XMM-COSMOS: 1,887 X-Ray Point Sources from a 2-Degree Survey

A catalog of 1,887 unique X-ray point sources detected by the XMM-Newton satellite across a 2.13 square-degree area of the COSMOS field. The data was processed using the XMM-SAS package across three energy bands (0.5-2 keV, 2-10 keV, 5-10 keV) and has calibrated completeness. This table was created by NASA's HEASARC in April 2009 based on a published catalog and last updated in May 2010.

Use Cases

• Identify and study Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) populations based on X-ray point source detections.
• Analyze source density and log N-log S distributions across the survey area.
• Calibrate detection algorithms and survey completeness using the described Monte Carlo simulation methodology.
• Cross-match X-ray sources with multiwavelength data from the broader COSMOS survey.

Strengths

• Contains 1,887 unique X-ray point sources detected with a likelihood parameter (det_ml) > 10.
• Covers a substantial 2.13 square-degree area with an average exposure depth of 40 ks.
• Provides calibrated flux limits for three energy bands (e.g., ~1.7e-15 erg/cm²/s in the 0.5-2 keV band over 90% of the area).
• The survey is noted for its unprecedented homogeneity.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data was last updated in May 2010; freshness should be verified for current research.

Provenance

Source

NASA HEASARC, based on the electronic version of Table 3 from the referenced paper (J/A+A/497/635).

Collection Method

Source detection performed using a maximum likelihood technique on XMM-Newton EPIC data, with analysis calibrated via Monte Carlo simulations.

Time Range

Observation dates are not specified in the provided metadata.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 17:50:34.876240; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Covers the 2 square-degree COSMOS field; specific celestial coordinates are not provided in the description.