2XMM J083026+524133: The most X-ray luminous cluster at redshift 1

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery and analysis of 2XMM J083026+524133, the most X-ray luminous galaxy cluster at redshift around 1, using X-ray and optical data to determine its properties.

Contribution

The study identifies a highly luminous galaxy cluster at z~1 and provides detailed X-ray spectral and optical imaging analysis, expanding knowledge of distant cluster properties.

Findings

Redshift determined as 0.99 ± 0.03.

Bolometric luminosity of 1.8 x 10^45 erg/sec.

Cluster mass estimated at 5.6 x 10^14 solar masses.

Abstract

In the distant universe X-ray luminous clusters of galaxies are rare objects. Large area surveys are therefore needed to probe the high luminosity end of the cluster population at redshifts z >= 1. We correlated extended X-ray sources from the second XMM-Newton source catalogue (2XMM) with the SDSS in order to identify new clusters of galaxies. Distant cluster candidates in empty SDSS fields were imaged in the R and z bands with the Large Binocular Telescope. We extracted the X-ray spectra of the cluster candidates and fitted thermal plasma models to the data. We determined the redshift 0.99 +-0.03 for 2XMM J083026+524133 from its X-ray spectrum. With a bolometric luminosity of 1.8 x 10^45 erg/sec this is the most X-ray luminous cluster at redshifts z >= 1. We measured a gas temperature of 8.2 +- 0.9 keV and and estimate a cluster mass M(500) = 5.6 x 10^14 M(solar). The optical imaging revealed a rich cluster of galaxies.