We compare the optical spectral types with the X-ray spectral properties for a uniformly selected (sources with fluxes greater than the 3{sigma} level and above a flux limit of f(2-8keV)>3.5x10^-15^erg/cm^2^/s), highly spectroscopically complete (>80% for f(2-8keV)>10^-14^erg/cm^2^/s and >60% below) 2-8keV X-ray sample observed in three Chandra fields (CLANS, CLASXS, and the CDF-N) that cover ~1.2deg^2^. For our sample of 645 spectroscopically observed sources, we confirm that there is significant overlap of the X-ray spectral properties, as determined by the effective photon indices, {Gamma}_eff_, obtained from the ratios of the 0.5-2keV to 2-8keV counts, for the different optical spectral types. Thus, one cannot use the X-ray spectral classifications and the optical spectral classifications equivalently. Since it is not understood how X-ray and optical classifications relate to the obscuration of the central engine, we strongly advise against a mixed classification scheme, as it can only complicate the interpretation of X-ray AGN samples.
The fundamental collisional process of charge exchange (CX) has been established as a primary source of X-ray emission from the heliosphere, planetary exospheres, and supernova remnants. In this process, X-ray emission results from the capture of an electron by a highly charged ion from a neutral atom or molecule, to form a highly excited, high-charge state ion. As the captured electron cascades down to the lowest energy level, photons are emitted, including X-rays. To provide reliable CX-induced X-ray spectral models to realistically simulate these environments, line ratios and spectra are computed using theoretical CX cross sections obtained with the multi-channel Landau-Zener (MCLZ), atomic-orbital close-coupling (AOCC), molecular-orbital close-coupling (MOCC), and classical trajectory Monte Carlo methods for various collisional velocities relevant to astrophysics. X-ray spectra were computed for collisions of bare and H-like C to Al ions with H, He, and H_2_ with results compared to available experimental data. Using these line ratios, XSPEC models of CX emission in the northeast rim of the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant and the heliosphere are shown as examples with ion velocity dependence.
We present a deep centimeter-wavelength catalog of the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC), based on a 30hr single-pointing observation with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array in its high-resolution A-configuration using two 1GHz bands centered at 4.7 and 7.3GHz. A total of 556 compact sources were detected in a map with a nominal rms noise of 3{mu}Jy/bm, limited by complex source structure and the primary beam response. Compared to previous catalogs, our detections increase the sample of known compact radio sources in the ONC by more than a factor of seven. The new data show complex emission on a wide range of spatial scales. Following a preliminary correction for the wideband primary-beam response, we determine radio spectral indices for 170 sources whose index uncertainties are less than +/-0.5. We compare the radio to the X-ray and near-infrared point-source populations, noting similarities and differences.
We offer to the star formation community the third installment of the Massive Star-forming Regions (MSFRs) Omnibus X-ray Catalog (MOXC3), a compilation of X-ray point sources detected in 50 archival Chandra Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer observations of 14 Galactic MSFRs and surrounding fields. The MOXC3 MSFRs are NGC2264, NGC6193, RCW108-IR, AurOB1, DR15, NGC6231, Berkeley87, NGC6357, AFGL4029, hPer (NGC869), NGC281, Onsala2S, G305, and RCW49 (Wd2); they have distances of 0.7-4.2kpc. Most exhibit clumped or clustered young stellar populations; several contain at least two distinct massive young stellar clusters. The total MOXC3 catalog includes 27923 X-ray point sources. We take great care to identify even the faintest X-ray point sources across these fields. This allows us to remove this point source light, revealing diffuse X-ray structures that pervade and surround MSFRs, often generated by hot plasmas from massive star feedback. As we found in MOXC1 and MOXC2, diffuse X-ray emission is traceable in all MOXC3 MSFRs; here we perform spectral fitting to investigate the origins of selected diffuse regions. Once again, MOXC3 shows the value of high spatial resolution X-ray studies of MSFRs enabled by Chandra.
