Oral Presentation

Galaxy Cluster Scaling Relations for Cosmology

Nicole Czakon (ASIAA), Jack Sayers (Caltech), Adam Mantz(Kavli U. Chicago), Sunil Golwala (Caltech), Patrick Koch (ASIAA), Kai-Yan Lin (ASIAA), Sandor M. Molnar (NTU), Seth Siegel(Caltech), Keiichi Umetsu (ASIAA)

While gravitational lensing is believed to provide the most accurate galaxy cluster mass estimates, it is a technique limited to the more local universe. To extend measurements of the galaxy cluster mass function out to higher redshifts, we need to invoke baryonic-mass scaling relations calibrated at lower redshifts. I will report on our measurements of the scaling relation between the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect and X-ray-estimated masses of galaxy clusters. I will demonstrate that these results are sensitive to our choice commonly used cluster mass estimation in this field of study. This is currently an active area of research and I will present what I consider to be the most likely path to the most accurate scaling relations possible.