We have constructed a large, statistically complete sample of galaxy clusters serendipitously detected as extended X-ray sources in 647 ROSAT PSPC pointed observations. The survey covers 158 square degrees with a median sample flux limit of 1.2 x 10^-13 erg cm^-2 s^-1 (0.5-2.0 keV). Our sample consists of 201 clusters of galaxies characterized by a median redshift of z=0.25 and a maximum of z=1.26. With 22 clusters at z > 0.5, the 160 Square Degree ROSAT Survey is the largest high-redshift sample of X-ray-selected clusters published to date. Here we describe the revised sample which features spectroscopic redshifts for 99.5% of the clusters and discuss the implications for evolution in the cluster abundance.
We present a catalog of galaxy clusters detected in a new ROSAT PSPC survey. The survey is optimized to sample, at high redshifts, the mass range corresponding to T> keV clusters at z=0. Technically, our survey is the extension of the 160 square degrees survey (Vikhlinin etal 98a, Mullis etal 2003). We use the same detection algorithm, thus preserving high quality of the resulting sample; the main difference is a significant increase in sky coverage. The new survey covers 397 square degrees and is based on 1610 high Galactic latitude ROSAT PSPC pointings, virtually all pointed ROSAT data suitable for the detection of distant clusters. The search volume for X-ray luminous clusters within z<1 exceeds that of the entire local Universe (z<0.1). We detected 287 extended X-ray sources with fluxes f>1.4e-13 erg/s/cm^2 in the 0.5-2 keV energy band, of which 266 (93%) are optically confirmed as galaxy clusters, groups or individual elliptical galaxies. This paper provides a description of the input data, the statistical calibration of the survey via Monte-Carlo simulations, and the catalog of detected clusters. We also compare the basic results to those from previous, smaller area surveys and find good agreement for the log N - log S distribution and the local X-ray luminosity function. Our sample clearly shows a decrease in the number density for the most luminous clusters at z>0.3. The comparison of our ROSAT-derived fluxes with the accurate Chandra measurements for a subset of high-redshift clusters demonstrates the validity of the 400 square degree surveys statistical calibration.
We have measured the surface density of galaxies toward 14 X-ray-selected cluster candidates at redshifts greater than z=0.46, and we show that they are associated with rich galaxy concentrations. We find that the clusters range between Abell richness classes 0-2, and have a most probable richness class of one. We compare the richness distribution of our distant clusters to those for three samples of nearby clusters with similar X-ray luminosities. We find that the nearby and distant samples have similar richness distributions, which shows that clusters have apparently not evolved substantially in richness since redshift z =0.5. We compare the distribution of distant X-ray clusters in the L_x--richness plane to the distribution of optically-selected clusters from the Palomar Distant Cluster Survey. The optically-selected clusters appear overly rich for their X-ray luminosities when compared to X-ray-selected clusters. Apparently, X-ray and optical surveys do not necessarily sample identical mass concentrations at large redshifts. This may indicate the existence of a population of optically rich clusters with anomalously low X-ray emission. More likely, however, it reflects the tendency for optical surveys to select unvirialized mass concentrations, as might be expected when peering along large-scale filaments.
A new flux limited catalogue of low luminosity (Lx <= 10^44 erg/s) X-ray galaxy clusters and groups covering a redshift range of z~0.1 to z~0.7 has been produced from the WARPS project. We present the number counts of this low luminosity population at high redshifts (z>0.3). The results are consistent with an unevolving population which does not exhibit the evolution seen in the higher luminosity cluster population. These observations can be qualitatively described by self-similarly evolving dark matter and preheated IGM models of X-ray cluster gas, with a power law index for the spectrum of matter density fluctuations n >= -1.
The sky around the North Ecliptic Pole (NEP), at $alpha$(2000) = 18$^h00^m00^s$, $delta$(2000) = +66degr33arcmin39arcsec, has the deepest exposure of the entire {it ROSAT} All - Sky Survey (RASS). The NEP is an undistinguished region of moderate Galactic latitude, $b=29fdg8$, and hence suitable for compiling statistical samples of both galactic and extragalactic objects. We have made such a compilation in the 80.6 deg$^2$ region surrounding the NEP. Our sample fully exploits the properties of the RASS, since the only criteria for inclusion are source position and significance, and yields the deepest large solid angle contiguous sample of X-ray sources to date. We find 442 unique sources above a flux limit $mathrm{sim2times10^{-14} ~ergs ~cm^{-2} ~s^{-1}}$ in the 0.5--2.0 keV band. In this paper we present the X-ray properties of these sources as determined from the RASS. These include positions, fluxes, spectral information in the form of hardness ratios, and angular sizes. Since we have performed a comprehensive optical identification program we also present the average X-ray properties of classes of objects typical of the X-ray sky at these flux levels. We discuss the use of the RASS to find clusters of galaxies based on their X-ray properties alone.
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