2004/05/27 by H. Böhringer, H. Boehringer, P. Schuecker +14 · 15 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics #Brightest cluster galaxy #Cluster (spacecraft) #Cluster sampling #Computer science #Cosmic variance #Cosmology #Flux (metallurgy) #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Galaxy #Galaxy cluster #Physics #Population #ROSAT #Redshift #Sky #Universe #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20034484
published as Astron.Astrophys.425:367-383,2004 · 31 pages, 12 Tables and 3 Postscript figures, uses psfig.tex. Astronomy & Astrophysics in press
arxiv created 2004/05/27 · openalex publication_date 2004/09/10 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We present the catalogue of the REFLEX Cluster Survey providing information on the X-ray properties, redshifts, and some identification details of the clusters in the REFLEX sample. The catalogue describes a statistically complete X-ray flux-limited sample of 447 galaxy clusters above an X-ray flux of 3 10-12 erg s-1 cm-2 (0.1 to 2.4 keV) in an area of 4.24 ster in the southern sky. The cluster candidates were first selected by their X-ray emission in the ROSAT-All Sky Survey and subsequently spectroscopically identified in the frame of an ESO key programme. Previously described tests have shown that the sample is more than 90% complete and there is a conservative upper limit of 9% on the fraction of clusters with a dominant X-ray contamination from AGN. In addition to the cluster catalogue we also describe the complete selection criteria as a function of the sky position and the conversion functions used to analyse the X-ray data. These are essential for the precise statistical analysis of the large-scale cluster distribution. This data set is at present the largest, statistically complete X-ray galaxy cluster sample. Together with these data set we also provide for the first time the full three-dimensional selection function. The sample forms the basis of several cosmological studies, one of the most important applications being the assessment of the statistics of the large-scale structure of the universe and the test of cosmological models. Part of these cosmological results have already been published.