Particle Physics Seminar

"Weighing the Giants: Anchoring Cluster Cosmology"

Presented by Adam Mantz, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Thursday, February 18, 2016, 3:00 pm — Small Seminar Room, Bldg. 510

The gas mass fractions and the distribution in mass and redshift of the galaxy cluster population provide powerful probes of cosmology, constraining the cosmic matter density, the amplitude of the matter power spectrum, properties of dark energy, and the mass of neutrinos, among other parameters. Historically, these tests have been limited by the absolute accuracy of cluster mass determinations. Here, mass measurements from weak lensing have an advantage over estimates based on observations of the intracluster medium (ICM), because the former are nearly unbiased and can be straightforwardly tested against simulations. I will describe recent cosmological constraints obtained from an analysis of X-ray selected cluster samples, incorporating extensive gravitational lensing data from the Weighing the Giants project — the first cluster cosmology study to consistently integrate a lensing mass calibration, including a rigorous quantification of all systematic uncertainties. The results highlight the power and potential of galaxy clusters, which constrain both the expansion of the Universe and the growth of cosmic structure, and their complementarity with other probes such as type Ia supernovae, large-scale galaxy surveys, and the cosmic microwave background.

Hosted by: Erin Sheldon

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