Context. Large spectroscopic surveys have discovered very peculiar and hitherto unknown types of active galactic nuclei (AGN). Such rare objects may hold clues to the accretion history of the supermassive black holes at the centres of galaxies. Aims. We aim to create a sizeable sample of unusual quasars from the unprecedented spectroscopic database of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Methods. We exploit the spectral archive of the SDSS Data Release 7 to select unusual quasar spectra. The selection method is based on a combination of the power of self-organising maps and the visual inspection of a huge number of spectra. Self-organising maps were applied to nearly 10 5 spectra classified as quasars at redshifts from z = 0.6 to 4.3 by the SDSS pipeline. Particular attention was paid to minimise possible contamination by rare peculiar stellar spectral types. All selected quasar spectra were individually studied to determine the object type and the redshift.Results. We present a catalogue of 1005 quasars with unusual spectra. These spectra are dominated by either broad absorption lines (BALs; 42%), unusual red continua (27%), weak emission lines (18%), or conspicuously strong optical and/or UV iron emission (11%). This large sample provides a useful resource for both studying properties and relations of/between different types of unusual quasars and selecting particularly interesting objects, even though the compilation is not aimed at completeness in a quantifiable sense. The spectra are grouped into six types for which composite spectra are constructed and mean properties are computed. Remarkably, all these types turn out to be on average more luminous than comparison samples of normal quasars after a statistical correction is made for intrinsic reddening (E(B − V) ≈ 0 to 0.4 for SMC-like extinction). Both the unusual BAL quasars and the strong iron emitters have significantly lower radio luminosities than normal quasars. We also confirm that strong BALs avoid the most radioluminous quasars. For 32 particularly interesting objects, individual spectra are presented. Among these objects are quasars with many narrow BAL troughs and one quasar where the continuum is strongly suppressed by overlapping BAL troughs across nearly the whole SDSS spectrum. Finally, we create a sample of quasars similar to the two "mysterious" objects discovered by Hall et al. (2002, ApJS, 141, 267) and briefly discuss the quasar properties and possible explanations of their highly peculiar spectra.

Context. The galaxy population in the contemporary Universe is characterised by a clear bimodality, blue galaxies with significant ongoing star formation and red galaxies with only a little. The migration between the blue and the red cloud of galaxies is an issue of active research. Post starburst (PSB) galaxies are thought to be observed in the short-lived transition phase. Aims. We aim to create a large sample of local PSB galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Another aim is to present a tool set for an efficient search in a large database of SDSS spectra based on Kohonen self-organising maps (SOMs). Methods. We computed a huge Kohonen SOM for ∼ 10 6 spectra from SDSS Data Release 7. The SOM is made fully available, in combination with an interactive user interface, for the astronomical community. We selected a large sample of PSB galaxies taking advantage of the clustering behaviour of the SOM. The morphologies were inspected on deep co-added SDSS images. We used the Portsmouth galaxy property computations to study the evolutionary stage of the PSB galaxies and archival multi-wavelength data to search for hidden AGNs. Results. We compiled a catalogue of 2 665 PSB galaxies with redshifts z < 0.4. In the colour-mass diagram, the PSB sample is clearly concentrated towards the region between the red and the blue cloud. The relative frequency of distorted PSB galaxies is at least 57% for EW(Hδ)> 5Å , significantly higher than in the comparison sample. The search for AGNs based on conventional selection criteria in the radio and MIR results in a low AGN fraction of ∼ 2 − 3%. We confirm an MIR excess in the mean SED of the E+A sample that may indicate hidden AGNs, though other sources are also possible.

Context. In past decades, huge surveys have confirmed the existence of populations of exotic and hitherto unknown quasar types. The discovery and investigation of these rare peculiar objects is important because they may represent links to special evolutionary stages and hold clues to the evolution of quasars and galaxies. Aims. The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) discovered the unusual quasars J010540.75-003313.9 and J220445.27+003141.8 and a small number of similar objects. Their spectra are characterised by a break in the continuum around 3000 Å that neither shows the typical structure of broad absorption line (BAL) troughs nor is explained by typical intrinsic dust reddening. The main aim of the present paper was twofold. First, a new target-oriented search was performed in the spectra database of the SDSS to construct a sizable sample of such 3000 Å break quasars. Second, their broad-band spectral energy distribution (SED) was compared with SEDs of BAL quasars. Methods. We used the method of Kohonen self-organising maps for data mining in the SDSS spectra archive to search for more quasars with properties comparable to the prototypes J010540.75-003313.9 and J220445.27+003141.8. We constructed a sample of 3000 Å break quasars and comparison samples of quasars with similar properties, to some extent, but also showing indications for typical BAL features. Particular attention was payed to a possible contamination by rare stellar spectral types, in particular DQ white dwarfs. We construct ensemble-averaged broad-band SEDs based on archival data from SDSS, GALEX, 2MASS, UKIDSS, WISE, and other surveys. The SEDs were corrected for dust absorption at the systemic redshifts of the quasars by the comparison with the average SED of normal quasars. Results. We compiled a list of 23 quasars classified as 3000 Å break quasars with properties similar to 010540.75-003313.9 and J220445.27+003141.8. Their de-reddened arithmetic median composite SED is indistinguishable from that of the unusual BAL quasars. We conclude that 3000 Å break quasars are most likely extreme versions of BAL quasars. Assuming that the intrinsic SED of the continuum source is represented by the quasar composite SED, the 3000 Å break quasars tend to be intrinsically more luminous than ordinary quasars.

Context. Analysing the empirical output from large surveys is an important challenge in contemporary science. Difficulties arise, in particular, when the database is huge and the properties of the object types to be selected are poorly constrained a priori. Aims. We present the novel, semi-automated clustering tool ASPECT for analysing voluminous archives of spectra. Methods. The heart of the program is a neural network in the form of a Kohonen self-organizing map. The resulting map is designed as an icon map suitable for the inspection by eye. The visual analysis is supported by the option to blend in individual object properties such as redshift, apparent magnitude, or signal-to-noise ratio. In addition, the package provides several tools for the selection of special spectral types, e.g. local difference maps which reflect the deviations of all spectra from one given input spectrum (real or artificial). Results. ASPECT is able to produce a two-dimensional topological map of a huge number of spectra. The software package enables the user to browse and navigate through a huge data pool and helps them to gain an insight into underlying relationships between the spectra and other physical properties and to get the big picture of the entire data set. We demonstrate the capability of ASPECT by clustering the entire data pool of ∼6 × 10 5 spectra from the Data Release 4 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). To illustrate the results regarding quality and completeness we track objects from existing catalogues of quasars and carbon stars, respectively, and connect the SDSS spectra with morphological information from the GalaxyZoo project.