Far-Infrared Properties of Type 1 Quasars

We use the Spitzer Space Telescope Enhanced Imaging Products (SEIP) and the Spitzer Archival Far-InfraRed Extragalactic Survey (SAFIRES) to study the spectral energy distributions of spectroscopically confirmed type 1 quasars selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). By combining the Spitzer and SDSS data with the 2-Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) we are able to construct a statistically robust rest-frame 0.1-100 micron type 1 quasar template. We find the quasar population is well-described by a single power-law SED at wavelengths less than 20 microns, in good agreement with previous work. However, at longer wavelengths we find a significant excess in infrared luminosity above an extrapolated power-law, along with signifiant object-to-object dispersion in the SED. The mean excess reaches a maximum of 0.8 dex at rest-frame wavelengths near 100 microns.