The Dusty Young Universe - Infrared and Sub-millimeter Photometry of High Redshift Quasars

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The detection of a significant fraction of the highest redshift quasars (z > 5) in the (sub-)mm wavelength range indicates that a substantial amount of dust has been synthesized already during the first billion years since the Big Bang. 24 µm observations with Spitzer have shown that very hot dust is present close to the QSO core in most z > 5 quasars. However, these observations can only catch tails of the dust emission spectrum, at rest  200 µm, and at rest < 5 µm, respectively. Measuring the peak of the dust emission had been beyond the capabilities of previous satellites or ground-based sub-mm telescopes. Thus, critical properties, such as FIR luminosity, dust temperatures and masses, remained unconstrained.Our approved Herschel Key Programme will collect far-infrared and sub-millimeter photometry of more than 100 high redshift quasars using the PACS and SPIRE instruments. It targets three samples of QSOs: (i) all z > 5 quasars known to date, (ii) a dozen radio loud quasars and galaxies, and (iii) 29 Broad Absorption Line (BAL) quasars plus a comparison sample of 17 non-BAL QSOs. Complementary mid- and near-IR observations are currently collected with Spitzer and from the ground. This unique data set will allow a comprehensive study of quasar related star formation. Thus it probes the earliest phases of black hole growth and galaxy formation, which are a central theme of this Priority Programme. We ask for 1.5 (BAT IIa equivalent) positions to secure that its scientific potential is realized as fast as possible.