J/A+A/659/A188ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/659/A188doi:10.26093/cds/vizier.36590188CDSBernadich M.C.i.Schwope A.D.Kovlakas K.Zezas A.Traulsen I.2026-07-01T14:00:19Z2022-03-25T10:08:53ZCDS support team

CDS, Observatoire de Strasbourg, 11 rue de l'Universite, F-67000 Strasbourg, France

cds-question@unistra.frx-ray-binary-starsUltraluminous X-ray sources (LX>1x10^39^erg/s, ULXs) are excellent probes for extreme accretion physics, star formation history in galaxies, and intermediate-mass black holes searches. As the sample size of X-ray data from modern observatories such as XMM-Newton and Chandra increases, producing extensive catalogues of ULXs and studying their collective properties has become both a possibility and a priority. Our aim is to build a clean updated ULX catalogue based on one of the most recent XMM-Newton X-ray serendipitous survey data releases, 4XMM-DR9, and the most recent and exhaustive catalogue of nearby galaxies, HECATE. We performed a preliminary population study to test if the properties of the expanded XMM-Newton ULX population are consistent with previous findings. We performed positional cross-matches between XMM-Newton sources and HECATE objects to identify host galaxies, and we used distance and luminosity arguments to identify ULX candidates. We flagged interlopers by finding known counterparts in external catalogues and databases such as Gaia DR2 SSDS, Pan-STARRS1, the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database, and SIMBAD. Source, galaxy and variability parameters from 4XMM-DR9, HECATE, and 4XMM-DR9s were used to study the spectral, abundances and variability properties of the ULX sample. We identify 779 ULX candidates, 94 of which hold LX>5x10^40^erg/s. Spiral galaxies are more likely to host ULXs. For early spiral galaxies the number of ULX candidates per star-forming rate is consistent with previous studies, while a significant ULX population in elliptical and lenticular galaxies also exists. Candidates hosted by late-type galaxies tend to present harder spectra and to undergo more extreme inter-observation variability than those hosted by early-type galaxies. Approximately 30 candidates with LX>1x10^41^erg/s are also identified, constituting the most interesting candidates for intermediate-mass black hole searches. We have built the largest ULX catalogue to date. Our results on the spectral and abundance properties of ULXs confirm the findings made by previous studies based on XMM-Newton and Chandra data, while our population-scale study on variability properties is unprecedented. Our study, however, provides limited insight into the properties of the brightest ULX candidates due to the small sample size. The expected growth of X-ray catalogues and potential future follow-ups will aid in drawing a clearer picture.2022A&A...659A.188Bhttps://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/659/A188CatalogResearchIsServedByTAP VizieR generic serviceIsServedByConesearch servicerelated-toI/345 : Gaia DR2 (Gaia Collaboration, 2018)I/259 : The Tycho-2 Catalogue (Hog+ 2000)II/349 : The Pan-STARRS release 1 (PS1) Survey - DR1 (Chambers+, 2016)VII/286 : SDSS quasar catalog, fourteenth data release (Paris+, 2018)VII/258 : Quasars and Active Galactic Nuclei (13th Ed.) (Veron+ 2010)IX/59 : XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source Catalogue 4XMM-DR9 (Webb+, 2020)IX/61 : 4XMM-DR9s serendipitous source catalogue from stacks (Traulsen+ 2020)https://cds.unistra.fr/vizier-org/licences_vizier.htmlhttps://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/A+A/659/A188https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/A+A/659/A188http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/A+A/659/A188https://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/votable?