The Galaxy Environment of Quasars in the z~1.3 Clowes-Campusano Large Quasar Group

Abstract

We report significant associated clustering in the field of a z=1.226 quasar from the Clowes-Campusano LQG in the form of both a factor ~11 overdensity of I-K>3.75 galaxies and red sequences of 15-18 galaxies at I-K~4.3, V-K~6.9 indicative of a population of massive ellipticals at the quasar redshift. The quasar is located between two groups of these galaxies, with further clustering extending over 2-3 Mpc. A band of V-I<1 galaxies bisects the two groups of red sequence galaxies, and we suggest that the merging of these two groups has triggered both this band of star-formation and the quasar.