Primeval Clusters of Galaxies and the X-Ray Background

Author(s):  
Edwin M. Kellogg

Results from the Ariel 5 sky survey instrument relating to the properties and the spatial distribution of extragalactic X-ray sources are discussed. The lg N -lg S relation for sources in the 2A catalogue is consistent with a uniform distribution of sources in Euclidean space. In addition, measure­ments of fluctuations in the X-ray background suggest that the Euclidean form of the source counts can be extrapolated to flux levels at least an order of magnitude fainter than the 2A catalogue limit. Information is also available from the optical identification of 2A sources which, through redshift measurements, enables the X-ray luminosity functions of the two main classes of source, namely clusters of galaxies and active galaxies, to be determined. The luminosity functions can be used to calculate the contribution of clusters of galaxies and active galaxies to the diffuse X-ray background in the 2-10 keV range. It is found that cosmological evolution of one or both populations is required to account for the diffuse X-ray background entirely in terms of the integrated emission from these sources.


2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (H16) ◽  
pp. 669-670
Author(s):  
Richard D. Saxton

AbstractWe review the history of X-ray sky surveys from the early experiments to the catalogues of 105 sources produced by ROSAT, Chandra and XMM-Newton. At bright fluxes the X-ray sky is shared between stars, accreting binaries and extragalactic sources while deeper surveys are dominated by AGN and clusters of galaxies. The X-ray background, found by the earliest missions, has been largely resolved into discrete sources at soft (0.3-2 keV) energies but at higher energies an important fraction still escapes detection. The possible identification of the missing flux with Compton-thick AGN has been probed in recent years by Swift and Integral.Variability seen in objects observed at different epochs has proved to be an excellent discriminator for rare classes of objects. The comparison of ROSAT All Sky Survey (RASS) and ROSAT pointed observations identified several Novae and high variability AGN as well as initiating the observational study of Tidal Disruption events. More recently the XMM-Newton slew survey, in conjunction with archival RASS data, has detected further examples of flaring objects which have been followed-up in near-real time at other wavelengths.


1973 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
pp. 171-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edwin M. Kellogg

Data from the UHURU satellite have provided a list of more than forty high latitude sources (|b| > 20°). X-rays have been detected from among the nearest normal galaxies, giant radio galaxies, Seyferts, QSOs and clusters of galaxies. The cluster sources appear to be extended by several hundred kiloparsecs as well as being very luminous. These cluster sources have systematic differences in their X-ray spectra from individual galaxies.About twenty sources are not reliably identified so far. A few of these are located near undistinguished 3C or MSH radio sources. The rest are either located near distant clusters or undistinguished bright galaxies, or are too far south, so that we have not sufficient optical data to allow a thorough search for possible association with clusters or unusual individual galaxies.The luminosity function for weak, high latitude X-ray sources is determined, and the contribution of sources just below the UHURU threshold of detectability to observed fluctuations in the diffuse X-ray background is evaluated. The total contribution of all observed types of extragalactic sources to the X-ray background is estimated.


1982 ◽  
Vol 97 ◽  
pp. 453-459
Author(s):  
A. C. Fabian ◽  
A. K. Kembhavi

The density of intergalactic gas may be an important parameter in the formation of extended radio sources. It may range from ∼ 0.1 particle cm−3 in the centres of some rich clusters of galaxies down to 10−8cm−3 or less in intercluster space. The possible influence of the intracluster gas surrounding NGC 1275 on its radio emission is discussed, and the possibility that a significant fraction of the X-ray background is due to a hot intergalactic medium is explored in some detail.


1997 ◽  
Vol 478 (2) ◽  
pp. 476-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Refregier ◽  
Abraham Loeb

1998 ◽  
Vol 188 ◽  
pp. 465-466
Author(s):  
M. Akiyama ◽  
K. Ohta ◽  
T. Yamada ◽  
Y. Ueda ◽  
T. Takahashi ◽  
...  

To reveal the origin of the cosmic X-ray background (CXB) in the hard band, we are now conducting a wide (~ 7 deg2) and deep (~ 1 × 10−13 erg sec−1 cm−2 in the 2-10 keV band) survey with the ASCA (the ASCA Large Sky Survey, hereafter LSS). We have detected 83 sources above 4 sigma level in the 0.7-10 keV band with the GIS and resolved ~30% of the CXB in the 2-10 keV band into discrete sources (Ueda 1996). AGNs (type 1 and type 2) and clusters of galaxies are expected to be major contributers to these X-ray sources.


1980 ◽  
Vol 92 ◽  
pp. 207-225
Author(s):  
Martin J. Rees

This paper will be concerned with three topics relevant to the X-ray background: (i) X-ray emission mechanisms in quasars; (ii) the contributions to the X-ray background from quasars, clusters of galaxies, intercluster gas, young galaxies, etc; and (iii) the use of X-ray background observations as a probe for large-scale density irregularities in the Universe.


1978 ◽  
Vol 79 ◽  
pp. 445-446
Author(s):  
Edwin M. Kellogg

The X-ray telescope for HEAO-B, due for launch next year, will extend our observing power in X-ray astronomy by a very large factor. For example, its sensitivity to point sources will be 103 greater than the limit of existing X-ray sky surveys. Even more intriguing will be its capability to image the all-sky X-ray background radiation on an arc minute or sub arc minute scale. the origin of this background is still a mystery. the simplest hypothesis, that it is the integral of radiation from the more distant members of the classes of discrete X-ray sources such as clusters of galaxies, Seyferts, QSO's and other active galaxies, can only explain part of the background.


1974 ◽  
Vol 63 ◽  
pp. 13-30
Author(s):  
George B. Field

Evidence that rich clusters of galaxies contain hot (T = 108 K) intracluster gas is reviewed. Such gas contributes little to Ω (0.003) but it has been argued that Ω must be less than 0.05 for true intergalactic gas, if accretion of more gas than is observed in rich clusters is to be avoided. This argument is reviewed.If the de Vaucouleurs' groups are bound by intracluster gas, T is expected to be 105 to 107 K and the contribution to Ω is ≃ 1. Since the clumping factor C is estimated to be ≃ 7, the resulting value of Ω2C is ≃ 7. This does not violate the observed diffuse soft X-ray background intensity. Gas should be sought in such groups. Smoothly distributed gas with 107 < T < 3 × 108 K and Ω = 1 is not ruled out by direct observations.


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