection are described in §2, and the spectroscopic observations of the quasar candidates are presented in §3. The properties of the quasars are reviewed in §4, and a brief discussion appears in §5. Throughout this paper we will adopt the cosmological model with $`H_0`$ = 50 km s-1 Mpc-1, $`\mathrm{\Omega }_0`$ = 1.0, and $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ = 0.0.

## 2 Sloan Digital Sky Survey Imaging and Quasar Target Selection

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey uses a CCD camera (Gunn et al. 1998) on a dedicated 2.5-m telescope (Siegmund et al. 2001) at Apache Point Observatory, New Mexico, to obtain images in five broad optical bands over 10,000 deg2 of the high Galactic latitude sky centered approximately on the North Galactic Pole. The five filters (designated $`u^{}`$, $`g^{}`$, $`r^{}`$, $`i^{}`$, and $`z^{}`$) cover the entire wavelength range of the CCD response (Fukugita et al. 1996; Fan et al. 2001). Photometric calibration is provided by simultaneous observations with a 20-inch telescope at the same site. The survey data processing software measures the properties of each detected object in the imaging data, and determines and applies both astrometric and photometric calibrations (Pier et al. 2001; Lupton et al. 2001). At the time of this writing (March 2001) substantially more than 1000 sq. deg. have been observed with the SDSS, although some of the data do not meet the strict survey requirements. The finding charts in Figure 1 were made from $`i^{}`$-band data taken with the SDSS survey camera.

The high photometric accuracy, good image quality, and five wavelength bands covering the optical and near-infrared of the SDSS imaging survey produce an extremely effective data base from which to identify quasars. Since the spectra of quasars and stars differ considerably, multicolor surveys have long been the primary technique employed to optically select quasars (e.g., Schmidt & Green 1983 and references therein). Fan (1999) calculated the expected location, as a function of redshift, of quasars in SDSS color-space; his results suggested that the SDSS could effectively identify quasars at most redshifts below $``$ 5-6. Richards et al. (2001b) presented the SDSS colors of more than 2600 quasars with $`0<z<5`$; the data show tight color-redshift relations for the vast majority of quasars, and the median relation to a large extent follows the predictions of Fan (1999).

The presence of the $`i^{}`$ and $`z^{}`$ filters in the SDSS camera make it possible to effectively identify high-redshift quasars. The combination of the strong Lyman $`\alpha `$ emission line, substantial absorption due to the Lyman $`\alpha `$ forest, and the smooth continuum longward of the Lyman $`\alpha `$ emission line cause the SDSS colors of most quasars with redshifts above $``$ 3.3 to be considerably different than SDSS colors of stars (e.g., Fan 1999; Fan et al. 1999; Richards et al. 2001b). As one increases the quasar redshift above $``$ 5.8, the Lyman $`\alpha `$ emission line leaves the $`i^{}`$ band and enters the $`z^{}`$ filter, so detections of most $`z6`$ quasars will rely on only one filter (see Fan 2000b). To date, the SDSS high-redshift quasar selection efficiency (number of quasars divided by the number of quasar candidates) is approximately 60–70% ($`e.g.,`$ Fan et al. 2001; Schneider et al. 2001) for objects with $`i^{}<20.0`$; this is a much higher value than that achieved in previous investigations in this field. The contaminants in the SDSS high-redshift quasar candidates are late-type stars, narrow emission line galaxies at low redshift, and “E+A galaxies” at $`z0.4`$ (Fan et al. 1999).

One of the primary goals of the SDSS is to obtain spectra of a sample of $``$ 100,000 quasars selected from the SDSS imaging data (York et al. 2000). The SDSS Quasar Target Selection Algorithm uses information from the SDSS photometric catalogs (e.g., morphology, magnitude) to produce a list of quasar candidates to be included in the SDSS spectroscopic survey. The details of the selection are given in Richards et al. (2001a). One of the primary tasks of the SDSS commissioning period was to refine the quasar selection technique; during this time a number of versions of the quasar selection algorithm were used.

It is important to note that the objects described in this paper do not constitute a complete sample. Although most of the objects were identified by an automated selection technique, the details of the selection procedure varied from field to field as the effectiveness of the algorithm was tested during the commissioning period.

The planned SDSS complete sample is expected to consist of objects whose colors are distinct from those of stars with $`15<i^{}<19.2`$ (the bright limit is set to avoid saturation properties in the SDSS spectrographs), objects with the colors of $`z>3.0`$ quasars with $`15<i^{}<20.5`$, and point sources with $`i^{}<19.2`$ that are coincident with radio sources in the FIRST survey (Becker, White, & Helfand 1995). Low-redshift quasar candidates can have a nonstellar appearance. The expectation is that the quasar survey will have an efficiency (quasars:quasar candidates) of at least 65% and a completeness of at least 90% (i.e., 90% of previously known quasars will be recovered).

## 3 Spectroscopy of Quasar Candidates

The SDSS spectroscopic survey is carried out by two fiber-fed double spectrographs mounted at the Cassegrain focus of the SDSS 2.5-m telescope (see York et al. 2000; Castander et al. 2001; and Uomoto et al. 2001 for details). Each spectrograph contains blue (3900-6200 Å) and red (5800-9200 Å) beams that produce spectra at a resolution of $``$ 1800. A total of 320 fibers enter each spectrograph; a single observation covers targets located in a 3 diameter field. The fibers subtend a diameter of 3′′ on the sky, and because of mechanical constraints the fibers must be separated by at least 55′′. In each field, 32 of the 640 fibers are assigned to measuring the sky, and approximately eight fibers are used for photometric standards and three fibers observe reddening standards. Typically about 100 quasar candidate spectra are taken in a 45-minute observation of a field. For this paper we considered spectroscopic observations of 138 fields, which cover an effective area of approximately 700 sq deg; nearly 9000 quasar spectra have been obtained to date.

The data, along with the associated calibration frames, are processed by the SDSS Spectroscopic Pipeline (Frieman et al. 2001), which removes instrumental effects, extracts the spectra, calculates the wavelength calibration, subtracts the sky spectrum and removes the atmospheric absorption bands, and performs the flux calibration. The spectra are then classified (e.g., star, galaxy, quasar) and redshifts are determined by the pipeline software.

