A Sample of HeII λ4686 "Changing-Look" Quasars
Abstract
We present the first systematic search for "changing-look" ("CL") behavior in the broad He ii λ4686 emission line in quasars, utilizing repeated spectroscopy from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The He ii line, originating from high-ionization gas and powered by extreme ultraviolet photons, serves as a sensitive tracer of changes in the ionizing continuum. After applying strict spectral selection criteria and visual inspection to a parent sample of over 9,000 quasars with multi-epoch spectra, we identify a sample of 34 He ii "changing-look" quasars that show a significant appearance or disappearance of the broad He ii λ4686 line. Compared with previously known Hβ "CL" quasars, the He ii "CL" sample exhibits similarly strong continuum variability and broad-line flux changes, yet shows a preference for higher Eddington ratios and lower host-galaxy contamination. These results highlight the value of He ii line in studying the central variable engines of AGNs and uncovering a more complete census of extreme quasar variability. A comparison with Hβ "CL" further underscores the profound selection biases inherent in "changing-look" studies, especially those associated with line strength, host-galaxy contamination, and spectral signal-to-noise ratio.
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