ROSAT Results Archive (SAO) - PSPC



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The Second ROSAT PSPC Source Catalog (ROSPSPC / 2RXP)

The ROSAT Consortium (the Max-Planck-Institut fuer extraterrestrische Physik, the Goddard Space Flight Center, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Leicester University, and the Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam) announces the release of the completed source catalogs of all ROSAT pointed observations.

"THE SECOND ROSAT SOURCE CATALOG OF POINTED OBSERVATIONS WITH THE POSITION SENSITIVE PROPORTIONAL COUNTER (ROSPSPC / 2RXP)" (*) contains arcsecond positions and count rates of 100,048 detected sources from 5182 ROSAT PSPC observations covering 17.3% of the sky, including 54,133 high confidence detections and 2637 obvious sources which were not detected by the automated Standard Analysis Software System (SASS).

"THE SECOND ROSAT SOURCE CATALOG OF POINTED OBSERVATIONS WITH THE POSITION SENSITIVE PROPORTIONAL COUNTER WITH FILTER (ROSPSPCF / 2RXF)" (*) contains arcsecond positions and count rates of 1966 detected sources from 258 ROSAT PSPC Filter observations covering 0.15% of the sky, including 704 high confidence detections and 20 obvious sources which were not detected by the SASS.

The catalogs consist of all primary source parameters from the automated detection algorithm employed by the SASS. In addition each observation has been quality checked, both by automatic algorithms and by detailed visual inspection. The results of this quality checking are contained as a set of logical-value flags for each principal source parameter. If a source parameter is suspect, the associated flag is set to "TRUE"; parameters with no obvious problems maintain the default, "FALSE", value.

In addition to the catalog, data products for each screened observation are also available. The PSPC data products include the screened source lists, source spectra, and results from the spectral and variability analysis. The HRI data products include the screened source lists and FITS images.

Detailed information about the catalog and methods of access to the catalog and data products can be obtained from the ROSAT Results Archive web pages in Germany, in the US, and in the UK:

The ROSAT Source Catalogs will be modified if necessary. New versions will be announced on the RRA web sites at MPE, GSFC, SAO, AIP and Leicester.

(*) The First ROSAT Source Catalog of Pointed Observations with the PSPC (1RXP) (Voges et al, ROSAT News No. 32, 01-Nov-1994) was based on data processed with revision 0 or 1 of SASS. The current PSPC catalogs are completely based on data processed with revision 2 of SASS; most of the improvements are described in Voges et al, AA 349, 389 (1999). Moreover, a substantial effort has been expended in evaluating the basic source parameters and the resulting source and field flags are an integral part of the second catalog.

Access to the Catalog




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    Last Updated: August 9, 2001