We selected objects whose redshifts, as determined by the SDSS spectroscopic pipeline software, were larger than 3.95, and supplemented this list by visually inspecting the processed spectra and identifying objects whose redshifts appeared to be four or larger. A visual inspection of these candidates produced a set of 116 quasars with redshifts ranging from 3.94 to 5.41. Although the C IV emission line lies beyond the red cutoff of the spectrograph when the redshift exceeds 4.8, the quality of the spectra and the distinctive appearance of the Lyman $`\alpha `$+N V emission line and Lyman $`\alpha `$ forest region in these objects allows single-line redshifts to be assigned with high confidence. SDSS spectra of 27 of the quasars are displayed in Figure 2.

The high quality of the data is particularly notable given that the spectra, of objects with $`i^{}20`$, were obtained with a 2.5-m telescope in modest length exposures (less than an hour in clear, good seeing conditions).

An additional five $`z>4.6`$ quasars, identified as high-redshift candidates in the SDSS imaging data, were spectroscopically confirmed with the Double Imaging Spectrograph on the Apache Point Observatory 3.5-m telescope. The spectra covered the wavelength range 4000-10,000 Å, with a spectral resolution of 12 Å (blue camera) and 23 Å (red camera); all exposure times were 3600 s. (For details of the instrument configuration see Fan et al. 1999). Redshifts for these five objects were determined using the techniques described in Fan et al. (2001). The spectra of the five quasars are shown in Figure 3.

## 4 Discussion

Table 1 provides basic data (uniform and of high quality) for all 121 quasars. The object name format is SDSSp Jhhmmss.ss+ddmmss.s, where the coordinate equinox is J2000, and the “p” refers to the preliminary nature of the astrometry. The reported magnitudes are based on a preliminary photometric calibration; to indicate this, the filters have an asterisk instead of a prime superscript (e.g., $`g^{}`$ rather than $`g^{}`$). The estimated astrometric accuracies in each coordinate are 0.10′′ and the calibration of the photometric measurements is accurate to 0.04 magnitudes in the $`g^{}`$, $`r^{}`$, and $`i^{}`$ filters and 0.06 magnitudes in the $`u^{}`$ and $`z^{}`$ bands. Throughout the text, object names will frequently be abbreviated as SDSShhmm+ddmm.

Slightly more than 80% (97) of the quasars in Table 1 were previously unknown, including all five of the $`z>4.6`$ “APO” objects. Eighteen of the objects had been previously identified in SDSS data; they are included in this study because of the improved photometry and the newly obtained SDSS spectra. Four quasars in Table 1 were discovered by the Automated Plate Measuring facility (APM) survey (see Storrie-Lombardi et al. 2000), and two quasars are Palomar Sky Survey (PSS) objects (Kennefick, Djorgovski, & de Carvalho 1995b). The final column in Table 1 provides the references for all 24 of the previously known quasars independently recovered here.

The locations of the quasars in SDSS color space are shown in Figure 4. As expected from the predictions of Fan (1999) and demonstrated by previous SDSS high-redshift quasar studies (e.g., see summary in Schneider et al. 2001), the colors of quasars with redshifts between 4.0 and 4.6 are well-separated from the colors of stars in the $`(g^{}r^{}),(r^{}i^{})`$ diagram (the distance between stars and a typical quasar at this redshift is approximately one magnitude). At redshifts above $``$ 4.6 the $`(r^{}i^{}),(i^{}z^{})`$ diagram becomes a very useful aid, because at these redshifts the errors in the $`g^{}r^{}`$ color can become large due to Lyman-limit systems entering the $`g^{}`$ band.

Figure 5 shows the relationship between the $`(r^{}i^{})`$ color and redshift for the 121 quasars in Table 1. Between redshifts of 4.0 and 4.5, the mean color slightly increases, and the colors in this redshift range have a dispersion about the mean of 0.10-0.15 mag. At redshifts above 4.5, when the Lyman $`\alpha `$ emission line moves from the $`r^{}`$ to the $`i^{}`$ filter and the Lyman $`\alpha `$ forest blankets the $`r^{}`$ bandpass, the $`(r^{}i^{})`$ measurements rapidly increase to 1.5 and larger. The large dispersion in the color at $`z>4.5`$ is likely to arise from the variation in strength of the Lyman $`\alpha `$ forest along different lines of sight.

The redshift distribution of the quasars in Table 1 is shown in Figure 6. The numbers decline rapidly with redshift (only about 10% of the objects have $`z>4.8`$), and there is a slight dip near $`z=4.5`$ due to the difficulty of separating quasars of this redshift from the stellar locus (see Fan et al. 2001) using the early commissioning selection algorithm. Figure 7 displays the distribution of $`i^{}`$ magnitudes of the quasars. The bulk of the objects have $`19.2<i^{}<20.4`$; the brightest object has $`i^{}=18.03`$ and the faintest quasar has $`i^{}=20.56`$. Fourteen of the quasars have $`i^{}<19.0`$.

These objects are moderately luminous quasars; 3C 273, which has $`M_B=27.0`$ in our adopted cosmology, would appear in our sample ($`i^{}<20.6`$) out to a redshift of approximately 4.8. The most luminous objects in Table 1 are over two magnitudes brighter than 3C 273.

The sample includes nineteen new quasars with $`z>4.6`$, including three new quasars with $`z>5`$: SDSS0231$``$0728, SDSS0756$`+`$4104, and SDSS0913$`+`$5919.

The sample contains one set of quasars that are relatively close together on the sky: SDSS1108$``$0059 ($`z=4.01`$) and SDSS1108$``$0058 ($`z=4.56`$) are separated by only 80′′. The projected comoving separation of the lines of sight at $`z=4.01`$ is approximately 500 kpc.

Sixteen of the 121 quasars, and 13 of the 97 newly discovered ones, are either certain or probable BAL quasars; this is consistent with the 10% BAL fraction found in optically selected quasars at lower redshift (Weymann et al. 1991). The spectra of many of the quasars have narrow absorption line systems, both intervening and intrinsic.

Five quasars in Table 1 have peak 20 cm (FIRST) flux densities greater than 2.5 mJy. Two objects which are not included in the FIRST survey area were detected by the NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS, Condon et al. 1998; see notes on individual objects). An additional two quasars were detected by FIRST, but were fainter than than the NVSS limit. Four of the radio quasars were previously known; only five of the 97 newly discovered quasars are radio sources above the $``$ 1 mJy level. One of five quasars, SDSS0913+5919 ($`z`$ = 5.11), is a luminous radio source (18.1 mJy at 20 cm), and is the most distant known radio-loud quasar. This fraction of radio detections $`(`$ 10%) is comparable to the results found in previous studies of high-redshift quasars (e.g., Schmidt et al. 1995b, Stern et al. 2000a).

