The last 25 years saw a major step forward in the analysis of optical and UV spectroscopic data of large quasar samples. Multivariate statistical approaches have led to the definition of systematic trends in observational properties that are the basis of physical and dynamical modeling of quasar structure. We discuss the empirical correlates of the so-called "main sequence" associated with the quasar Eigenvector 1, its governing physical parameters and several implications on our view of the quasar structure, as well as some luminosity effects associated with the virialized component of the line emitting regions. We also briefly discuss quasars in a segment of the main sequence that includes the strongest FeII emitters. These sources show a small dispersion around a well-defined Eddington ratio value, a property which makes them potential Eddington standard candles.

Broad emission lines in quasars enable us to "resolve" structure and kinematics of the broad line emitting region (BLR) thought to involve an accretion disk feeding a supermassive black hole. Interpretation of broad line measures within the 4DE1 formalism simplifies the apparent confusion among such data by contrasting and unifying properties of so-called high and low accreting Population A and B sources. Hβ serves as an estimator of black hole mass, Eddington ratio and source rest frame, the latter a valuable input for Civλ1549 studies which allow us to isolate the blueshifted wind component. Optical and HST-UV spectra yield Hβ and Civλ1549 spectra for low-luminosity sources while VLT-ISAAC and FORS and TNG-LRS provide spectra for high Luminosity sources. New high S/N data for Civ in high-luminosity quasars are presented here for comparison with the other previously published data. Comparison of Hβ and Civλ1549 profile widths/shifts indicates that much of the emission from the two lines arise in regions with different structure and kinematics. Covering a wide range of luminosity and redshift shows evidence for a correlation between Civλ1549 blueshift and source Eddington ratio, with a weaker trend with source luminosity (similar amplitude outflows are seen over 4 of the 5 dex luminosity range in our combined samples). At low luminosity (z 0.7) only Population A sources show evidence for a significant outflow while at high luminosity the outflow signature begins to appear in Population B quasars as well.

Context. The most highly accreting quasars are of special interest in studies of the physics of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and host galaxy evolution. Quasars accreting at high rates (L/L Edd ∼ 1) hold promise for use as 'standard candles': distance indicators detectable at very high redshift. However, their observational properties are still largely unknown. Aims. We seek to identify a significant number of extreme accretors. A large sample can clarify the main properties of quasars radiating near L/L Edd ∼ 1 (in this paper they are designated as extreme Population A quasars or simply as extreme accretors) in the Hβ spectral range for redshift 0.8. Methods. We use selection criteria derived from four-dimensional Eigenvector 1 (4DE1) studies to identify and analyze spectra for a sample of 334 candidate sources identified from the SDSS DR7 database. The source spectra were chosen to show a ratio R FeII between the FeII emission blend at λ4570 and Hβ, R FeII > 1. Composite spectra were analyzed for systematic trends as a function of Feii strength, line width, and [Oiii] strength. We introduced tighter constraints on the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) and R FeII values that allowed us to isolate sources most likely to be extreme accretors. Results. We provide a database of detailed measurements. Analysis of the data allows us to confirm that Hβ shows a Lorentzian function with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of Hβ ≤ 4000 km s −1 . We find no evidence for a discontinuity at 2000 km s −1 in the 4DE1, which could mean that the sources below this FWHM value do not belong to a different AGN class. Systematic [Oiii] blue shifts, as well as a blueshifted component in Hβ are revealed. We interpret the blueshifts as related to the signature of outflowing gas from the quasar central engine. The FWHM of Hβ is still affected by the blueshifted emission; however, the effect is non-negligible if the FWHM Hβ is used as a "virial broadening estimator" (VBE). We emphasize a strong effect of the viewing angle on Hβ broadening, deriving a correction for those sources that shows major disagreement between virial and concordance cosmology luminosity values. Conclusions. The relatively large scatter between concordance cosmology and virial luminosity estimates can be reduced (by an order of magnitude) if a correction for orientation effects is included in the FWHM Hβ value; outflow and sample definition yield relatively minor effects.

Quasars have been proposed as a new class of standard candles analogous to Supernovae, since their large redshift range and high luminosities make them excellent candidates. Reverberation mapping (RM) method enables to estimate the distance to the source from the time delay measurement of the emission lines with respect to the continuum, since the time delay depends on the absolute luminosity of the source. The radius-luminosity relation exhibits a low scatter and offers a potential use in cosmology. However, in the recent years the inclusion of new sources, particularly the super-Eddington accreting QSO, has increased the dispersion in the radius-luminosity relation, with many objects showing time delays shorter than the expected. Using 117 Hβ RM AGN with 0.002 < z < 0.9 and 41.5 < log L 5100 < 45.9, we find a correction for the time delay based on the dimensionless accretion rate (Ṁ ) considering a virial factor anti-correlated with the FWHM of Hβ. This correction decreases the scattering of the accretion parameters compared with typical values used, which is directly reflected by suppressing the radius-luminosity relation dispersion. We also confirm the anti-correlation between the excess of variability and the accretion parameters. With this correction we are able to build the Hubble diagram and estimate the cosmological constants Ω m and Ω Λ , which are consistent with standard cosmological model at 2σ confidence level. Therefore, RM results can be used to constrain cosmological models in the future.