Quasars probing intermediate redshift star-forming galaxies
  We present a sample of 46 [OIII]-emitting galaxies at z<0.8 detected in the
fibre spectra of quasars from the SDSS-DR7 through an automatic search
procedure. We also detect [OII] and Hb emission lines from most of these
galaxies in the SDSS spectra. We study both the emission and absorption
properties of a sub-sample of 17 galaxies in the redshift range z=0.4-0.7,
where MgII lines are covered by the SDSS spectra. The measured lower-limits on
the star-formation rates of these galaxies are in the range 0.2-20 M_sun/yr.
The emission line luminosities and (O/H) metallicities from R23 measured in
this sample are similar to what is found in normal galaxies at these redshifts.
Thus, this constitutes a unique sample of intermediate redshift star-forming
galaxies where we can study the QSO absorber - galaxy connection. Strong MgII
(W>1A) as well as MgI absorption lines are detected in the QSO spectra at the
redshift of most of these galaxies. Strong FeII (W>1A) absorption lines are
also generally detected whenever the appropriate wavelength ranges are covered.
This suggests that most of these systems could be bona-fide Damped Lyman-alpha
systems. We investigate various possible relations between the MgII rest
equivalent widths and the emission line properties. We find a possible (2
sigma) correlation between the emission-line metallicity of the galaxies and
the MgII rest equivalent width of the absorbers [truncated].
