6533b881fe1ef96bd12d7db5

RESEARCH PRODUCT

REFLEX Galaxy Cluster Survey catalogue

subject

description

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 3x10^-12^erg/s/cm^2^ (0.1 to 2.4keV) in an area of 4.24ster 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. Cone search capability for table J/A+A/425/367/reflex70 (REFLEX cluster catalogue for h=0.7 (H_0_=70km/s/Mpc) and Lambda-cosmology (table6a of paper) (H=70km/s/Mpc) Cone search capability for table J/A+A/425/367/reflex50 (REFLEX cluster catalogue for h=0.5 (H_0_=50km/s/Mpc) and Einstein-de Sitter-cosmology (table6b of paper) (H=50km/s/Mpc) Cone search capability for table J/A+A/425/367/reflex (Further X-ray parameters of the REFLEX clusters (table7 of paper)) Cone search capability for table J/A+A/425/367/table9 (Angular modulation of the survey selection function)