The Optical Counterparts to the Chandra Sources in the Deep ACS GTO Cluster Fields

A. Martel, F. Menanteau (JHU), P. Tozzi (INAF, Italy), H. Ford (JHU)

We present catalogs and images of optical counterparts to the Chandra X-ray sources found in the fields of the five rich clusters RX J0152-1357, RX J0849+4452, RDCS J0910+5422, MS 1054-0321, and RDCS J1252-2927, which were imaged with the Advanced Camera for Surveys as part of the ACS GTO programs. A total of 98 X-ray sources fall within the ACS mosaics and positive identifications are made for ~96% of them, including confirmed cluster members. We classify the sources as AGNs or QSOs depending on their X-ray output. The log N(>S)-log S test indicates a significant overdensity of X-ray sources in the RX J0152-1357, RDCS J0910+5422, and MS 1054-0321 fields with respect to the CDF-S, suggesting an association of some X-ray sources with the large scale structure of the clusters. From the asymmetry and concentration indices, ~52% of the optical counterparts are early-type galaxies, ~35% late-type, and the remainder irregular. A blue core is found in approximately half of the early-type galaxies. From visual examination, approximately 40% of the counterparts possess an unresolved nucleus, a common signature of nuclear activity. The X-ray to optical flux ratio of the nuclei correlates with the inclination angle of the late-type galaxies. The AGNs possess a ~50% excess of nearby companions compared to the overall galaxy population in the same fields. The surface density of the X-ray sources is highest at projected radii of <1 Mpc from the cluster center of RX J0152-1357, RDCS J0910+5422, and RDCS J1252-2927. We describe the morphology and environment of the cluster members. This research is supported by NASA grant NAG5-7697. \

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