ROSAT PSPC Catalog of 203 X-Ray Selected Galaxy Clusters

A catalog of 203 clusters of galaxies serendipitously detected in 647 ROSAT PSPC high Galactic latitude pointings covering 158 square degrees. This database was created by the NASA HEASARC in December 2001 based on the CDS/ADC catalog J/ApJ/502/558/. The catalog lists X-ray fluxes, core radii, and spectroscopic redshifts for 73 clusters and photometric redshifts for the remainder.

Use Cases

• Analyze the log N-log S relation for galaxy clusters based on the flux distribution mentioned in the description.
• Study the correlation between X-ray luminosity and cluster richness based on the luminosity range from poor groups to rich clusters.
• Validate cluster detection algorithms based on the reported 98% optical confirmation rate for sources above a specific flux threshold.
• Compare X-ray-selected cluster samples with other surveys like the ROSAT All-Sky Survey or WARPS based on the comparative analysis described.

Strengths

• Contains 203 optically confirmed galaxy clusters, one of the largest X-ray-selected samples.
• Covers a significant area of 158 square degrees from 647 ROSAT pointings.
• Provides spectroscopic redshifts for 73 clusters and photometric redshifts for the rest.
• Reports a high optical confirmation rate (98%) for extended X-ray sources above a flux of 2 x 10^-13 ergs s^-1 cm^-2.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data was created in 2001; freshness should be verified for current research applications.
• File format is listed as BIN, which may require specific tools for access and interpretation.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA HEASARC)

Collection Method

Serendipitous detection from ROSAT PSPC X-ray observations, with optical confirmation.

Time Range

Observational period of the ROSAT mission (likely 1990s).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 20:02:16.134016; freshness should be verified.

Geography

High Galactic latitude sky coverage.