Studies of Supersoft X-ray Sources (SSS) and Quasisoft X-ray Sources (QSS) in the Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds

Quasisoft X-ray sources (QSSs) are luminous (L > 10³⁶ erg s^-1, kT between 120eV and 350eV) X-ray sources emitting few or no photons at energy above 2 keV yet clearly emitting at above 1.1 keV. While their spectra are harder than luminous supersoft X-ray sources (SSSs), which have characteristic temperatures of tens of eV, QSSs are significantly softer than most canonical X-ray sources. They have been identified in elliptical galaxies, spiral galaxies (in both spiral arms and halos), and globular clusters. We report here on the progress of a comprehensive and systematic search of SSSs and QSSs in the Milky Way and in the Magellanic Clouds using archival X-ray data. Our focus is to conduct an optimized search to identify all candidates in order to differentiate between the different natures of SSSs and QSSs. The candidates collected would be checked for counterparts in other wavelengths, which could possibly help us to determine the fundamental nature of these sources, including the properties, if present, of the accretors and the accretion disks. This work is supported by a Hong Kong SAR Research Grants Council General Research Fund and by a NASA ADP grant.