None of the quasars are found in the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (RASS) Bright Source Catalog (Voges et al. 1999; Schwope et al. 2000), which has a flux limit of $`2.4\times 10^{12}`$ erg cm-2 s-1 in the 0.5 to 2.0 keV band. This result is not unexpected given that with the exception of a few unusual sources (e.g., blazars), high-redshift quasars have X-ray fluxes well below the catalog limit (Kaspi, Brandt, & Schneider 2000). One quasar, SDSS1737+5828, may have been detected in the RASS Faint Source Catalog (Voges et al. 2000), but the optical/X-ray match is far from certain (see notes on individual objects).

Notes on Individual Objects

SDSSp J003126.80+150739.6 ($`z=4.20`$): This radio-loud quasar has a flux density of 42.2 mJy at 20 cm from the NVSS.

SDSSp J012004.83+141108.3 ($`z=4.71`$): This object contains deep C IV and Si IV BAL features, and there may be strong Lyman $`\beta `$+O VI emission. The spectrum was taken with the APO 3.5-m telescope; the data for this object are displayed in Figure 3.

SDSSp J015032.87+143425.6 ($`z=4.14`$): The spectrum of this quasar shows very deep, very broad Si IV and C IV absorption troughs, and also has a narrow, associated absorption line system.

SDSSp J015642.11+141944.4 ($`z=4.30`$): Strong BAL features are apparent in this spectrum, and lines from a given ion have multiple, broad components.

SDSSp J023137.65$``$072854.5 ($`z=5.41`$): This object has the highest redshift in our current sample, and is the AGN with the third largest known redshift (following the luminous SDSS quasar with $`z=5.80`$ found by Fan et al. 2000b, and a low luminosity AGN at $`z=5.50`$ found by Stern et al. 2000b). While the redshift relies especially on the strong line at $`\lambda `$ = 7800 Å, the redshift is not in doubt given the characteristic line profile and continuum discontinuity, plus the presence of a Lyman limit system at a rest wavelength of 910 Å. There is also strong evidence for Lyman $`\beta `$+O VI and N V emission at a consistent redshift. The absorption just shortward of the Lyman $`\alpha `$ emission line is exceptionally strong; the flux appears to drop to zero. This object was observed twice with the SDSS spectrographs, and the two spectra both indicate a redshift of 5.41.

SDSSp J023923.47$``$080105.1 ($`z=4.00`$): This possible BAL quasar appears to have shallow, high-velocity C IV absorption and exceptionally strong O IV+Lyman $`\beta `$ emission.

SDSSp J024447.79$``$081606.1 ($`z=4.03`$): At $`i^{}=18.03`$, this quasar is both the brightest and the most luminous ($`M_B29.3`$, assuming an ultraviolet-optical spectral index of $`0.5`$) object in the sample.

SDSSp J024457.19$``$010809.9 ($`z=3.96`$): This bright ($`i^{}=18.33`$) BAL quasar is an unpublished PSS object.

SDSSp J025204.29+003136.9 ($`z=4.10`$): The spectrum of this object displays deep, broad C IV absorption and strong, multi-component Si IV absorption.

SDSSp J025647.06$``$085041.4 ($`z=4.21`$): This is a BAL quasar with weak absorption features, the most prominent of which is probably due to N V.

SDSSp J033005.32$``$053709.0 ($`z=4.09`$): The spectrum of this BAL quasar shows two narrow C IV features superposed on a broad C IV absorption trough.

SDSSp J034946.61$``$065730.3 ($`z=3.95`$): The spectrum of this BAL quasar has broad, shallow Si IV and C IV absorption features.

SDSSp J075618.4+410408.6 ($`z=5.09`$): This quasar has the fourth largest redshift discovered by the SDSS.

SDSSp J083946.22+511202.8 ($`z=4.39`$): The FIRST survey measurement of a 20 cm peak flux density of 40.50 mJy indicates that this is a radio-loud quasar.

SDSSp J085210.89+535949.0 ($`z=4.20`$): This is a BAL quasar with a deep C IV absorption feature.

SDSSp J085634.93+525206.4 ($`z=4.72`$): This object is a BAL quasar; it has a series of broad, deep absorption features. The precise redshift is uncertain given the nature of the BAL features.

SDSSp J091316.56+591921.5 ($`z=5.11`$): This quasar has the second largest redshift in our sample, and is near the faint limit of the SDSS spectroscopic survey. The spectrum (see Figure 2) is of modest signal-to-noise ratio, and there is only one significant emission feature, but the spectral region centered on $``$ 7500 Å displays all the characteristics of Lyman $`\alpha `$ emission line at $`z`$ = 5.11. The radio flux from the object is 18.1 mJy (NVSS); this is a powerful radio quasar.

SDSSp J102043.83+000105.8 ($`z=4.30`$): This quasar was detected by the FIRST survey at a peak flux density of 1.68 mJy at 20 cm.

SDSSp J110826.32+003706.8 ($`z=4.41`$): This is a BAL quasar with strong, smooth Si IV and C IV absorption features.

SDSSp J123937.18+674020.8 ($`z=4.40`$): The spectrum of this object displays C IV absorption and what may be an N V absorption feature; we tentatively classify this as a BAL quasar.

SDSSp J130216.13+003032.1 ($`z=4.50`$): This object has very weak emission lines; the spectrum appears quite similar to the $`z=4.62`$ object reported by Fan et al. (1999).

SDSSp J141332.36$``$004909.7 ($`z=4.14`$): It is not clear whether this object is a bona fide BAL or if the C IV and Si IV absorption features are formed from narrow multi-component “associated” absorption. The Lyman $`\beta `$+O VI emission line is exceptionally strong.

SDSSp J144231.73+011055.3 ($`z=4.56`$): This quasar was detected by the FIRST survey at a peak flux density of 1.07 mJy at 20 cm. The spectrum is nearly bereft of emission lines, similar to the $`z=4.62`$ object reported by Fan et al. (1999); also compare to SDSS1302+0030 noted above.

