Wide Area X-ray Surveys for AGN and Starburst Galaxies

TL;DR

This paper discusses methods for selecting and analyzing galaxies and AGN in wide-area X-ray surveys using Bayesian techniques, highlighting prospects for future large-scale X-ray missions.

Contribution

It introduces Bayesian methods for galaxy selection and luminosity function analysis in wide-area X-ray surveys, applicable to current and future missions.

Findings

Bayesian techniques effectively select galaxies from X-ray data.

Analysis of luminosity functions informs galaxy and AGN populations.

Future surveys will significantly expand detection capabilities.

Abstract

While often the point sources in X-ray surveys are dominated by AGN, with the high sensitivity of modern X-ray telescopes such as Chandra and XMM-Newton normal/starburst galaxies are also being detected in large numbers. We have made use of Bayesian statistics for both the selection of galaxies from deep X-ray surveys and in the analysis of the luminosity functions for galaxies. These techniques can be used to similarly select galaxies from wide-area X-ray surveys and to analyze their luminosity function. The prospects for detecting galaxies and AGN from a proposed ``wide-deep'' XMM-Newton survey and from future wide-area X-ray survey missions (such as WFXT and eRosita) are also discussed.