Systematic errors in Sunyaev-Zeldovich surveys of galaxy cluster velocities
Journal Article
·
· Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, 3941 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 (United States)
Galaxy cluster surveys compiled via the Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect have the potential to place strong constraints on cosmology, and in particular the nature of dark energy. Here we consider cluster velocity surveys using kinetic Sunyaev-Zeldovich measurements. Cluster velocities closely trace the large-scale velocity field independent of cluster mass; we demonstrate that two useful cluster velocity statistics are nearly independent of cluster mass, in marked contrast to cluster number count statistics. On the other hand, cluster velocity determinations from three-band observations of Sunyaev-Zeldovich distortions can require additional cluster data or assumptions, and are complicated by microwave emission from dusty galaxies and radio sources, which may be correlated with clusters. Systematic errors in velocity due to these factors can give substantial biases in determination of dark energy parameters, although large cluster velocity surveys will contain enough information that the errors can be modeled using the data set itself, with little degradation in cosmological constraints.
- OSTI ID:
- 22156722
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics Journal Issue: 08 Vol. 2008; ISSN 1475-7516
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English