X-ray background synthesis: The infrared connection

Abstract

We present a synthesis model of the X-ray background based on the cross-correlation between mid-infrared and X-ray surveys, where the distribution of type 2 sources is assumed to follow that of luminous infrared galaxies while type 1 sources are traced by the observed ROSAT distribution. The best fits to both the X-ray number counts and background spectrum require at least some density evolution. We explore a limited range of parameter space for the evolutionary variables of the type 2 luminosity function. Matching the redshift distribution to that observed in deep Chandra and XMM-Newton fields, we find weak residuals as a signature of Fe emission from sources in a relatively peaked range of redshift. This extends the recent work of Franceschini et al. and emphasizes the possible correlation between obscured active galactic nuclei and star-forming activity.