logo

X-ray source mock catalogs


This page releases a series of X-ray source mock catalogs computed over different sky areas and for different source classes. These catalogs have been used for the AXIS and Athena simulations presented in Marchesi et al. (2020, A&A, 642, A184) and contain sources simulated down to very faint X-ray fluxes, ~10-20 erg cm-2 s-1. The *_sixte.tar.gz archives contain catalog versions that are ready-to-use to run simulations with the SIXTE software package (Dauser et al. 2019, A&A, 630, A66).

Please read carefully the general README file to understand the main assumptions and limitations of the mock catalogs.


All redshift AGN (0<z<10)

Based on Gilli, Comastri & Hasinger (2007, A&A, 463, 79). Note: the spectra required to use this mock in SIXTE, and contained in the folder spectra_GCH07, have been updated on April 30, 2021, to fix an issue with the normalization of the reflected component. People who downloaded the mocks before that date should download them again. The same applies to the v14_a100deg2_sixte.tar.gz and g07_a100deg2_bright_sixte.tar.gz mocks available in this page.

Catalog Area Depth(0.5-2 keV)[cgs] No. Sources
g07_a1deg2.fits 1 deg2 < 5 x 10-20 54k
g07_a10deg2.fits 10 deg2 < 5 x 10-20 540k
g07_a100deg2.fits 100 deg2 < 5 x 10-20 5.4M
g07_a100deg2_sixte.tar.gz 100 deg2 < 5 x 10-20 5.4M

High-redshift AGN (3<z<20)

Based on Vito et al. (2014, MNRAS, 445, 3557). See also Vito et al. (2018, MNRAS, 473, 2378).

Catalog Area Depth(0.5-2 keV)[cgs] No. Sources
v14_a1deg2.fits 1 deg2 < 2 x 10-20 29k
v14_a10deg2.fits 10 deg2 < 2 x 10-20 290k
v14_a100deg2.fits 100 deg2 < 2 x 10-20 2.9M
v14_a100deg2_sixte.tar.gz 100 deg2 < 2 x 10-20 2.9M

Clusters of galaxies (0<z<4)

Based on Reichert et al. (2011, A&A, 535, A4), Despali et al. (2016, MNRAS, 456, 2486), and Diemer (2018, ApJS, 239, 35).

Catalog Area Depth(0.5-2 keV)[cgs] No. Sources
clusters_a1deg2_sixte.tar.gz 1 deg2 10-19 4.8k
clusters_a100deg2_sixte.tar.gz 100 deg2 10-19 482k

Normal galaxies

Based on Ranalli, Comastri & Setti (2005, A&A, 440, 23)

Catalog Area Depth(0.5-2 keV)[cgs] No. Sources
galaxies_a1deg2.fits 1 deg2 10-20 294k
galaxies_a1deg2_sixte.tar.gz 1 deg2 10-20 294k
galaxies_a100deg2.tar.gz 100 deg2 10-20 29.4M
galaxies_a100deg2_sixte.tar.gz 100 deg2 10-20 29.4M

Athena catalogs for stray light simulation

AGN, non-active galaxies and cluster of galaxies mock catalogs in SIXTE format, ready to be used in Athena stray light simulations. The catalogs are derived from those reported above, applying a 0.5-2 keV flux cut at 10-18 erg s-1 cm-2. The "_20210603" AGN and clusters versions use a library of spectra with redshift binning Delta_z=0.001, rather than 0.1.
Catalog Area Depth(0.5-2 keV)[cgs] No. Sources
g07_a100deg2_bright_sixte_v3_20210430.tar.gz 100 deg2 10-18 2.8M
g07_a100deg2_bright_sixte_v4_20210603.tar.gz 100 deg2 10-18 2.8M
galaxies_a100deg2_bright_sixte_v3_20210430.tar.gz 100 deg2 10-18 5.8M
clusters_a100deg2_bright_sixte_v1_20210330.tar.gz 100 deg2 10-18 388k
clusters_a100deg2_bright_sixte_v2_20210603.tar.gz 100 deg2 10-18 388k

Last modified: 03 June 2021