A Catalog of Hyper-luminous X-Ray Sources and Intermediate-mass Black Hole Candidates out to High Redshifts

Abstract

Abstract Hyper-luminous X-ray sources (HLXs; L X > 1041 erg s−1) are off-nuclear X-ray sources in galaxies and strong candidates for intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs). We have constructed a sample of 169 HLX candidates by combining X-ray detections from the Chandra Source Catalog (Version 2) with galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and registering individual images for improved relative astrometric accuracy. The spatial resolution of Chandra allows for the sample to extend out to z ∼ 0.9. Optical counterparts are detected among one-fourth of the sample, one-third of which are consistent with dwarf galaxy stellar masses. The average intrinsic X-ray spectral slope indicates efficient accretion, potentially driven by galaxy mergers, and the column densities suggest one-third of the sample has significant X-ray absorption. We find that 144 of the HLX candidates have X-ray emission that is significantly in excess of the expected contribution from star formation and hot gas, strongly suggesting that they are produced by accretion onto black holes more massive than stars. After correcting for an average background or foreground contamination rate of 8%, we estimate that at least ∼20 of the HLX candidates are consistent with IMBH masses, and this estimate is potentially several times higher assuming more efficient accretion. This catalog currently represents the largest sample of uniformly selected, off-nuclear IMBH candidates. These sources may represent scenarios in which a low-mass galaxy hosting an IMBH has merged with a more massive galaxy and provide an excellent sample for testing models of low-mass BH formation and merger-driven growth.