Abstract
It is shown that the ultraviolet radiation produced by typical QSOs is sufficient to ionize the interstellar medium in nearby companion galaxies they may have. This could account for the emission lines discovered by Heckman et al. (1984) in spectra of many galaxies whose projected distances from quasars are less than about 50 kpc. The observed strengths of lines, however, are far lower than predicted, suggesting a deficiency of diffuse gas in the companions. Future spectroscopic investigations should reveal that galaxies close to QSOs have stronger emission lines than more distant companions. The emission should also be quite extended, rather than confined to the galactic nuclei. If these trends are not confirmed, as seems likely in light of the existing observations, then quasars may be very efficient at eliminating interstellar gas from their companion galaxies. 30 references.
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