SDSSp J160501.21$``$011220.6 ($`z=4.92`$): This quasar was discovered by Fan et al. (2000a); it is the highest redshift BAL yet published, and has the by far largest value of $`r^{}i^{}`$ (2.37 $`\pm `$ 0.15) in our sample.

SDSSp J162048.74+002005.7 ($`z=4.09`$): The spectrum of this quasar displays a wealth of absorption phenomena: strong, broad C IV, multi-component Si IV, perhaps Lyman $`\alpha `$+N V, and strong, broad O IV.

SDSSp J173744.87+582829.5 ($`z=4.94`$): This quasar is possibly X-ray detected in the RASS Faint Source Catalog (1RXS J173739.9+582823) with an unabsorbed flux in the 0.1–2.4 keV band of $`7.3\times 10^{14}`$ erg s-1 cm-2. The centroid of this X-ray source ($``$ 7 photons) is 40′′ from the SDSS position, and the chance of at least one unrelated RASS X-ray source superposition in our sample of over one hundred quasars is non-negligible (about 25%). A higher spatial resolution X-ray image (e.g., from Chandra) would clarify the identification. If confirmed, SDSS1737+5828 would be the highest redshift X-ray source yet detected in the RASS.

## 5 Summary

Calculations based on the measured high-redshift luminosity function (e.g., Schmidt, Schneider & Gunn 1995a; Kennefick, Djorgovski & de Carvalho 1995a) and the expected performance of the SDSS camera predicted that the SDSS should produce a sample of well over a thousand quasars at redshifts above four (e.g., Schneider 1999), and that the SDSS automated selection algorithm could identify quasars as distant as a redshift of six. The early results, presented in this paper, are promising. Although less than 10% of the survey area has been observed spectroscopically, and much of the work to date has been spent fine-tuning both the equipment and the software, the SDSS has already, in “survey mode”, selected more than 100 such objects. We are particularly encouraged by the discovery of the quasar at redshift 5.41; this object, and the other $`z5.0`$ quasars in this paper, show that such objects can be found in an automated manner.

The SDSS commissioning was completed in Fall 2000, and the survey has now officially commenced. The quasars in this paper do not constitute a complete sample because they were identified with a variety of selection criteria during the commissioning period. We expect that in each year of operation the SDSS will discover 150-200 quasars will redshifts larger than four, and five to ten quasars with redshifts larger than five, all found with well-defined, uniform selection criteria.

This work was supported in part by National Science Foundation grants PHY00-70928 (XF), AST99-00703 (GTR and DPS), and AST00-71091 (MAS). XF and MAS acknowledge additional support from the Princeton University Research Board, and a Porter O. Jacobus Fellowship, and XF acknowledges support from a Frank and Peggy Taplin Fellowship. The Sloan Digital Sky Survey 222The SDSS Web site is http://www.sdss.org/.  (SDSS) is a joint project of The University of Chicago, Fermilab, the Institute for Advanced Study, the Japan Participation Group, The Johns Hopkins University, the Max-Planck-Institute for Astronomy (MPIA), the Max-Planck-Institute for Astrophysics (MPA), New Mexico State University, Princeton University, the United States Naval Observatory, and the University of Washington. Apache Point Observatory, site of the SDSS telescopes, is operated by the Astrophysical Research Consortium (ARC). Funding for the project has been provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the SDSS member institutions, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, Monbusho, and the Max Planck Society.

