ADAPTIVE OPTICS IMAGING OF LOW-REDSHIFT DAMPED Ly(alpha) QUASAR ABSORBERS

We have obtained optical imaging with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) of 21 2MASS-selected QSOs of redshift greater than 0.3. This paper complements the sample of lower redshift 2MASS QSOs previously published. The QSOs have higher overall and nuclear luminosity, bluer colors, and higher ratio of nuclear to host flux than the lower redshift sample. From these and other properties, we argue that the sample is consistent with the emergence of the AGN from dusty starbursts following major tidal interactions between galaxies.