-source=J/A+A/659/A188https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/votable?-source=J/A+A/659/A188http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/votable?-source=J/A+A/659/A188GETtext/xml+votablehttps://tapvizier.cds.unistra.fr/TAPVizieR/tapCone search capability for table J/A+A/659/A188/ulx-xmm9 (All entries, including ULX candidates)https://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/conesearch/J/A+A/659/A188/ulx-xmm9?https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/conesearch/J/A+A/659/A188/ulx-xmm9?http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/conesearch/J/A+A/659/A188/ulx-xmm9?GETtext/xml+votable180.050000true83.47781778-67.451708060.0055555555555555564/2068 5/2367 4419 4422 4424 4502 4504 8263 8268-8269 8280-8281 8323 8326 8329 8623 6/50 87 141 148-149 179 203 225 246 306 315 355 357 526 620 627 650 700 747 909 928-929 932 941 948 953 975 997 1000 1008 1121 1405 1466 1671 1677 1679 1690 1700-1702 1712 1841 2142 2154-2155 2164 2214 2221 2227 2229-2231 2240-2241 2248 2251 2266 2273 2311 2320 2341 2343 2365 2388-2390 2409 2411 2414 2432 2437 2485 2564 2619 2622-2623 2666-2667 2704-2705 2708-2709 2711 2752 2774 2777 2780 3042 3075 3389 3446 3506-3507 3519 4181 4215 4276 4301 4303 4340 4352 4369 4391 4424 4439 4447 4469 4488 4511 4540 4556 4575 4586 4654 4688 4695-4696 4698 4708 4718 4740 4755 4772 4803-4804 4807 4821 4834-4835 4838 4921 4947 4952 4954-4955 4962 4964 4966 4992-4993 5033 5067 5128 5130 5155 5183 5202 5241 5244 5287 5305 5311 5367 5423 5429 5463 5469 5500 5523 5536 5545 5558 5564 5587 5597-5598 5604 5607 5616 5618 5629 5670 5675 5689 5715 5725 5727 5762 5794 5796-5797 5799 5816 5939 5945 5966 5970 5975-5976 5980 6034 6051 6075-6076 6078 6096 6098 6112 6124 6149 6208 6212 6348 6350 6431 6458-6459 6474 6532 6534 6578 6639 6645 6665 6760 6977 6980 7004-7006 7015 7026 7037 7132 7157 7166 7173 7184 7214 7241 7246 7266 7273 7281 7298 7309-7310 7321 7323 7363 7374 7386 7416-7417 7424 7426 7485 7536 7548 7550 7552 7603-7604 7606 7618 7624 7642 7659 7682 7741 7743 7763 7799 7869 7878 7921 7941 7954 7956 7969-7970 7986 7989 8028-8029 8085 8106 8173 8195-8196 8203 8210 8216 8220 8222 8225 8258 8261 8264 8266 8268-8269 8271 8288 8299 8339 8401 8438 8440 8442 8506-8507 8514 8520 8524 8526 8537 8552 8650 8669 8673 8705 8790 8843 8908 8912 8914-8915 8921-8922 8927 8940 8950 8968 8997 9231 9242 9244 9287 9343 9350 9354 9356 9401 9435-9436 9444 9452 9465 9467 9543 9583 9593 9606 9612-9613 9632 9642 9672 9750 9811 9815 9855 9894-9895 9988 10182-10183 10190 10193 10210 10213 10217 10255 10272 10288 10293 10348 10364 10378-10379 10383 10393 10396 10400-10401 10414 10421-10422 10434-10435 10440 10442 10444 10454 10464-10465 10475 10485 10511 10526 10544 10560 10570 10628 10630 10637 10691 10761 10763 10769 10771 10841 10856 10888 10896 10905 10911-10912 10924-10925 10927 10963 10970 10977 10979 10982 10984 10992 11000 11006 11009-11010 11026-11027 11029 11071 11080 11101 11112 11114-11115 11127 11158 11191 11206 11263 11312 11319 11354-11355 11365 11372 11375 11388-11389 11392 11416 11424 11429-11430 11432 11434 11436 11448 11460 11490 11502 11512 11519 11591 11624 11626 11633 11636 11653 11664 11787 11791 11831 11856 11873-11874 11898 11936 12025 12052 12060 12121-12123 12130 12188 12240-12241 12306 12455 12459 12481 12497 12537 12553 12568 12641 13021 13319 13411 13414 13496 13511 13522 13529 13564 13643 13750 13760-13761 14018 14825 14960 15015 15056 15105 15112 15174 15323 15332-15333 15340 15592-15593 15825 15912 15955 16031 16042 16120 16197 16434 16441 16447 16454 16480 16506 16519 16533 16543 16577 16655 16666 16701 16755 16758 16765 16767 16784 16806 16831 