Figure Captions

| TABLE 1. Positions and Photometry of SDSS High-Redshift Quasars | | | | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Quasar (SDSSp J) | Redshift | $`u^{}`$ | $`g^{}`$ | $`r^{}`$ | $`i^{}`$ | $`z^{}`$ | Note |
| 001950.05$``$004040.8 | 4.31 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.17 $`\pm `$ 0.92 | 21.49 $`\pm `$ 0.07 | 19.82 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.50 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.35 $`\pm `$ 0.07 | 8 |
| 003126.80$`+`$150739.6 | 4.20 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 22.95 $`\pm `$ 0.44 | 22.32 $`\pm `$ 0.11 | 20.36 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.97 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.81 $`\pm `$ 0.11 |  |
| 003749.19$`+`$155208.4 | 4.05 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.79 $`\pm `$ 0.56 | 21.66 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 20.06 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.72 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.71 $`\pm `$ 0.10 |  |
| 005006.35$``$005319.3 | 4.32 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.65 $`\pm `$ 0.58 | 21.93 $`\pm `$ 0.09 | 20.18 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.53 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.50 $`\pm `$ 0.09 |  |
| 005922.65$`+`$000301.4 | 4.15 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.68 $`\pm `$ 0.78 | 22.45 $`\pm `$ 0.16 | 19.26 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 19.14 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.07 $`\pm `$ 0.07 | 3 |
| 010619.24$`+`$004823.4 | 4.43 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.78 $`\pm `$ 0.60 | 21.16 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.05 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.70 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.44 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 4 |
| 012004.83$`+`$141108.3\* | 4.71 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.48 $`\pm `$ 0.51 | 24.72 $`\pm `$ 0.51 | 21.98 $`\pm `$ 0.10 | 20.22 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.19 $`\pm `$ 0.11 | 1 |
| 012019.99$`+`$000735.6 | 4.09 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.77 $`\pm `$ 0.82 | 21.51 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 20.02 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.82 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.08 $`\pm `$ 0.16 | 8 |
| 015032.87$`+`$143425.6\* | 4.14 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 24.21 $`\pm `$ 0.69 | 23.76 $`\pm `$ 0.32 | 20.56 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.09 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.47 $`\pm `$ 0.08 |  |
| 015339.61$``$001104.9 | 4.19 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.77 $`\pm `$ 0.55 | 21.17 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 18.90 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.74 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.58 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 4 |
| 015642.11$`+`$141944.4\* | 4.30 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.90 $`\pm `$ 0.64 | 23.61 $`\pm `$ 0.28 | 20.67 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.33 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.92 $`\pm `$ 0.09 |  |
| 015704.10$`+`$122858.3 | 4.16 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.84 $`\pm `$ 0.66 | 22.24 $`\pm `$ 0.13 | 20.24 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.90 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.72 $`\pm `$ 0.09 |  |
| 020651.37$`+`$121624.4 | 4.81 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 25.13 $`\pm `$ 0.46 | 24.05 $`\pm `$ 0.46 | 21.51 $`\pm `$ 0.07 | 19.86 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.70 $`\pm `$ 0.08 | 1 |
| 021043.15$``$001818.5 | 4.70 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.59 $`\pm `$ 0.67 | 22.87 $`\pm `$ 0.16 | 20.74 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.28 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.31 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 8 |
| 023137.65$``$072854.5 | 5.41 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 24.54 $`\pm `$ 1.20 | 25.36 $`\pm `$ 0.63 | 21.54 $`\pm `$ 0.08 | 19.53 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.19 $`\pm `$ 0.07 |  |
| 023923.47$``$081005.1\* | 4.00 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 24.75 $`\pm `$ 1.31 | 20.90 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.38 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.27 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.14 $`\pm `$ 0.07 |  |
| 024447.79$``$081606.1 | 4.03 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 24.20 $`\pm `$ 1.48 | 19.69 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 18.21 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 18.03 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 17.92 $`\pm `$ 0.03 |  |
| 024457.19$``$010809.9\* | 3.96 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 22.81 $`\pm `$ 0.38 | 20.04 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 18.62 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.33 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.16 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 2 |
| 025039.17$``$065405.1 | 4.45 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 25.00 $`\pm `$ 1.23 | 23.20 $`\pm `$ 0.23 | 20.68 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.84 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.46 $`\pm `$ 0.09 |  |
| 025159.41$``$084258.1 | 4.25 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.06 $`\pm `$ 0.82 | 23.52 $`\pm `$ 0.32 | 20.69 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.56 $`\pm `$ 0.05 | 20.13 $`\pm `$ 0.14 |  |
| 025204.29$`+`$003136.9\* | 4.10 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 24.88 $`\pm `$ 0.66 | 22.43 $`\pm `$ 0.14 | 20.15 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.64 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.15 $`\pm `$ 0.06 |  |
| 025518.58$`+`$004847.6 | 3.99 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.92 $`\pm `$ 0.61 | 20.59 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.07 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.70 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.71 $`\pm `$ 0.04 |  |
| 025647.06$``$085041.4\* | 4.21 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 24.08 $`\pm `$ 0.73 | 22.14 $`\pm `$ 0.12 | 19.98 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.62 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.46 $`\pm `$ 0.08 |  |
| 030025.23$`+`$003224.3 | 4.19 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 22.76 $`\pm `$ 0.32 | 22.01 $`\pm `$ 0.09 | 19.99 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.94 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.76 $`\pm `$ 0.09 | 8 |
| 031213.98$``$062658.8 | 4.03 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.89 $`\pm `$ 1.26 | 20.71 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.44 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.08 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 18.93 $`\pm `$ 0.05 |  |
| 032226.10$``$055824.7 | 3.94 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 25.87 $`\pm `$ 0.85 | 21.56 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 20.01 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.90 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.06 $`\pm `$ 0.14 |  |
| 032608.12$``$003340.1 | 4.18 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.48 $`\pm `$ 0.61 | 21.17 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.47 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 19.26 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.13 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 6 |
| 033119.67$``$074143.1 | 4.70 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.90 $`\pm `$ 1.19 | 24.93 $`\pm `$ 0.84 | 20.61 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.10 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.07 $`\pm `$ 0.07 |  |
| 033305.32$``$053709.0\* | 4.09 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.26 $`\pm `$ 1.19 | 22.40 $`\pm `$ 0.10 | 19.90 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.79 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.37 $`\pm `$ 0.07 |  |
| 033344.43$``$060625.2 | 4.09 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.35 $`\pm `$ 0.64 | 22.80 $`\pm `$ 0.15 | 20.70 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.43 $`\pm `$ 0.05 | 20.10 $`\pm `$ 0.13 |  |
| 033406.99$``$063406.5 | 3.95 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 25.55 $`\pm `$ 0.89 | 20.75 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.35 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.18 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.21 $`\pm `$ 0.07 |  |
| 033829.31$`+`$002156.3 | 5.00 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.70 $`\pm `$ 0.61 | 24.92 $`\pm `$ 0.51 | 21.68 $`\pm `$ 0.09 | 19.97 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.75 $`\pm `$ 0.13 | 6 |
| 034109.35$``$064805.1 | 4.08 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 25.32 $`\pm `$ 0.88 | 22.07 $`\pm `$ 0.08 | 20.49 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.20 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.20 $`\pm `$ 0.15 |  |
| 034541.51$``$072315.3 | 4.02 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 25.30 $`\pm `$ 0.91 | 21.73 $`\pm `$ 0.07 | 19.90 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.52 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.16 $`\pm `$ 0.06 |  |
| 034946.61$``$065730.3\* | 3.95 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.78 $`\pm `$ 0.93 | 22.59 $`\pm `$ 0.13 | 20.44 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.23 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.56 $`\pm `$ 0.08 |  |
| 073147.01$`+`$364346.5 | 4.03 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.48 $`\pm `$ 0.98 | 21.05 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.58 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.29 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.20 $`\pm `$ 0.06 |  |
| 075103.96$`+`$424211.6 | 4.16 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.79 $`\pm `$ 0.72 | 20.69 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.07 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 18.82 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 18.80 $`\pm `$ 0.04 |  |
| 075618.14$`+`$410408.6 | 5.09 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.53 $`\pm `$ 0.91 | 25.13 $`\pm `$ 0.62 | 21.70 $`\pm `$ 0.08 | 20.21 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.11 $`\pm `$ 0.12 |  |
| 075652.07$`+`$450258.9 | 4.80 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.47 $`\pm `$ 0.95 | 24.41 $`\pm `$ 0.49 | 21.78 $`\pm `$ 0.09 | 20.24 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.20 $`\pm `$ 0.13 |  |
| 075732.89$`+`$441424.7 | 4.16 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.70 $`\pm `$ 0.48 | 21.02 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.63 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.38 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.30 $`\pm `$ 0.06 |  |
| 080159.25$`+`$433625.0 | 4.17 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.07 $`\pm `$ 0.80 | 22.04 $`\pm `$ 0.08 | 20.56 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.26 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.24 $`\pm `$ 0.10 |  |
| 080549.94$`+`$482345.9 | 4.18 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 25.63 $`\pm `$ 0.74 | 21.76 $`\pm `$ 0.07 | 20.11 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.86 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.59 $`\pm `$ 0.07 |  |
| 081054.88$`+`$460357.9 | 4.07 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 25.45 $`\pm `$ 0.88 | 20.46 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 18.67 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.38 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 18.30 $`\pm `$ 0.03 |  |
| 081241.12$`+`$442129.0 | 4.32 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 22.91 $`\pm `$ 0.50 | 21.98 $`\pm `$ 0.08 | 19.97 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.95 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.77 $`\pm `$ 0.08 |  |
| 083046.28$`+`$474646.5 | 4.29 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 25.40 $`\pm `$ 0.73 | 23.03 $`\pm `$ 0.22 | 20.69 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.40 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.16 $`\pm `$ 0.11 |  |

