Constraints on modified gravity from the observed X-ray luminosity function of galaxy clusters

Abstract

We use measurements of the growth of cosmic structure, as inferred from the observed evolution of the X-ray luminosity function (XLF) of galaxy clusters, to constrain departures from General Relativity (GR) on cosmological scales. We employ the popular growth rate parameterization, Omega_m(z)^gamma, for which GR predicts a growth index gamma~0.55. We use observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB), type Ia supernovae (SNIa), and X-ray cluster gas-mass fractions (fgas), to simultaneously constrain the expansion history and energy content of the Universe, as described by the background model parameters: Omega_m, w, and Omega_k, i.e., the mean matter density, the dark energy equation of state parameter, and the mean curvature, respectively. Using conservative allowances for systematic uncertainties, in particular for the evolution of the mass-luminosity scaling relation in the XLF analysis, we find gamma=0.51+0.16-0.15 and Omega_m=0.27+-0.02 (68.3 per cent confidence limits), for a flat cosmological constant (LCDM) background model. Allowing w to be a free parameter, we find gamma=0.44+0.17-0.15. Relaxing the flatness prior in the LCDM model, we obtain gamma=0.51+0.19-0.16. When in addition to the XLF data we use the CMB data to constrain gamma through the ISW effect, we obtain a combined constraint of gamma=0.45+0.14-0.12 for the flat LCDM model. Our analysis provides the tightest constraints to date on the growth index. We find no evidence for departures from General Relativity on cosmological scales.