BL Lacs from the EMSS: Number-counts and implications for the luminosity function

Abstract

BL Lac objects, extracted from the Einstein Extended Medium Sensitivity Survey (EMSS), are examined. X-ray selection proved to be a powerful tool to find new BL Lacs, and allows the creation of complete, well defined and sizable samples. X-ray selected BL Lac objects (XBL) have in general more starlight in the optical spectra than radio selected BL Lacs. Redshifts for a significant fraction of objects in samples of XBL can be determined. It is thus possible to study the cosmological properties of BL Lac objects. Different models of luminosity functions of BL Lacs, including relativistic beaming, are considered and integrated over luminosity and redshift. The results are compared with the observed number-counts. The observed redshift distribution and the models' predictions are analyzed.