| TABLE 1. Positions and Photometry of SDSS High-Redshift Quasars (continued) | | | | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Quasar (SDSSp J) | Redshift | $`u^{}`$ | $`g^{}`$ | $`r^{}`$ | $`i^{}`$ | $`z^{}`$ | Note |
| 083103.00$`+`$523533.6 | 4.44 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.83 $`\pm `$ 0.89 | 22.00 $`\pm `$ 0.08 | 20.05 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.37 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.22 $`\pm `$ 0.07 |  |
| 083212.37$`+`$530327.4 | 4.02 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.60 $`\pm `$ 0.74 | 21.44 $`\pm `$ 0.05 | 19.82 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.46 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.23 $`\pm `$ 0.06 |  |
| 083324.57$`+`$523955.0 | 3.97 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 25.03 $`\pm `$ 0.91 | 21.76 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 20.14 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.94 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.77 $`\pm `$ 0.09 |  |
| 083946.22$`+`$511202.8 | 4.39 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 25.22 $`\pm `$ 0.78 | 21.78 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 19.39 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 18.98 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 18.77 $`\pm `$ 0.04 |  |
| 084811.52$``$001418.0 | 4.12 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.27 $`\pm `$ 0.42 | 20.71 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.28 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.99 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.94 $`\pm `$ 0.04 |  |
| 085151.27$`+`$020756.1 | 4.28 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.22 $`\pm `$ 0.96 | 21.70 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 19.45 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.29 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.09 $`\pm `$ 0.06 |  |
| 085210.89$`+`$535949.0\* | 4.20 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.75 $`\pm `$ 0.63 | 22.42 $`\pm `$ 0.10 | 20.29 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.82 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.29 $`\pm `$ 0.05 |  |
| 085430.18$`+`$004213.6 | 4.07 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.25 $`\pm `$ 0.73 | 21.91 $`\pm `$ 0.07 | 20.28 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.02 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.82 $`\pm `$ 0.09 |  |
| 085634.93$`+`$525206.4\* | 4.79 $`\pm `$ 0.10 | 25.16 $`\pm `$ 0.92 | 24.69 $`\pm `$ 0.50 | 22.06 $`\pm `$ 0.11 | 20.31 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.04 $`\pm `$ 0.09 |  |
| 090242.08$``$002125.9 | 4.39 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 25.43 $`\pm `$ 0.68 | 22.38 $`\pm `$ 0.09 | 20.33 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.77 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.47 $`\pm `$ 0.06 |  |
| 090440.64$`+`$535038.8 | 4.25 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.83 $`\pm `$ 0.77 | 21.40 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.76 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.25 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.13 $`\pm `$ 0.04 |  |
| 090532.15$``$001430.5 | 4.25 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 25.01 $`\pm `$ 0.77 | 22.42 $`\pm `$ 0.10 | 20.05 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.89 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.77 $`\pm `$ 0.08 |  |
| 091016.79$`+`$575331.1 | 4.01 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 24.73 $`\pm `$ 1.31 | 21.51 $`\pm `$ 0.05 | 19.81 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.50 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.55 $`\pm `$ 0.07 |  |
| 091316.56$`+`$591921.5 | 5.11 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 24.24 $`\pm `$ 1.06 | 24.68 $`\pm `$ 0.55 | 22.19 $`\pm `$ 0.14 | 20.50 $`\pm `$ 0.05 | 20.76 $`\pm `$ 0.25 |  |
| 092038.49$`+`$564235.9 | 4.14 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.47 $`\pm `$ 1.01 | 21.85 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 20.34 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.95 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.92 $`\pm `$ 0.12 |  |
| 092256.20$`+`$561849.3 | 4.19 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.83 $`\pm `$ 0.90 | 21.17 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.37 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 18.99 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 18.92 $`\pm `$ 0.04 |  |
| 094056.02$`+`$584830.2 | 4.66 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.19 $`\pm `$ 0.96 | 22.37 $`\pm `$ 0.10 | 20.61 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.27 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.27 $`\pm `$ 0.07 |  |
| 094108.36$`+`$594725.8 | 4.82 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.91 $`\pm `$ 0.77 | 23.70 $`\pm `$ 0.33 | 20.66 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.36 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.34 $`\pm `$ 0.06 |  |
| 094917.17$`+`$602104.5 | 4.28 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.07 $`\pm `$ 0.89 | 22.55 $`\pm `$ 0.14 | 20.67 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.26 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.12 $`\pm `$ 0.11 |  |
| 095000.17$`+`$620318.6 | 4.06 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 25.81 $`\pm `$ 0.67 | 21.73 $`\pm `$ 0.07 | 20.19 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.22 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.25 $`\pm `$ 0.17 |  |
| 095151.17$`+`$594556.2 | 4.86 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 23.53 $`\pm `$ 0.71 | 24.34 $`\pm `$ 0.48 | 21.65 $`\pm `$ 0.08 | 19.81 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.64 $`\pm `$ 0.08 |  |
| 100154.87$`+`$630818.0 | 4.14 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 25.09 $`\pm `$ 0.96 | 22.31 $`\pm `$ 0.09 | 20.43 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.32 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.54 $`\pm `$ 0.18 |  |
| 100413.14$`+`$630437.4 | 4.11 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 25.54 $`\pm `$ 0.77 | 22.15 $`\pm `$ 0.10 | 20.42 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.24 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.08 $`\pm `$ 0.14 |  |
