Detecting X-ray filaments in the low redshift Universe with XEUS and Constellation-X

Abstract

We propose a possible way to detect baryons at low redshifts from the analysis of X-ray absorption spectra of bright AGN pairs. A simple semi-analytical model to simulate the spectra is presented. We model the diffuse warm-hot intergalactic medium (WHIM) component, responsible for the X-ray absorption, using inputs from high-resolution hydro-dynamical simulations and analytical prescriptions. We show that the number of OVII absorbers per unit redshift with column density larger than $10^{13.5}$ cm$^{-2}$ - corresponding to an equivalent width of $\sim$ 1 km/s - which will be possibly detectable by {\it XEUS}, is $\magcir 30$ per unit redshift. {\it Constellation-X} will detect $\sim 6$ OVII absorptions per unit redshift with an equivalent width of 10 km/s. Our results show that, in a $\Lambda$CDM Universe, the characteristic size of these absorbers at $z\sim 0.1$ is $\sim 1$ $h^{-1}$ Mpc. The filamentary structure of WHIM can be probed by finding coincident absorption lines in the spectra of background AGN pairs. We estimate that at least 20 AGN pairs at separation $\mincir 20$ arcmin are needed to detect this filamentary structure at a 3$\sigma$ level. Assuming observations of distant sources using {\it XEUS} for exposure times of 500 ksec, we find that the minimum source flux to probe the filamentary structure is $\sim 2\times 10^{-12}$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$, in the 0.1-2.4 keV energy band. Thus, most pairs of these extragalactic X-ray bright sources have already been identified in the {\it ROSAT} All-Sky Survey. Re-observation of these objects by future missions could be a powerful way to search for baryons in the low redshift Universe.