Identification of (high-redshift) AGN with WFXT: lessons from COSMOS and CDFS

TL;DR

This paper discusses strategies for identifying high-redshift AGN in future WFXT X-ray surveys, emphasizing statistical tools and multi-wavelength data integration to improve source classification accuracy.

Contribution

It introduces a statistical method for identifying faint, high-redshift AGN in large X-ray samples and discusses the importance of optical and infrared data for reliable identification.

Findings

Proposed a statistical tool for AGN identification in WFXT data

Highlighted the importance of multi-wavelength catalogs for accurate classification

Discussed synergies with existing and future observational facilities

Abstract

The Wide Field X-ray Telescope (WFXT) will provide tens of millions of AGN, with more than 4x10^5 expected at z>3. Here we review the issues present in the identification of (large) samples of faint and high-redshift X-ray sources, and describe a statistical, powerful tool that can be applied to WFXT catalogs. The depth of associated optical and near infrared catalogs, needed for a reliable and as much complete as possible identification, are also discussed, along with the combined synergies with existing or planned facilities