16898 17030 17061 17075 17165 17183 17205 17237 17245 17247 17286 17425 17438 17472 17515-17516 17520 17525 17529 17582 17595 17598 17606 17622-17623 17629 17662 17674-17675 17680-17681 17683 17685-17687 17692 17694 17700-17701 17708 17713 17716 17727 17741 17745 17748-17749 17754 17761 17764 17766-17767 17770 17772 17777-17778 17795 17799 17805 17814 17818 17850 17866 17955 18002-18006 18012-18013 18022 18028 18032 18041 18069 18071 18084 18168 18184-18185 18208-18209 18212 18241 18258 18300 18302 18335 18367 18387 18398 18406 18411 18484 18590 18592 18742 18748 18757 18779 18783 18786 18788 18794 18805 18809 18838 18858 18865 18897 18912 18918 18935 18937 18939 18941 19023 19033 19059 19062 19095 19151 19216 19269 19283 19287 19296 19318 19376 19384 19484 19608-19609 19611 19619 19626 19676 19694 19797 19851 19883 19897 19905 19954 19990 20000 20020-20021 20029 20060-20061 20071 20075 20090 20116 20184 20208 20214 20237 20355 20358 20379 20386 20388 20481 20483 20489 20516 20537 20552-20554 20574 20591 20624 20640 20663 20669 20706 20715 20750 20875 21016 21033 21036-21037 21133 21142 21169 21179 21245 21450 21766 21785 21824 21970 21976-21977 21996 22388 22545 22561 22577 22585 22632 22651 22661 22690 22721-22722 22746 22750 22890 22912 22914-22915 22936 22975 23013 23050 23075 23086 23088 23097 23102 23171 23178 23182 23205 23208 23210 23216 23323 23469 23531 23725 23921 24019 24120 24584 24732-24733 24740 24748 24829 24831 24842 24848 24896-24897 24913 24920-24922 24943-24944 24949 24951 24954 24958 25035 25042 25054-25055 25079 25083 25100 25132 25153 25182 25245 25316 25344 25383 25415 25518 25552 25585 25603 25610-25611 25635 25658 25669 25680 25682 25705 25735 25742 25769 25771 25850 25852 25907 25919 25939 25945 25956-25958 25961 25966 25972 25974 25981-25982 25989 26041 26055 26080 26090-26091 26102 26125 26134 26139 26148 26175 26223 26262 26265 26267 26271 26300 26303 26313 26331 26346 26359 26365 26375 26393 26413 26427 26432 26472 26488 26540 26547 26561 26563 26571 26596 26628 26749 26808 26811 26843 26858 26866-26867 26902 26916 26919 26946 26970 26983 26986 27005 27026 27041 27043 27060 27072 27081 27102 27122 27126-27127 27199 27235 27242 27245-27246 27257-27259 27314 27328 27342-27343 27345 27351 27365 27383 27396 27421-27423 27458 27464 27474 27477 27480-27481 27483 27486 27491 27504 27521 27554 27562 27574 27580 27595 27604 27617 27649 27652 27669 27699 27704 27714 27718-27719 27721 27723 27728 27730-27731 27734 27738 27760 27763 27765 27767 27773 27803 27857 27860-27861 27907 27914 27916 27918 27934 27936-27938 27941 27944-27945 27948 27965 27982 28033 28035 28045 28054 28062 28075 28123 28126-28127 28141-28143 28149 28154 28167 28172-28174 28184 28188 28220-28221 28226 28230 28234 28249-28251 28254 28272 28275 28278 28334 28350 28356 28377 28393 28397 28414-28415 28417 28427 28443 28467 28471 28476 28490 28492 28494-28496 28512 28515 28517 28522-28523 28529 28535 28542 28548 28593 28609-28610 28631 28637 28639 28653-28654 28955 29232 29234 29240 29346 29558 29691 29795 29906 30021 30027 30944 31074 31080-31081 31118 31158 31259 31313 31354 31396-31398 31406 31430 31463 31465 31534 31628 31662-31663 31667 31712 32059 32362 32447 32474 32624 32695 32766 32954 33030 33034 33046-33047 33049 33051 33084-33085 33104 33106-33107 33109-33110 33112-33113 33115-33116 33118 33128-33129 33132 33136 33138 33176 33193 33209 33228 33242 33286-33287 33298 33328 33330 33469 33490 33558 33580 33619-33620 33628 33635 33649 33651 33656 33668 33670 33685 33702 33716 33792 33802 33920-33921 33930 33950 33954 33958 33960 33971 33980 33984 34034 34038 34074 34099 34104 34138 34159 34161 34170 34272-34273 34290 34294 34318 34334 34368 34382 34401 34403-34404 34471 34485 34531 34533-34535 