Chandra counterparts of CANDELS GOODS-S sources

TL;DR

This study enhances detection of faint X-ray sources in deep field data by using a simultaneous likelihood fit with optical priors, increasing the known faint X-ray source population, including potential high-redshift AGN.

Contribution

Introduces a likelihood-based detection method utilizing optical priors, significantly increasing faint X-ray source detections in the Chandra Deep Field South.

Findings

Detected 698 X-ray sources with likelihood >4.98.

Increased total X-ray sources in the field to 793.

Identified potential high-redshift AGN candidates.

Abstract

Improving the capabilities of detecting faint X-ray sources is fundamental to increase the statistics on faint high-z AGN and star-forming galaxies. We performed a simultaneous Maximum Likelihood PSF fit in the [0.5-2] keV and [2-7] keV energy bands of the 4 Ms{\em Chandra} Deep Field South (CDFS) data at the position of the 34930 CANDELS H-band selected galaxies. For each detected source we provide X-ray photometry and optical counterpart validation. We validated this technique by means of a raytracing simulation. We detected a total of 698 X-ray point-sources with a likelihood $\mathcal{L}$$>$4.98 (i.e. $>$2.7$\sigma$). We show that the prior knowledge of a deep sample of Optical-NIR galaxies leads to a significant increase of the detection of faint (i.e. $\sim$10$^{-17}$ cgs in the [0.5-2] keV band) sources with respect to "blind" X-ray detections. By including previous X-ray catalogs, this work increases the total number of X-ray sources detected in the 4 Ms CDFS, CANDELS area to 793, which represents the largest sample of extremely faint X-ray sources assembled to date. Our results suggest that a large fraction of the optical counterparts of our X-ray sources determined by likelihood ratio actually coincides with the priors used for the source detection. Most of the new detected sources are likely star-forming galaxies or faint absorbed AGN. We identified a few sources sources with putative photometric redshift z$>$4. Despite the low number statistics and the uncertainties on the photo-z, this sample significantly increases the number of X--ray selected candidate high-z AGN.