Welcome to the CXB tools pages

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Synopsis

These pages contain some practical tools to estimate the AGN contribution to the cosmic X-ray background (CXB), track their cosmological evolution, and see how they populate the X-ray sky. The tools include online calculators and mock catalogs available for download. They may provide some guidance in planning X-ray survey strategies with current (Chandra, XMM-Newton) or future (Athena, AXIS, Lynx) observatories to target any desired X-ray AGN population (e.g. obscured, heavily-obscured, high-z AGN, and so on).

A brief summary of the main tools presented in these pages is given below. Please contact roberto.gilli for any question, comment, bug report.

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Online calculators

CXB flux

The tool computes the integrated spectrum of different AGN populations and hence their contribution to the cosmic X-ray background. The user can specify the output energy range of the integrated spectrum, as well as the absorption, redshift, and luminosity range of the input AGN population.

AGN logN-logS

The tool computes the logN-logS of different AGN populations in different X-ray bands. The user can specify the output flux range and energy band, as well as the absorption, redshift and luminosity range of the input AGN population.

AGN space density

The tool computes the intrinsic volume density of different AGN populations as a function of redshift. The user can specity the absorption, luminosity and redshift intervals of the input AGN population.

All calculators are based on the AGN population synthesis model of the CXB presented in Gilli, Comastri & Hasinger (2007, A&A, 463, 79; GCH07).

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Mock catalogs

A series of X-ray source mock catalogs are provided over different sky areas. Mock catalogs based on GCH07 are available for the global X-ray AGN population. These mocks contain simulated AGN down to logLx=40 erg/s and in the redshift range z=0-10. For each AGN, the flux in the soft and hard bands, redshift, intrinsic luminosity and column density are provided.

Additional mocks have been generated for the population of high-z AGN (z>3) based on the X-ray luminosity functions of Vito et al. (2014, MNRAS, 445, 3557). These mocks provide an excellent descripton of number counts of high-z AGN in the Chandra Deep Fields (Vito et al. 2018, MNRAS, 473, 2378). They contain AGN down to logLx=40 erg/s and in the redshift range z=3-20. For each AGN, the flux in the soft and hard bands, redshift, intrinsic luminosity and column density are provided.

A mock catalog for X-ray "normal" galaxies (i.e. non-AGN) is available over a 1 deg² area. It is based on the galaxy X-ray logN-logS relations derived by Ranalli, Comastri & Setti (2005, A&A, 440, 23). Only the soft and hard X-ray flux information is provided for each simulated galaxy.

For more details on the mock catalogs please visit the dedicated page.

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