We describe a blind uniform search for thermonuclear burst oscillations (TBOs) in the majority of Type I bursts observed by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) (2118 bursts from 57 neutron stars). We examined 2-2002Hz power spectra from the Fourier transform in sliding 0.5-2s windows, using fine-binned light curves in the 2-60keV energy range. The significance of the oscillation candidates was assessed by simulations which took into account light-curve variations, dead time, and the sliding time windows. Some of our sources exhibited multi-frequency variability at <~15Hz that cannot be readily removed with light-curve modeling and may have an astrophysical (non-TBO) nature. Overall, we found that the number and strength of potential candidates depends strongly on the parameters of the search. We found candidates from all previously known RXTE TBO sources, with pulsations that had been detected at similar frequencies in multiple independent time windows, and discovered TBOs from SAXJ1810.8-2658. We could not confirm most previously reported tentative TBO detections or identify any obvious candidates just below the detection threshold at similar frequencies in multiple bursts. We computed fractional amplitudes of all TBO candidates and placed upper limits on non-detections. Finally, for a few sources we noted a small excess of candidates with powers comparable to fainter TBOs, but appearing in single independent time windows at random frequencies. At least some of these candidates may be noise spikes that appear interesting due to selection effects. The potential presence of such candidates calls for extra caution if claiming single-window TBO detections.
We present a sample of 1187 thermonuclear (type-I) X-ray bursts from public (archival) observations of 48 low-mass X-ray binaries accreting neutron stars by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer, spanning 1996 January - 2007 June 3. For each burst, we list results of analysis of data from the Proportional Counter Array, including observed count rates, time-resolved spectroscopy, evolution of the burst lightcurve, and details of the persistent flux and source spectral state at the time of the burst.
We present a 90 per cent flux-complete sample of the 201 X-ray-brightest clusters of galaxies in the northern hemisphere ({delta}>=0{deg}), at high Galactic latitudes (|b|>= 20{deg}), with measured redshifts z<=0.3 and fluxes higher than 4.4x10^-12^erg/cm^2^/s in the 0.112.4 keV band. The sample, called the ROSAT Brightest Cluster Sample (BCS), is selected from ROSAT All-Sky Survey data and is the largest X-ray-selected cluster sample compiled to date. In addition to Abell clusters, which form the bulk of the sample, the BCS also contains the X-ray-brightest Zwicky clusters and other clusters selected from their X-ray properties alone. Effort has been made to ensure the highest possible completeness of the sample and the smallest possible contamination by non-cluster X-ray sources. X-ray fluxes are computed using an algorithm tailored for the detection and characterization of X-ray emission from galaxy clusters. These fluxes are accurate to better than 15 per cent (mean 1{sigma} error).
We present high spatial resolution Chandra X-ray images of the NGC 2237 young stellar cluster on the periphery of the Rosette Nebula. We detect 168 X-ray sources, 80% of which have stellar counterparts in USNO, Two Micron All Sky Survey, and deep FLAMINGOS images. These constitute the first census of the cluster members with 0.2<~M<~2M_{sun}_. Star locations in near-infrared color-magnitude diagrams indicate a cluster age around 2Myr with a visual extinction of 1<~A_V_<~3 at 1.4kpc, the distance of the Rosette Nebula's main cluster NGC 2244. We derive the K-band luminosity function and the X-ray luminosity function of the cluster, which indicate a population ~400-600 stars. The X-ray-selected sample shows a K-excess disk frequency of 13%. The young Class II counterparts are aligned in an arc ~3pc long suggestive of a triggered formation process induced by the O stars in NGC 2244. The diskless Class III sources are more dispersed. Several X-ray emitting stars are located inside the molecular cloud and around gaseous pillars projecting from the cloud. This X-ray view of young stars on the western side of the Rosette Nebula complements our earlier studies of the central cluster NGC 2244 and the embedded clusters on the eastern side of the Nebula. The large-scale distribution of the clusters and molecular material is consistent with a scenario in which the rich central NGC 2244 cluster formed first, and its expanding HII region triggered the formation of the now-unobscured satellite clusters Rosette Molecular Cloud (RMC) XA and NGC 2237. A large swept-up shell material around the HII region is now in a second phase of collect-and-collapse fragmentation, leading to the recent formation of subclusters.
We present a catalog of 792 Fifth Data Release Sloan Digital Sky Survey quasars with optical spectra that have been observed serendipitously in the X-rays with the XMM-Newton. These quasars cover a redshift range of z=0.11-5.41 and a magnitude range of i=15.3-20.7. Substantial numbers of radio-loud (70) and broad absorption line (51) quasars exist within this sample. Significant X-ray detections at >=2{sigma} account for 87% of the sample (685 quasars), and 473 quasars are detected at >=6{sigma}, sufficient to allow X-ray spectral fits. For detected sources, ~60% have X-ray fluxes between F_2-10keV_=(1-10)x10^-14^erg/cm^2^/s. We fit a single power law, a fixed power law with intrinsic absorption left free to vary, and an absorbed power-law model to all quasars with X-ray signal-to-noise ratio >=6, resulting in a weighted mean photon index {Gamma}=1.91+/-0.08, with an intrinsic dispersion {sigma}_{Gamma}_=0.38.