In The Neighbourhood of Tame Monsters: A study of galaxies near
  low-redshift quasars
  The impact of quasars on their galaxy neighbours is an important factor in
the understanding of galaxy evolution models. The aim of this work is to
characterize the intermediate-scale environments of quasars at low redshift (z
$<$ 0.2) with the most statistically complete sample to date using the seventh
data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We have used 305 quasar-galaxy
associations with spectroscopically measured redshifts within the projected
distance range of 350 kpc, to calculate how surface densities of galaxies,
colors, degree of ionization, dust extinction and star-formation rates change
as a function of the distance to our quasar sample. We also identify the
companion Active Galactic Nuclei from our main galaxy sample and calculate
surface density for different galaxy types. We have done this in three
different quasar-galaxy redshift difference ranges $|\Delta$z$|<$ 0.001, 0.006,
and 0.012. Our results suggest that there is a significant increase of the
surface density of blue neighbours around our low-redshift quasar sample that
is steeper than around non-active field galaxies of the same luminosity and
redshift range. This may indicate that quasar formation is accomplished via a
merging scenario. No significant changes in star formation rate, dust
extinction, degree of ionization or color as a function of distance from the
quasars was observed. We could not observe any effects from quasars on their
companion galaxies.
