XMM-COSMOS: Optical and Infrared Counterparts for ~1800 X-ray Sources

A July 2010 catalog from the HEASARC provides final optical identifications for approximately 1800 X-ray sources detected by the XMM-Newton satellite in the COSMOS field. The work combines X-ray data with multi-wavelength observations from 24 microns to UV, achieving nearly 100% redshift completeness for the sample. The table was created based on electronic data from a paper published in the Astrophysical Journal.

Use Cases

• Modeling the X-ray luminosity function based on the high-luminosity tail of AGNs described in the catalog.
• Classifying obscured and unobscured AGN candidates using the robust identification method devised by the authors.
• Studying the spectral energy distribution of transitioning objects like the prototypical Type 2 QSO (source 2028) mentioned.
• Constraining the population fraction of high-luminosity obscured AGNs for X-ray background synthesis models.

Strengths

• Contains ~1800 X-ray sources with high identification rates: 98% have optical counterparts, 95% have IRAC counterparts.
• Features nearly 100% redshift completeness, combining spectroscopic redshifts for >~50% of the sample with photometric redshifts for the rest.
• Integrates matched multi-wavelength flux data from the COSMOS survey, from 24 microns to UV.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last updated 2026-03 13 19:48:17.380921; freshness should be verified.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), HEASARC.

Collection Method

Based on electronic version of Table 2 from a paper obtained from the Astrophysical Journal web site.

Time Range

Observational data from the XMM-Newton survey of the COSMOS field.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 19:48:17.380921.

Geography

Covers the contiguous 2 square degree COSMOS field.