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Session 75 - 2MASS.
Display session, Wednesday, January 17
North Banquet Hall, Convention Center
The Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) will have the potential to reveal large numbers of previously unknown QSOs and luminous infrared galaxies. Because such objects occupy distinct regions of near infrared and infrared-optical color space, it will be possible to carry out highly efficient automated searches of the 2MASS databases in combination with newly available digitized optical sky survey databases for candidates.
We review the near IR and optical/IR properties of ``conventional" QSOs from UV and optical samples, and estimate the number that will be detected by 2MASS. For example, all PG QSOs will be detected in 2-3 bands in the 2MASS Point Source Catalog. There is growing evidence for the existence of a significant population of highly reddened QSOs and extremely luminous infrared galaxies from IRAS and radio-based surveys (e.g. Low et al. 1988, ApJ, 327, L41; Cutri et al. 1994, ApJ, 424, L65; Webster et al. 1995, Nature, 375, 469). We discuss 2MASS's ability to test for such a population based on a variety of models of their space density and luminosity function.
The results of both targeted and serendipitous observations of known QSOs made with the 2MASS Prototype Camera between 1993-1995 are presented. We have also identified new QSO and luminous infrared galaxy candidates based on near infrared and optical/infrared color searches of the Prototype Camera database.
