The principal objectives of the research program are to produce a large, complete, well defined, and carefully controlled sample of bright quasars; to obtain slit spectrophotometry and imaging observations for purposes of statistical investigations as well as studies of physical and chemical gas properties; and to carry out detailed theoretical analyses of the emitting and absorbing clouds between us and the quasars. The new quasars are to be detected by means of their optical spectral line characteristics. A fully automated object selection procedure and provisions for obtaining more detailed observations of selected objects at available telescopes are important improvements over previous surveys. Major contirbutions to astronomy can be expected through increased understanding of: 1) the brightness and other relationships for various types of active galaxies, 2) the broad- absorption-lines in quasar spectra, 3) the quasar redshift and brightness distribution, and 4) possible correlations in the redshifts of close quasar pairs. This survey of quasars and emission-line galaxies will complement observations being carried out by other groups of astronomers.
