The XMM-Newton EPIC background and the production of background blank sky event files

Aims. We describe in detail the nature of XMM- Newton EPIC background and its various complex components, summarising the new findings of the XMM- Newton EPIC background working group, and provide XMM- Newton background blank sky event files for use in the data analysis of diffuse and extended sources. Methods. Blank sky event file data sets are produced from the stacking of data, taken from 189 observations resulting from the Second XMM- Newton Serendipitous Source Catalogue ( 2XMMp) reprocessing. The data underwent several filtering steps, using a revised and improved method over previous work, which we describe in detail. Results. We investigate several properties of the final blank sky data sets. The user is directed to the location of the final data sets. There is a final data set for each EPIC instrument-filter-mode combination.