Herschel-ATLAS: the far-infrared properties and star-formation rates of
  broad absorption line quasi-stellar objects
  We have used data from the Herschel-ATLAS at 250, 350 and 500 \mu m to
determine the far-infrared (FIR) properties of 50 Broad Absorption Line Quasars
(BAL QSOs). Our sample contains 49 high-ionization BAL QSOs (HiBALs) and 1
low-ionization BAL QSO (LoBAL) which are compared against a sample of 329
non-BAL QSOs. These samples are matched over the redshift range 1.5 \leq z <
2.3 and in absolute i-band magnitude over the range -28 \leq M_{i} \leq -24. Of
these, 3 BAL QSOs (HiBALs) and 27 non-BAL QSOs are detected at the > 5 sigma
level. We calculate star-formation rates (SFR) for our individually detected
HiBAL QSOs and the non-detected LoBAL QSO as well as average SFRs for the BAL
and non-BAL QSO samples based on stacking the Herschel data. We find no
difference between the HiBAL and non-BAL QSO samples in the FIR, even when
separated based on differing BAL QSO classifications. Using Mrk 231 as a
template, the weighted mean SFR is estimated to be \approx240\pm21 M_{\odot}
yr^{-1} for the full sample, although this figure should be treated as an upper
limit if AGN-heated dust makes a contribution to the FIR emission. Despite
tentative claims in the literature, we do not find a dependence of {\sc C\,iv}
equivalent width on FIR emission, suggesting that the strength of any outflow
in these objects is not linked to their FIR output. These results strongly
suggest that BAL QSOs (more specifically HiBALs) can be accommodated within a
simple AGN unified scheme in which our line-of-sight to the nucleus intersects
outflowing material. Models in which HiBALs are caught towards the end of a
period of enhanced spheroid and black-hole growth, during which a wind
terminates the star-formation activity, are not supported by the observed FIR
properties.
