The XXL Survey VII: A supercluster of galaxies at z=0.43
  The XXL Survey is the largest homogeneous and contiguous survey carried out
with XMM-Newton. Covering an area of 50 square degrees distributed over two
fields, it primarily investigates the large-scale structures of the Universe
using the distribution of galaxy clusters and active galactic nuclei as tracers
of the matter distribution. Given its depth and sky coverage, XXL is
particularly suited to systematically unveiling the clustering of X-ray
clusters and to identifying superstructures in a homogeneous X-ray sample down
to the typical mass scale of a local massive cluster. A friends-of-friends
algorithm in three-dimensional physical space was run to identify large-scale
structures. In this paper we report the discovery of the highest redshift
supercluster of galaxies found in the XXL Survey. We describe the X-ray
properties of the clusters members of the structure and the optical follow-up.
The newly discovered supercluster is composed of six clusters of galaxies at a
median redshift z around 0.43 and distributed across approximately 30 by 15 arc
minutes (10 by 5 Mpc on sky) on the sky. This structure is very compact with
all the clusters residing in one XMM pointing; for this reason this is the
first supercluster discovered with the XXL Survey. Spectroscopic follow-up with
WHT (William Herschel Telescope) and NTT (New Technology Telescope) confirmed a
median redshift of z = 0.43. An estimate of the X-ray mass and luminosity of
this supercluster and of its total gas mass put XLSSC-e at the average mass
range of superclusters; its appearance, with two members of equal size, is
quite unusual with respect to other superclusters and provides a unique view of
the formation process of a massive structure.
