APM Z-GREATER-THAN-OR-EQUAL-TO-4 QSO SURVEY - SPECTRA AND INTERVENINGABSORPTION SYSTEMS

The APM multicolor survey for bright z > 4 objects, covering 2500 deg( 2) of sky to m(r) similar to 19, resulted in the discovery of 31 quasa rs with z greater than or similar to 4. High signal-to-noise optical s pectrophotometry at 5 Angstrom resolution has been obtained for the 28 quasars easily accessible from the northern hemisphere. These spectra have been surveyed to create new samples of high-redshift Lyman-limit systems, damped Ly alpha absorbers, and metal absorption systems (e.g ., C IV and Mg II). In this paper we present the spectra, together wit h line lists of the detected absorption systems. The QSOs display a wi de variety of emission- and absorption-line characteristics, with five exhibiting broad absorption lines and one with extremely strong emiss ion lines (BR 2248 - 1242). Eleven candidate damped Ly alpha absorptio n systems have been identified covering the redshift range 2.8 less th an or equal to z less than or equal to 4.4 (eight with z > 3.5). An an alysis of the measured redshifts of the high-ionization emission lines with the low-ionization lines shows them to be blueshifted by 430 +/- 60 km s(-1) In a previous paper (by Storrie-Lombardi et al.) we discu ssed the redshift evolution of the Lyman limit systems cataloged here. In subsequent papers we will discuss the properties of the Ly alpha f orest absorbers and the redshift and column density evolution of the d amped Ly alpha absorbers.