The complete sample of 1 Jansky BL Lacertae objects. I - Summary properties

view Abstract Citations (519) References (77) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS The Complete Sample of 1 Jansky BL Lacertae Objects. I. Summary Properties Stickel, M. ; Padovani, P. ; Urry, C. M. ; Fried, J. W. ; Kuehr, H. Abstract This paper describes the first homogeneous, flux-limited sample of radio-selected BL Lac objects, taken from the 1 Jy survey of Kuhr et al. These 34 BL Lac objects comprise the only well-defined sample of BL Lac objects outside the X-ray band. The selection criteria include flat radio spectra, optical counterparts visible on Sky Survey Plates, and optical emission lines weaker than 5 A equivalent width in the rest frame. With two exceptions, all of the BL Lac objects also have high optical polarization, Pₒpt_ > 3%. Redshifts from weak emission lines, usually narrow O II λ3727, O III λ5007, or broad Mg II λ2798, are available for ~ 3/4 of the sample. The nearby (z ~ 0. 5) BL Lac objects and could be important in others as well. The radio number counts derived from the 1 Jy BL Lac sample are roughly Euclidean over the range between 1 and ~ 5 Jy, and there is evidence for evolution at the 2 σ level. The local radio luminosity function of BL Lac objects is derived and the total number density for P₅ GHz_ >~ 6 x 10³1^ ergs s^-1^ Hz^-1^ is ~ 40 Gpc^-3^. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: June 1991 DOI: 10. 1086/170133 Bibcode: 1991ApJ. . . 374. . 431S Keywords: Bl Lacertae Objects; Emission Spectra; Gravitational Lenses; Radio Sources (Astronomy) ; Sky Surveys (Astronomy) ; Brightness Distribution; Galactic Radiation; Red Shift; Astrophysics; BL LACERTAE OBJECTS; GRAVITATIONAL LENSES; LUMINOSITY FUNCTION; RADIO SOURCES: GALAXIES full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (34) NED (34) Related Materials (1) Part 2: 1993A&AS. . . 98. . 393S