34540-34541 34760 34845 34881 34913 34930 34975 34983 35001 35053 35055 35064 35067 35079 35147 35171 35206 35243 35343 35365 35387 35446-35447 35512 35514 35536 35538 35542 35576 35608 35623 35629 35631 35691 35770 35899 35928 35934 35953 35956 35969 35985 35987 36023 36066 36107 36132 36152 36158 36172 36194 36231 36247 36342 36393 36423 36526 36626 36632 36668 36678 36712-36713 36733 36767 36775 36782 36785-36786 36861 36897 36990 37003 37012 37020 37082 37140 37174 37294 37388 37429 37505 37512 37514 37546 37559-37560 37819 38129 38131 38139 38268 38390 38479 38653 38667 38703-38704 38852-38853 38868 38912 38916 39028 39055 39077 39091 39097 39100 39118 39140 39182 39295 39322 39335 39355 39430 39520 39561 39613 39717 39778 39853 39858 39862 39990 40124 40216 40294 40402 40410 40433 40514 40520 40531 40642 40777 40818 40825 40934 40957 41026-41027 41051 41270 41310 41326 41412 41423 41434-41435 41444 41586 41713 41876 41982 41987 42003 42016 42027 42113 42120 42533 42542 42636 42738 42852 42916 42990 43064 43078 43107 43214 43233 43236 43242 43259 43261-43263 43306 43308 43339 43357 43420 43450-43451 43501 43503 43506 43520-43521 43523 43564 43606 43621 43626-43627 43632 43634 43649 43677 43712 43722 43797 43806 43825 43828 43830 43836-43838 43843 43848-43849 43874 43876-43878 43881 43891 43898 43939-43942 43945 43947 43977 43995 44008 44011 44017 44024 44125 44169 44236 44247 44356-44357 44448 44540 44551 44554-44555 44626 44698 44812 44894 44947 45054 45227 45294 45305 45443 45446 45633 45636 45652 45671 45735 45752 45754 45779 45807 45816 45821 45906 45912 45914 45981 45986 45997 46017 46019-46020 46024 46034-46036 46038 46079 46105 46130 46158 46162 46164 46170 46174 46179 46183 46188 46192 46363 46395 46399 46413 46424 46440 46442-46443 46477-46478 46495 46525 46540 46544 46548 46568 46608 46610 46615 46642 46687 46738 46740 46807 46831 46882 46969 46987 46999 47014 47047 47077-47078 47093 47120 47154 47162 47168-47169 47178 47181 47187 47190 47196-47197 47217 47235 47244 47383 47415 47430 47701 47854 47865 47868 48034-48035 48179 48271 48321 48323 48344 48346 48389 48395 48501 48520 48553 48610 48891 48897 49016-49017 49042https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/moc/J/A+A/659/A188?format=asciiX-raydefaultJ/A+A/659/A188/ulx-xmm9All entries, including ULX candidatesrecnoRecord number assigned by the VizieR team. Should Not be used for identification.meta.recordintDETIDDetection ID label/number (1)meta.id;meta.mainSRCIDSource ID label/number (1)meta.idSRC+PGC-IDSRCID + PGC label/numbermeta.idcharRAJ2000Right ascension (J2000) of detection (1)degpos.eq.ra;meta.mainindexedDEJ2000Declination (J2000) of detection (1)degpos.eq.dec;meta.mainindexede_posDetection RA/DEC uncertaintyarcsecstat.errordoubleFlux80.2-12 keV X-ray flux of detection (EP_8_FLUX) (1)mW.m**-2phot.flux;em.X-raydoublee_Flux8Flux8 uncertainty (1)mW.m**-2stat.errordoubleSumFlagDetection quality flag (1)meta.code.qualintRASCdegRight ascension (J2000) of source (1)degpos.eq.raDESCdegDeclination (J2000) of source (1)degpos.eq.dece_SCposSC_RA/SC_DEC uncertainty (1)arcsecstat.errordoubleMatchFlagGalaxy flag of sourcemeta.codecharNGalNumber of possible source hostsmeta.numberintCentDistDistance of detection from host centerarcsecpos.angDistancedoubleMinCentDistCentDist - e_posarcsecpos.angDistancedoubleSCCenterDistDistance of source from host centerarcsecpos.angDistancedoubleMinSCCentDistSCCentDist - e_SCposarcsecpos.angDistancedoubleLumX-ray detection luminosity from Flux8 and Dist1e-07Wphys.luminositydoublee_LumLuminosity uncertainty1e-07Wstat.errordoubleSCLumX-ray source luminosity from SCFlux8 and Dist1e-07Wphys.luminosity;em.X-raydoublee_SCLumSCLum uncertainty1e-07Wstat.errordoublesrcMLDetection likelihood of source (1)stat.likelihooddoubleSCFlux80.2-12 keV X-ray flux of source (1)mW.m**-2phot.flux;em.X-raydoublee_SCFlux8SCFlux8 uncertainty (1)mW.m**-2stat.errordoubleSCHR1? 