Giacconi et al. (1962) discovered a diffuse cosmic X-ray background with rocket experiments when they searched for lunar X-ray emission. Later satellite missions found a spectral peak in the cosmic X-ray background at ~30 keV. Imaging X-ray satellites such as ROSAT (1990-1999) were able to resolve up to 80% of the background below 2 keV into single point sources, mainly active galaxies. The cosmic X-ray background is the integration of all accreting super-massive (several million solar masses) black holes in the centre of active galaxies over cosmic time. Synthesis models need further populations of X-ray absorbed active galaxy nuclei (AGN) in order to explain the cosmic X-ray background peak at ~30 keV. Current X-ray missions such as XMM-Newton and Chandra offer the possibility of studying these additional populations. This Ph.D. thesis studies the populations that dominate the X-ray sky. For this purpose the 120 ksec XMM-Newton Marano field survey, named for an earlier optical quasar survey in the southern hemisphere, is analysed. Based on the optical follow-up observations the X-ray sources are spectroscopically classified. Optical and X-ray properties of the different X-ray source populations are studied and differences are derived. The amount of absorption in the X-ray spectra of type II AGN, which are considered as a main contributor to the X-ray background at ~30 keV, is determined. In order to extend the sample size of the rare type II AGN, this study also includes objects from another survey, the XMM-Newton Serendipitous Medium Sample. In addition, the dependence of the absorption in type II AGN with redshift and X-ray luminosity is analysed. We detected 328 X-ray sources in the Marano field. 140 sources were spectroscopically classified. We found 89 type I AGN, 36 type II AGN, 6 galaxies, and 9 stars. AGN, galaxies, and stars are clearly distinguishable by their optical and X-ray properties. Type I and II AGN do not separate clearly. They have a significant overlap in all studied properties. In a few cases the X-ray properties are in contradiction to the observed optical properties for type I and type II AGN. For example we find type II AGN that show evidence for optical absorption but are not absorbed in X-rays. Based on the additional use of near infra-red imaging (K-band), we were able to identify several of the rare type II AGN. The X-ray spectra of type II AGN from the XMM-Newton Marano field survey and the XMM-Newton Serendipitous Medium Sample were analysed. Since most of the sources have only ~40 X-ray counts in the XMM-Newton PN-detector, I carefully studied the fit results of simulated X-ray spectra as a function of fit statistic and binning method. The objects revealed only moderate absorption. In particular, I do not find any Compton-thick sources (absorbed by column densities of NH > 1.5 x 10^24 cm^−2). This gives evidence that type II AGN are not the main contributor of the X-ray background around 30 keV. Although bias effects may occur, type II AGN show no noticeable trend of the amount of absorption with redshift or X-ray luminosity. / Giacconi et al. (1962) entdeckten mit Hilfe von Raketenexperimenten auf der Suche nach Röntgenstrahlung vom Mond eine scheinbar diffuse extragalaktische Röntgenhintergrundstrahlung. Spätere Satellitenmissionen detektierten ein Maximum dieser Strahlung bei ~30 keV. Abbildenden Röntgensatelliten wie ROSAT (1990-1999) gelang es, bis zu 80% des diffusen Hintergrundes unter 2 keV in einzelne Punktquellen aufzulösen, von denen die überwiegende Mehrheit aktive Galaxienkerne waren. Der Röntgenhintergrund ist somit wahrscheinlich als die Emission der Gesamtheit aller akkretierenden superschweren (mehrere Millionen Sonnenmassen) schwarzen Löcher in den Zentren von Galaxien in der kosmischen Geschichte zu verstehen. Zur Erklärung des Maximums der spektralen Energieverteilung der Röntgenhintergrundstrahlung bei ~30 keV benötigen theoretische Modelle jedoch zusätzliche Populationen von röntgenabsorbierenden aktiven Galaxienkernen (AGN). Derzeitige Röntgenmissionen wie XMM-Newton und Chandra ermöglichen die Untersuchung dieser Quellklassen. Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht die Quellpopulationen, die den Röntgenhimmel dominieren. Dazu wird die 120 ksec XMM-Newton Beobachtung im Marano Feld, Ziel einer früheren optischen AGN-Durchmusterung am Südhimmel, ausgewertet. Die optischen und Röntgeneigenschaften der unterschiedlichen Quellpopulationen werden untersucht und Unterschiede erarbeitet. Für die röntgenabsorbierende Objektklasse der Typ II AGN, die man als möglichen Erzeuger der Röntgenstrahlung um 30 keV betrachtet, wird aus den Röntgenspektren das Ausmaß der Absorption ermittelt. Um die Anzahl dieser selten gefundenen Objekte zu erhöhen, werden in dieser Arbeit zusätzliche Objekte aus der Röntgendurchmusterung des “XMM-Newton Serendipitous Medium Sample” einbezogen. Die Abhängigkeit der Absorption von der Rotverschiebung und der Röntgenleuchtkraft wird untersucht. Von 328 Röntgenquellen im Marano Feld konnten 140 spektroskopisch klassifiziert werden. Es wurden 89 Typ I AGN, 36 Typ II AGN, 6 Galaxien und 9 Sterne gefunden. Nur basierend auf den optischen und Röntgeneigenschaften können AGN, Galaxien und Sterne unterschieden werden. Typ I und II AGN lassen sich nicht klar trennen und zeigen große Gemeinsamkeiten in den untersuchten Eigenschaften. Mit Hilfe von zusätzlichen Aufnahmen im nahen Infraroten (K-Band) konnten erfolgreich mehrere seltene Typ II AGN identifiziert werden. Die Röntgenspektren von Typ II AGN aus dem XMM-Newton Marano Feld und dem “XMM-Newton Serendipitous Medium Sample” wurden ausgewertet. Die Objekte weisen nur eine mäßige Absorption auf und scheinen somit nicht einen Hauptbestandteil des Röntgenstrahlungshintergrundes um 30 keV zu erzeugen. Obwohl Selektionseffekte nicht vollständig verstanden sind, zeigen Typ II AGN keine erkennbare Abhängigkeit der Absorption von der Rotverschiebung oder der Röntgenleuchtkraft.

The work contained within this thesis Is made up primarily of two pieces Both address active galactic nuclei And the galaxies that live nearby The obscured fraction of the population Is the topic of one publication And the type-II fraction in the optical regime In chapter four this is the theme I research the vicinity overdensity Around radio galaxies in chapter three, you’ll see I reduce some spectra at redshift one But not all observations in the end got done With the spectra I have I do what I can As if all target observations had actually ran In the end I conclude with results and the theme of research to be done further downstream. The works contained herein addresses two major topics in extragalactic astrophysics, namely the Type-II AGN fraction and the Overdensity-Radio power relation. Quantifying the Type-II AGN fraction has been attempted by many works in many different observational regimes, finding rather contrasting results. Accretion onto supermassive black holes contributes between 5 per cent and 20 per cent of the luminosity of the Universe, and seems to be closely linked to star formation processes. The large uncertainty on this value is due to the ill-determined contribution from obscured accretion, namely the Type-II fraction. In Chapters 3 and 4 I address this issue from a theoretical standpoint in the X-ray regime and an observational standpoint in the optical regime respectively. In Chapter 3 I show how crude X-ray spectroscopy of partially obscured AGN can lead to catastrophic underestimations of the intrinsic X-ray luminosity of these sources. Acting over an entire population, these partial obscurers can produce an obscured AGN fraction which decreases as a function of observed luminosity. The results are consistent with observations in the X-ray vs. IR luminosity of AGN classes. In Chapter 4 I select a statistically significant sample of AGN from an unbiased 250μm galaxy sample. After spectroscopic classification I find the optical Type- II AGN fraction to be consistent across several decades in [OIII] luminosity, a common proxy for intrinsic AGN luminosity. I also investigate the relation of AGN activity to host galaxy mass, as well as star formation activity and star formation history. Probing the environments of protoclusters will help to constrain the models of structure formation in the Universe. Until now, no dataset has been big enough to probe the environments of high redshift radio galaxies at a statistical level; While many believe that the feedback processes of high luminosity radio jets will have a direct impact on star formation in the surrounding medium it has not been tested. In Chapter 2 I investigate this on an statistical level, finding no meaningful correlation between radio galaxy radio power and source overdensity in the vicinities of these sources. In Chapter 5 I discuss the reduction of a 24μm sample at redshift z ∼ 1 for direct comparison with a local 12μm sample. With only a fraction of the target sample being observed, no statistically significant results could be derived, but the objects are spectroscopically classified and spectroscopic redshifts are measured where possible. Correlations in the data set are investigated and the limitations of the sample selection strategy are discussed.