| 101053.52$`+`$644832.0 | 4.65 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 23.90 $`\pm `$ 0.80 | 23.17 $`\pm `$ 0.21 | 21.37 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 19.87 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.67 $`\pm `$ 0.08 |  |
| 101549.00$`+`$002020.0 | 4.40 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.83 $`\pm `$ 0.50 | 21.78 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 19.72 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 19.27 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.98 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 5 |
| 102043.82$`+`$000105.8 | 4.16 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 23.15 $`\pm `$ 0.54 | 22.57 $`\pm `$ 0.15 | 20.48 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.83 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.35 $`\pm `$ 0.08 |  |
| 102332.08$`+`$633508.1 | 4.88 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.07 $`\pm `$ 0.48 | 24.09 $`\pm `$ 0.47 | 21.36 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 19.69 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.55 $`\pm `$ 0.07 |  |
| 103309.21$`+`$644351.1 | 3.95 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 24.16 $`\pm `$ 1.04 | 21.47 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 20.09 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.89 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.98 $`\pm `$ 0.13 |  |
| 104008.10$`+`$651429.3 | 4.49 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 24.05 $`\pm `$ 0.97 | 23.34 $`\pm `$ 0.24 | 20.77 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.83 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.59 $`\pm `$ 0.08 |  |
| 104040.14$``$001540.9 | 4.32 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 23.49 $`\pm `$ 0.61 | 21.00 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.36 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.80 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.65 $`\pm `$ 0.03 |  |
| 104351.20$`+`$650647.7 | 4.49 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 26.30 $`\pm `$ 0.55 | 22.00 $`\pm `$ 0.08 | 19.90 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.09 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 18.95 $`\pm `$ 0.05 |  |
| 104837.40$``$002813.7 | 4.00 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 24.71 $`\pm `$ 0.58 | 20.86 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.29 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.05 $`\pm `$ 0.07 | 18.96 $`\pm `$ 0.12 | 9 |
| 105254.60$``$000625.9 | 4.13 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.95 $`\pm `$ 0.46 | 21.47 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.93 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.54 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.55 $`\pm `$ 0.06 |  |
| 105320.43$``$001649.6 | 4.29 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.69 $`\pm `$ 0.58 | 21.70 $`\pm `$ 0.07 | 19.35 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 19.33 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.27 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 5 |
| 105602.37$`+`$003222.0 | 4.02 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 22.99 $`\pm `$ 0.47 | 21.47 $`\pm `$ 0.05 | 19.88 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.66 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.49 $`\pm `$ 0.06 |  |
| 105902.73$`+`$010404.1 | 4.06 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.69 $`\pm `$ 0.36 | 21.30 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.64 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 19.21 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 19.26 $`\pm `$ 0.05 |  |
| 110247.29$`+`$663519.5 | 4.81 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 24.55 $`\pm `$ 1.18 | 24.74 $`\pm `$ 0.53 | 22.12 $`\pm `$ 0.12 | 20.47 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.98 $`\pm `$ 0.32 |  |
| 110813.86$``$005944.5 | 4.01 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.20 $`\pm `$ 0.48 | 20.96 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.51 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 19.25 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.11 $`\pm `$ 0.05 | 9 |
| 110819.16$``$005824.0 | 4.56 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.97 $`\pm `$ 0.48 | 22.96 $`\pm `$ 0.18 | 20.94 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.87 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.72 $`\pm `$ 0.08 |  |
| 110826.32$`+`$003706.8\* | 4.41 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 24.36 $`\pm `$ 0.73 | 23.58 $`\pm `$ 0.33 | 20.57 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.84 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.40 $`\pm `$ 0.06 |  |
| 111224.18$`+`$004630.4 | 4.02 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.32 $`\pm `$ 0.46 | 21.36 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.71 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 19.66 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.59 $`\pm `$ 0.07 |  |
| 111401.47$``$005321.2 | 4.59 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.43 $`\pm `$ 0.44 | 22.95 $`\pm `$ 0.19 | 20.70 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.57 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.44 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 7 |
| 112253.50$`+`$005329.8 | 4.56 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.28 $`\pm `$ 0.59 | 22.73 $`\pm `$ 0.19 | 20.26 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.12 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.05 $`\pm `$ 0.05 | 7 |
| 113559.94$`+`$002422.8 | 4.04 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.60 $`\pm `$ 0.37 | 21.35 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.02 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.87 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.71 $`\pm `$ 0.08 | 9 |
| 123937.18$`+`$674020.8\* | 4.40 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 25.83 $`\pm `$ 0.66 | 23.71 $`\pm `$ 0.29 | 20.79 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.18 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.72 $`\pm `$ 0.11 |  |

