Hyper-luminous X-ray sources from SDSS and CSC2

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.