arXiv subjects

Elena Pierpaoli

Publications and source records attributed to Elena Pierpaoli.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

Pairwise Transverse Velocity Measurement with the Rees-Sciama Effect

We introduce a new estimator for the mean pairwise velocities of galaxy clusters, which is based on the measurement of the clusters' $\textit{transverse}$ velocity components. The Rees-Sciama (RS) effect offers an opportunity to measure transverse peculiar velocities through its distinct dipolar signature around the halo centers in the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) temperature map. We exploit this dipolar structure to extract the magnitude and direction of the transverse velocity vectors from CMB maps simulated with the expected characteristics of future surveys like CMB-S4. Although in the presence of lensed CMB and instrumental noise individual velocities are not reliably reconstructed, we demonstrate that the mean pairwise velocity measurement obtained using the estimator yields a signal-to-noise ratio of $5.2$ for $\sim21,000$ halos with $M > 7\times10^{13}\rm M_\odot$ in a $40\times40$ [deg$^2$] patch at $z=0.5$. While the proposed estimator carries promising prospects for measuring pairwise velocities through the RS effect in CMB stage IV experiments, its applications extend to any other potential probe of transverse velocities.

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arXiv2017

Thermodynamic Profiles of Galaxy Clusters from a Joint X-ray/SZ Analysis

We jointly analyze Bolocam Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect and Chandra X-ray data for a set of 45 clusters to derive gas density and temperature profiles without using spectroscopic information. The sample spans the mass and redshift range $3 \times 10^{14} M_{\odot} \le M_{500} \le 25 \times 10^{14} M_{\odot}$ and $0.15\le z \le 0.89$. We define cool-core (CC) and non-cool core (NCC) subsamples based on the central X-ray luminosity, and 17/45 clusters are classified as CC. In general, the profiles derived from our analysis are found to be in good agreement with previous analyses, and profile constraints beyond $r_{500}$ are obtained for 34/45 clusters. In approximately 30% of the CC clusters our analysis shows a central temperature drop with a statistical significance of $>3σ$; this modest detection fraction is due mainly to a combination of coarse angular resolution and modest S/N in the SZ data. Most clusters are consistent with an isothermal profile at the largest radii near $r_{500}$, although 9/45 show a significant temperature decrease with increasing radius. The sample mean density profile is in good agreement with previous studies, and shows a minimum intrinsic scatter of approximately 10% near $0.5 \times r_{500}$. The sample mean temperature profile is consistent with isothermal, and has an intrinsic scatter of approximately 50% independent of radius. This scatter is significantly higher compared to earlier X-ray-only studies, which find intrinsic scatters near 10%, likely due to a combination of unaccounted for non-idealities in the SZ noise, projection effects, and sample selection.

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arXiv2017

Beyond the Boost: Measuring the intrinsic dipole of the CMB using the spectral distortions of the monopole and quadrupole

We present a general framework for accurate spectral modeling of the low multipoles of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) as observed in a boosted frame. In particular, we demonstrate how spectral measurements of the low multipoles can be used to separate the motion-induced dipole of the CMB from a possible intrinsic dipole component. In a moving frame, the leakage of an intrinsic dipole moment into the CMB monopole and quadrupole induces spectral distortions with distinct frequency functions that respectively peak at 337 GHz and 276 GHz. The leakage into the quadrupole moment also induces a geometrical distortion to the spatial morphology of this mode. The combination of these effects can be used to lift the degeneracy between the motion-induced dipole and any intrinsic dipole that the CMB might possess. Assuming the current peculiar velocity measurements, the leakage of an intrinsic dipole with an amplitude of $ΔT = 30μ$K into the monopole and quadrupole moments will be detectable by a PIXIE--like experiment at $\sim 40~$nK ($2.5σ$) and $\sim 130~$nK ($11σ$) level at their respective peak frequencies.

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arXiv2017

A Generalized Doppler and Aberration Kernel for Frequency-Dependent Cosmological Observables

We introduce a $\textit{frequency-dependent}$ Doppler and aberration transformation kernel for the harmonic multipoles of a general cosmological observable with spin weight $s$, Doppler weight $d$ and arbitrary frequency spectrum. In the context of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) studies, the frequency-dependent formalism allows to correct for the motion-induced aberration and Doppler effects on individual frequency maps with different masks. It also permits to deboost background radiations with non-blackbody frequency spectra, like extragalactic foregrounds and CMB spectra with primordial spectral distortions. The formalism can also be used to correct individual E and B polarization modes and account for motion-induced E/B mixing of polarized observables with $d\neq1$ at different frequencies. We apply the generalized aberration kernel on polarized and unpolarized CMB specific intensity at 100 and 217 GHz and show that the motion-induced effects typically increase with the frequency of observation. In all-sky CMB experiments, the frequency-dependence of the motion-induced effects for a blackbody spectrum are overall negligible. However in a cut-sky analysis, ignoring the frequency dependence can lead to percent level error in the polarized and unpolarized power spectra over all angular scales. In the specific cut-sky used in our analysis ($b > 45^\circ, f_\text{sky}\simeq14\%$), and for the dipole-inferred velocity $β=0.00123$ typically attributed to our peculiar motion, the Doppler and aberration effects can change polarized and unpolarized power spectra of specific intensity in the CMB rest frame by $1-2\%$, but we find the polarization cross-leakage between E and B modes to be negligible.

