AAS 197, January 2001
Session 109. AGN Host Galaxies
Display, Thursday, January 11, 2001, 9:30-4:00pm, Exhibit Hall

## [109.02] The Luminosity Function of QSO Host Galaxies

T.S. Hamilton, D.A. Turnshek (University of Pittsburgh), S. Casertano (Space Telescope Science Institute)

We analyze 69 low redshift QSOs (0.06 \leq z \leq 0.46) with the Hubble Space Telescope to determine the properties of their host galaxies. We determine the luminosity function of the hosts, compare it to that of normal galaxies, and obtain estimates of the fraction of galaxies capable of containing a QSO. The sample is divided into subsamples (radio-loud QSOs in elliptical hosts, RLQs in spiral hosts, radio-quiet QSOs in elliptical hosts, and RQQs in spiral hosts), and their host luminosity distributions are compared. RQQs in elliptical and in spiral hosts exhibit similar distributions, while the other subsamples are shown to be drawn from distinct populations. This research has been funded by a grant from the Space Telescope Science Institute.

The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: hamilton@phyast.pitt.edu