Chandra Detection of Highest Redshift (z~6) Quasars in X-rays

Smita Mathur, Belinda Wilkes, Himel Ghosh

Published 2002-02-11Version 1

We report on Chandra observations of three quasars SDSSP J083643+005453, SDSSP J103027+052455, and SDSSP J130608+035626 at redshifts 5.82, 6.28 and 5.99 respectively. All the three sources are clearly detected in the X-ray band, up to rest frame energies of ~55 keV. These observations demonstrate the unprecedented sensitivity of Chandra to detect faint sources in relatively short exposure times (5.7--8.2 ksec). The broad band X-ray properties of these highest redshift quasars do not appear to be any different from their lower redshift cousins. Spectra of the sources could not be determined with only few counts detected. Observations with XMM-Newton will be able to constrain the spectral shapes, if they are simple. Determination of complex spectra in a reasonable amount of time, however, will have to await next generation of X-ray missions.