Constraints on the Optical Depth of Galaxy Groups and Clusters
Future data from galaxy redshift surveys, combined with high-resolutions maps of the cosmic microwave background, will enable measurements of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (kSZ) signal with unprecedented statistical significance. This signal probes the matter-velocity correlation fu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en_US |
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IOP Publishing
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/109599 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5226-8349 |
| _version_ | 1826209508654841856 |
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| author | Flender, Samuel Nagai, Daisuke McDonald, Michael A. |
| author2 | MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research |
| author_facet | MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research Flender, Samuel Nagai, Daisuke McDonald, Michael A. |
| author_sort | Flender, Samuel |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Future data from galaxy redshift surveys, combined with high-resolutions maps of the cosmic microwave background, will enable measurements of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (kSZ) signal with unprecedented statistical significance. This signal probes the matter-velocity correlation function, scaled by the average optical depth (τ) of the galaxy groups and clusters in the sample, and is thus of fundamental importance for cosmology. However, in order to translate pairwise kSZ measurements into cosmological constraints, external constraints on τ are necessary. In this work, we present a new model for the intracluster medium, which takes into account star formation, feedback, non-thermal pressure, and gas cooling. Our semi-analytic model is computationally efficient and can reproduce results of recent hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy cluster formation. We calibrate the free parameters in the model using recent X-ray measurements of gas density profiles of clusters, and gas masses of groups and clusters. Our observationally calibrated model predicts the average τ₅₀₀ (i.e., the integrated τ within a disk of size R ₅₀₀) to better than 6% modeling uncertainty (at 95% confidence level). If the remaining uncertainties associated with other astrophysical uncertainties and X-ray selection effects can be better understood, our model for the optical depth should break the degeneracy between optical depth and cluster velocity in the analysis of future pairwise kSZ measurements and improve cosmological constraints with the combination of upcoming galaxy and CMB surveys, including the nature of dark energy, modified gravity, and neutrino mass. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T14:23:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/109599 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | en_US |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T14:23:54Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
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| spelling | mit-1721.1/1095992022-10-01T21:03:58Z Constraints on the Optical Depth of Galaxy Groups and Clusters Flender, Samuel Nagai, Daisuke McDonald, Michael A. MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research McDonald, Michael A. Future data from galaxy redshift surveys, combined with high-resolutions maps of the cosmic microwave background, will enable measurements of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (kSZ) signal with unprecedented statistical significance. This signal probes the matter-velocity correlation function, scaled by the average optical depth (τ) of the galaxy groups and clusters in the sample, and is thus of fundamental importance for cosmology. However, in order to translate pairwise kSZ measurements into cosmological constraints, external constraints on τ are necessary. In this work, we present a new model for the intracluster medium, which takes into account star formation, feedback, non-thermal pressure, and gas cooling. Our semi-analytic model is computationally efficient and can reproduce results of recent hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy cluster formation. We calibrate the free parameters in the model using recent X-ray measurements of gas density profiles of clusters, and gas masses of groups and clusters. Our observationally calibrated model predicts the average τ₅₀₀ (i.e., the integrated τ within a disk of size R ₅₀₀) to better than 6% modeling uncertainty (at 95% confidence level). If the remaining uncertainties associated with other astrophysical uncertainties and X-ray selection effects can be better understood, our model for the optical depth should break the degeneracy between optical depth and cluster velocity in the analysis of future pairwise kSZ measurements and improve cosmological constraints with the combination of upcoming galaxy and CMB surveys, including the nature of dark energy, modified gravity, and neutrino mass. National Science Foundation (U.S.) (AST-1412768) United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (GO4-15122A) United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (contract GO5-16141X) 2017-06-05T17:57:20Z 2017-06-05T17:57:20Z 2017-03 2017-02 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 1538-4357 0004-637X http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/109599 Flender, Samuel; Nagai, Daisuke and McDonald, Michael. “Constraints on the Optical Depth of Galaxy Groups and Clusters.” The Astrophysical Journal 837, no. 2 (March 2017): 124 © 2017 The American Astronomical Society https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5226-8349 en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aa60bf Astrophysical Journal Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf IOP Publishing IOP Publishing |
| spellingShingle | Flender, Samuel Nagai, Daisuke McDonald, Michael A. Constraints on the Optical Depth of Galaxy Groups and Clusters |
| title | Constraints on the Optical Depth of Galaxy Groups and Clusters |
| title_full | Constraints on the Optical Depth of Galaxy Groups and Clusters |
| title_fullStr | Constraints on the Optical Depth of Galaxy Groups and Clusters |
| title_full_unstemmed | Constraints on the Optical Depth of Galaxy Groups and Clusters |
| title_short | Constraints on the Optical Depth of Galaxy Groups and Clusters |
| title_sort | constraints on the optical depth of galaxy groups and clusters |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/109599 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5226-8349 |
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