0.5-1 to 0.2-0.5 keV source hardness ratio (1)phot.flux;arith.ratiodoublenullablee_SCHR1? SCHR1 uncertainty (1)stat.errordoublenullableSCHR2? 1-2 to 0.5-1 keV source hardness ratio (1)phot.flux;arith.ratiodoublenullablee_SCHR2? SCHR2 uncertainty (1)stat.errordoublenullableSCHR3? 2-4.5 to 1-2 keV source hardness ratio (1)phot.flux;arith.ratiodoublenullablee_SCHR3? SCHR3 uncertainty (1)stat.errordoublenullableSCHR4? 4.5-12 to 2-4.5 keV source hardness ratio (1)phot.flux;arith.ratiodoublenullablee_SCHR4? SCHR4 uncertainty (1)stat.errordoublenullableSCSSource quality flag (1)meta.code.qualintNDetNumber of source detections (1)meta.numberintPGCPGC galaxy identification number (2)meta.idintHyperLEDAHyperLEDA galaxy name (2)meta.idcharRAHdegRigh ascension (J2000) of galaxy center (2)degpos.eq.raDEHdegDeclination (J2000) of galaxy center (2)degpos.eq.decT? Hubble type value of galaxy (2)meta.note;src.morph.typefloatnullablee_T? T uncertainty (2)stat.errorfloatnullabler1Major isophotal radius of galaxy (2)arcminphys.angSizefloatr2Minor isophotal radius of galaxy (2)arcminphys.angSize;srcfloatPA[] North-to-east position angle of galaxy (2)degpos.posAngfloatDistDistance to galaxy (2)Mpcpos.distancedoublee_DistDistance uncertainty (2)Mpcstat.errordoubleContIDInterloper ID in original catalogue (3)meta.idcharRAideg? Righ ascension (J2000) of interloper (3)pos.eq.ranullableDEideg? Declination (J2000) of interloper (3)pos.eq.decnullableObjTypeNature of interloper (3)src.classcharContDist? Distance of detection from interloperarcsecpos.angDistancedoublenullableSCContDist? Distance of source from interloperarcsecpos.angDistancedoublenullableSCGLONGalactic longitude of sourcedegpos.galactic.londoubleSCGLATGalactic latitude of sourcedegpos.galactic.latdoubleGLONHGalactic longitude of sourcedegpos.galactic.lonGLATHGalactic latitude of sourcedegpos.galactic.latdoubleQual[0/1] Source of quality flag (5)meta.code.qual;pos.frameintULXRegime[0/1] Source in ULX luminosity regime flag (5)meta.codeintULXCert[0/1] Source in ULX regime with certainty flag (5)meta.codeintULXCand[0/1] ULX candidate flag (5)meta.codeintbrightULXRegime[0/1] Source in bright ULX luminosity regime flag (5)meta.codeintbrightULXCert[0/1] Source in ULX luminosity regime with certainty flag (5)meta.codeintbrightULXCand[0/1] Bright ULX candidate flag (5)meta.codeint4XMM-DR9s? 4XMM-DR9s source ID (4)meta.idnullableRA4deg? Righ ascension (J2000) of 4XMM-DR9s source (4)degpos.eq.ranullableDE4deg? Declination (J2000) of 4XMM-DR9s source (4)degpos.eq.decnullablee_pos4? RA_stacks/DEC_stacks uncertainty (4)arcsecstat.errordoublenullableNContrib? Number of contributions of source in 4XMM-DR9 (4)meta.numberintnullableVarProb? Probability of source not showing inter-observation variability (4)src.vardoublenullableFratio? Max-to-min observed flux of source (4)phot.flux;arith.ratiodoublenullablee_Fratio? Fratio uncertainty (4)stat.errordoublenullable38ss[0/1] Lx=1e38 erg/s sub-sample flag (6)meta.codeint39ss[0/1] Lx=1e39 erg/s sub-sample flag (6)meta.codeint5x40ss[0/1] Lx=5e40 erg/s sub-sample flag (6)meta.codeintcULXss[0/1] Complete ULX sub-sample flag (6)meta.codeintcbULXss[0/1] Complete bright ULX sub-sample flag (6)meta.codeintlogSFR? Logarithm of galaxy star-formation rate (2)log(solMass.yr**-1)phys.SFRfloatnullablelogM? Logarith of galaxy stellar mass (2)log(solMass)src.class.starGalaxyfloatnullableDET+PGC-IDSRCID + PGC label/numbermeta.idcharObsIDXMM-Newton observation ID (1)meta.id;obscharContFlagCatalogue of interlopermeta.id;meta.datasetcharIDNED galaxy ID (2)meta.idchar