The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Quasar Survey, when completed, will cover a quarter of the celestial sphere and should identify well over 100,000 quasars in the redshift range 0 to 5.5. Each quasar will have an accurate position, digital photometry in five broad bands, image morphology, and a wide coverage digital spectrum. The combination of areal coverage, sensitivity, photometric accuracy, broad wavelength coverage, and radio selection, make this a uniquely powerful quasar survey. This project covers both the current steady production and timely release of high quality easy-to-use data products, and scientific investigations with the SDSS quasar sample. The primary outcome will be the definitive luminosity function for many years to come for optically selected, luminous quasars. Other studies include the dependence of the quasar spectral energy distribution on redshift and luminosity, and the properties of host galaxies.
The data products will be of great interest to large sections of the astronomical community, and far more useful because of the quality control provided by this study. Involved students and junior researchers will acquire not only scientific training but also experience with very large databases. The work will continue to be included in activities for the public and for high school science teachers.
