AN OPTICAL STUDY OF COMPACT STEEP-SPECTRUM RADIO-SOURCES .1. THE SPECTROSCOPIC DATA

We present both low- and high-dispersion spectra for a sample of 19 co mpact steep-spectrum (CSS) radio galaxies and quasars, as well as a sa mple of related objects with dominant kiloparsec-scale steep-spectrum radio emission. The basic characteristic of the CSS class is that it c ontains powerful steep-spectrum radio sources which are confined withi n the dimensions of the host galaxy. Previous studies suggest that the se sources may be good candidates for finding strong interactions betw een the radio source and the interstellar medium of the host galaxy. O ur spectra provide measurements of emission-line flux, flux ratios, eq uivalent widths, and continuum properties, as well as measurements of the [O III] lambda5007 and Hbeta emission line profile shapes. These d ata are analyzed in more detail in the second paper in this series, wh ere we compare the optical emission line properties of CSS sources wit h other classes of active galaxies. As a class, the CSS sources have r elatively strong, high equivalent width, high excitation line emission , with broad, structured [O III] lambda5007 profiles. These properties are consistent with the picture of strong interactions between the ra dio source and the interstellar medium in CSS sources.