Spectrophotometry of low-redshift quasi-stellar objects

Emission-line strengths, low-resolution line profiles, and continuum energy distributions were measured for 14 low-redshift QSOs. The profiles of many of the broad emission lines are quite symmetrical and in excellent agreement either with electron-scattering profiles or with the profiles expected for mass loss driven by radiation pressure, but some of these QSOs have asymmetrical broad lines which necessarily involve mass motions at high velocities. The Balmer decrements are considerably steeper than is predicted by recombination theory, implying that there is either reddening or at least some collisional excitation. Helium is found to have a normal abundance in these QSOs. The narrow O III and Ne III forbidden-line strengths are consistent with heating by photoionizations, but the strengths of the O II forbidden line at 3727 A are much stronger than can be easily explained by existing models.