HST confirms sub-5 kpc dual quasar pairs at cosmic noon

Abstract

During cosmic noon ($z\sim1-3$), when both star formation and black hole growth peaked, galaxy mergers are predicted to trigger dual active galactic nuclei (AGN) that eventually coalesce as supermassive black hole (SMBH) binaries. However, observations of dual quasars with sub-5 kpc separations-the critical phase preceding final coalescence-have remained challenging due to angular resolution limitations. We present the discovery and confirmation of two sub-arcsecond dual quasars at $z>1$, selected from 59,025 SDSS quasars, which fall within the footprint of the Hyper Suprime-Cam Survey. Using high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging and slitless spectroscopy, we confirmed SDSS J1625+4309 ($z=1.647$, separation 0.55"/4.7 kpc) and SDSS J0229$-$0514 ($z=3.174$, separation 0.42"/3.2 kpc), probing the sub-5 kpc separation regime. Through novel combination of WFC3/IR direct imaging (F140W) and grism spectroscopy (G141), we resolve both components morphologically and spectroscopically confirm their dual nature via detection of H$β$+[OIII] and MgII emission lines in each nucleus. Two-dimensional image decomposition reveals distinct host galaxy morphologies: J1625+4309 shows an extended, disturbed structure ($R_e$=4.7 kpc) indicative of an ongoing major merger, while J0229$-$0514 exhibits a compact host ($R_e$=1.4 kpc) suggesting an advanced coalescence stage. Black hole mass estimates based on virial relations yield M$_{\mathrm{BH}} \sim 10^{8.1}-10^{8.7} M_\odot$ with line-of-sight velocity offsets of $(0.7\pm0.1)\times10^{3}$ km s$^{-1}$ and $(1.0\pm0.2)\times10^{3}$ km s$^{-1}$, respectively. These confirmations directly constrain the frequency and properties of close dual quasars, opening new avenues for studying SMBH mergers at cosmic noon.

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