| TABLE 1. Positions and Photometry of SDSS High-Redshift Quasars (continued) | | | | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Quasar (SDSSp J) | Redshift | $`u^{}`$ | $`g^{}`$ | $`r^{}`$ | $`i^{}`$ | $`z^{}`$ | Note |
| 125433.57$``$003922.7 | 4.23 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 23.50 $`\pm `$ 0.53 | 22.42 $`\pm `$ 0.10 | 20.58 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.10 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.99 $`\pm `$ 0.08 |  |
| 125759.22$``$011130.3 | 4.10 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.39 $`\pm `$ 0.53 | 20.40 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.00 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.55 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.45 $`\pm `$ 0.03 |  |
| 130216.13$`+`$003032.1 | 4.51 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 23.70 $`\pm `$ 0.52 | 22.95 $`\pm `$ 0.18 | 20.98 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.86 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.69 $`\pm `$ 0.08 |  |
| 131052.51$``$005533.2 | 4.16 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.19 $`\pm `$ 0.81 | 20.82 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 18.86 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.83 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.79 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 7 |
| 132110.82$`+`$003821.7 | 4.67 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.94 $`\pm `$ 0.62 | 23.28 $`\pm `$ 0.20 | 21.48 $`\pm `$ 0.07 | 20.04 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.08 $`\pm `$ 0.10 | 7 |
| 132447.26$``$031358.3 | 4.02 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.12 $`\pm `$ 0.47 | 21.50 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 19.98 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.79 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.60 $`\pm `$ 0.15 |  |
| 134723.09$`+`$002158.9 | 4.27 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.59 $`\pm `$ 0.55 | 21.15 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.34 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.96 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.85 $`\pm `$ 0.04 |  |
| 135057.86$``$004355.3 | 4.40 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.03 $`\pm `$ 0.55 | 22.36 $`\pm `$ 0.09 | 20.29 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.91 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.64 $`\pm `$ 0.06 |  |
| 135134.46$``$003652.2 | 4.04 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.16 $`\pm `$ 0.45 | 21.92 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 20.14 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.88 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.75 $`\pm `$ 0.08 |  |
| 135423.00$``$003906.2 | 4.42 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.19 $`\pm `$ 0.56 | 22.92 $`\pm `$ 0.14 | 20.64 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.15 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.92 $`\pm `$ 0.07 |  |
| 141315.36$`+`$000032.4 | 4.07 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.68 $`\pm `$ 0.57 | 21.38 $`\pm `$ 0.05 | 19.76 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.73 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.75 $`\pm `$ 0.10 | 7 |
| 141332.36$``$004909.7\* | 4.14 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 25.35 $`\pm `$ 0.93 | 21.09 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.58 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 19.30 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.09 $`\pm `$ 0.05 | 7 |
| 144231.73$`+`$011055.3 | 4.56 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 24.00 $`\pm `$ 0.39 | 22.86 $`\pm `$ 0.13 | 20.87 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.93 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.62 $`\pm `$ 0.08 |  |
| 144407.63$``$010152.8 | 4.51 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.41 $`\pm `$ 0.52 | 23.01 $`\pm `$ 0.23 | 20.32 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.29 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.11 $`\pm `$ 0.05 |  |
| 144617.35$``$010131.2 | 4.13 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.69 $`\pm `$ 0.44 | 21.06 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.53 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 19.09 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 18.89 $`\pm `$ 0.04 |  |
| 152443.19$`+`$011358.9 | 4.10 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.54 $`\pm `$ 0.44 | 22.12 $`\pm `$ 0.08 | 20.17 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.98 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.62 $`\pm `$ 0.09 |  |
| 152740.52$``$010602.7 | 4.40 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.15 $`\pm `$ 0.53 | 22.73 $`\pm `$ 0.15 | 20.48 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.95 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.63 $`\pm `$ 0.07 | 7 |
| 160501.21$``$011220.6\* | 4.92 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 24.50 $`\pm `$ 0.48 | 26.19 $`\pm `$ 0.38 | 22.50 $`\pm `$ 0.15 | 19.78 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.87 $`\pm `$ 0.08 | 7 |
| 162048.74$`+`$002005.7\* | 4.09 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 24.30 $`\pm `$ 0.41 | 21.99 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 19.85 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.36 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 18.95 $`\pm `$ 0.05 |  |
| 170804.91$`+`$602202.0 | 4.35 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 23.18 $`\pm `$ 0.75 | 22.47 $`\pm `$ 0.10 | 20.24 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.78 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.62 $`\pm `$ 0.09 |  |
| 171014.52$`+`$592326.5 | 4.47 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 23.03 $`\pm `$ 0.42 | 22.50 $`\pm `$ 0.11 | 20.48 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.67 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.36 $`\pm `$ 0.07 |  |
| 171224.92$`+`$560625.0 | 4.20 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.72 $`\pm `$ 0.62 | 22.93 $`\pm `$ 0.19 | 20.54 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.02 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.08 $`\pm `$ 0.11 |  |
| 171530.49$`+`$645319.3 | 3.96 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 22.64 $`\pm `$ 0.54 | 20.85 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.56 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.46 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 19.49 $`\pm `$ 0.11 |  |
| 171808.67$`+`$551511.2 | 4.60 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.24 $`\pm `$ 0.50 | 23.56 $`\pm `$ 0.25 | 21.15 $`\pm `$ 0.05 | 19.99 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.65 $`\pm `$ 0.08 |  |
| 172007.20$`+`$602823.9 | 4.40 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 23.24 $`\pm `$ 1.21 | 23.09 $`\pm `$ 0.21 | 20.47 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.20 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.06 $`\pm `$ 0.12 |  |
| 173744.87$`+`$582829.5 | 4.94 $`\pm `$ 0.05 | 24.69 $`\pm `$ 0.31 | 24.92 $`\pm `$ 0.44 | 20.93 $`\pm `$ 0.05 | 19.33 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 18.95 $`\pm `$ 0.07 |  |
| 220008.66$`+`$001744.8 | 4.77 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 25.20 $`\pm `$ 0.35 | 24.28 $`\pm `$ 0.38 | 20.68 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.15 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 19.31 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 1 |
| 221644.02$`+`$001348.3 | 4.99 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.02 $`\pm `$ 0.59 | 24.49 $`\pm `$ 0.46 | 21.78 $`\pm `$ 0.07 | 20.30 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 20.33 $`\pm `$ 0.15 | 1 |
| 222050.80$`+`$001959.1 | 4.68 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 24.71 $`\pm `$ 0.52 | 24.99 $`\pm `$ 0.57 | 21.67 $`\pm `$ 0.07 | 20.21 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 20.17 $`\pm `$ 0.16 | 1 |
| 234147.27$`+`$001551.9 | 3.95 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.16 $`\pm `$ 0.71 | 21.63 $`\pm `$ 0.06 | 19.96 $`\pm `$ 0.02 | 20.03 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.73 $`\pm `$ 0.13 |  |
| 235718.36$`+`$004350.4 | 4.35 $`\pm `$ 0.01 | 24.00 $`\pm `$ 0.78 | 22.44 $`\pm `$ 0.14 | 20.07 $`\pm `$ 0.03 | 19.83 $`\pm `$ 0.04 | 19.61 $`\pm `$ 0.10 | 6 |

Notes: Positions are in J2000.0 coordinates. An asterisk following an object name indicates a probable BAL quasar. Photometry is reported in terms of asinh magnitudes; see Lupton, Gunn, & Szalay (1999) for details. In this system, zero flux corresponds to 24.6, 25.1, 24.8, 24.4, and 22.8 in $`u^{}`$, $`g^{}`$,$`r^{}`$, $`i^{}`$, and $`z^{}`$, respectively.

1) Spectra obtained with APO 3.5-m
2) Unpublished PSS Quasar; see http://astro.caltech.edu/$``$george/z4.qsos
3) PSS Quasar; Kennefick et al. (1995a)
4) BRI Quasar; Finding Chart in Smith et al. (1994b)
5) BRI Quasar; Finding Chart in Smith et al. (1994a)
6) SDSS Quasar; Fan et al. (1999)
7) SDSS Quasar; Fan et al. (2000a)
8) SDSS Quasar; Fan et al. (2001)
9) SDSS Quasar; Schneider et al. (2001)