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arXiv2017

An Optical Catalog of Galaxy Clusters Obtained from an Adaptive Matched Filter Finder Applied to SDSS DR9 Data

We present a new galaxy cluster catalog constructed from SDSS DR9 using an Adaptive Matched Filter technique. Our main catalog has 46,479 galaxy clusters with richness $Λ_{200} > 20$ in the redshift range 0.045 $\le z <$ 0.641 in $\sim$11,500 $deg^{2}$ of the sky. Angular position, richness, core and virial radii and redshift estimates for these clusters, as well as their error analysis are provided. We also provide an extended version with a lower richness cut, containing 79,368 clusters. This version, in addition to the clusters in the main catalog, also contains those clusters (with richness $<20$) which have a one-to-one match in the DR8 catalog developed by Wen et al (WHL). We obtain probabilities for cluster membership for each galaxy and implement several procedures for the identification and removal of false cluster detections. We compare our catalog with other SDSS-based ones such as the redMaPPer (26,350 clusters) and the WHL (132,684 clusters) in the same area of the sky and in the overlapping redshift range. We match 97$\%$ of the richest Abell clusters, the same as WHL, while redMaPPer matches $\sim 90\%$ of these clusters. Considering AMF DR9 richness bins, redMaPPer consistently does not possess one-to-one matches for $\sim$20$\%$ AMF DR9 clusters with $Λ_{200}>40$, while WHL matches $\geq$70$\%$ of these missed clusters on average. We also match the AMF catalog with the X-ray cluster catalogs BAX, MCXC and a combined catalog from NORAS and REFLEX. We consistently obtain a greater number of one-to-one matches for X-ray clusters across higher luminosity bins ($L_x>6 \times 10^{44}$ ergs/sec) than redMaPPer while WHL matches the most clusters overall. For the most luminous clusters ($L_x>8$), our catalog performs equivalently to WHL. This new catalog provides a wider sample than redMaPPer while retaining many fewer objects than WHL.

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arXiv2016

Constraints on the Mass, Concentration, and Nonthermal Pressure Support of Six CLASH Clusters from a Joint Analysis of X-ray, SZ, and Lensing Data

We present a joint analysis of Chandra X-ray observations, Bolocam thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect observations, Hubble Space Telescope (HST) strong lensing data, and HST and Subaru Suprime-Cam weak lensing data. The multiwavelength dataset is used to constrain parametric models for the distribution of dark and baryonic matter in a sample of six massive galaxy clusters selected from the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH). For five of the six clusters, the multiwavelength dataset is well described by a relatively simple model that assumes spherical symmetry, hydrostatic equilibrium, and entirely thermal pressure support. The joint analysis yields considerably better constraints on the total mass and concentration of the cluster compared to analysis of any one dataset individually. The subsample of five galaxy clusters is used to place an upper limit on the fraction of pressure support in the intracluster medium (ICM) due to nonthermal processes, such as turbulence and bulk flow of the gas. We constrain the nonthermal pressure fraction at r500c to be less than 0.11 at 95 percent confidence. This is in tension with state-of-the-art hydrodynamical simulations, which predict a nonthermal pressure fraction of approximately 0.25 at r500c for clusters of similar mass and redshift. This tension may be explained by the sample selection and/or our assumption of spherical symmetry.

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arXiv2016

Kinetic Sunyaev Zeldovich effect in an anisotropic CMB model: measuring low multipoles of the CMB at higher redshifts using intensity and polarization spectral distortions

We present a novel mathematical formalism that allows to easily compute the expected kinetic Sunyaev Zeldovich (kSZ) signal in intensity and polarization due to an anisotropic primordial Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). We derive the expected intensity and polarization distortions in the direction of non-moving galaxy clusters and then we generalize our calculations for non-zero peculiar velocity. We show that, in the direction of moving clusters, low CMB multipoles impose intensity and polarization spectral distortions with different frequency dependences. The polarization signal primarily probes the quadrupole moment of the CMB, with a significant contribution from the primordial dipole and octupole moments. For a typical cluster velocity of 1000 km/s, corrections to the quadrupole-induced polarization of a non-moving cluster are of the order of 2-10% between 200-600 GHz, and depend on cluster's position on the sky, velocity magnitude and direction of motion. We also find that the angular dependence of the signal varies with frequency of observation. The distinct frequency and angular dependences of the polarization induced by the primordial dipole and octupole can be exploited to measure them despite other physical effects and foregrounds. Contrary to polarization, intensity distortions are affected by all the CMB multipoles, so they cannot be readily used to probe the low multipoles at higher redshifts. However, correlations between intensity and polarization signals, can be used to enhance the signal to noise ratio for the measurements of the primordial dipole, quadrupole and octupole. The more general calculation of the aberration kernel presented in this work has applications reaching beyond the SZ cluster science addressed here. For example, it can be exploited to the deboost/deaberrate CMB multipoles as observed in our local frame.

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arXiv2016

Science Impacts of the SPHEREx All-Sky Optical to Near-Infrared Spectral Survey: Report of a Community Workshop Examining Extragalactic, Galactic, Stellar and Planetary Science

SPHEREx is a proposed SMEX mission selected for Phase A. SPHEREx will carry out the first all-sky spectral survey and provide for every 6.2" pixel a spectra between 0.75 and 4.18 $μ$m [with R$\sim$41.4] and 4.18 and 5.00 $μ$m [with R$\sim$135]. The SPHEREx team has proposed three specific science investigations to be carried out with this unique data set: cosmic inflation, interstellar and circumstellar ices, and the extra-galactic background light. It is readily apparent, however, that many other questions in astrophysics and planetary sciences could be addressed with the SPHEREx data. The SPHEREx team convened a community workshop in February 2016, with the intent of enlisting the aid of a larger group of scientists in defining these questions. This paper summarizes the rich and varied menu of investigations that was laid out. It includes studies of the composition of main belt and Trojan/Greek asteroids; mapping the zodiacal light with unprecedented spatial and spectral resolution; identifying and studying very low-metallicity stars; improving stellar parameters in order to better characterize transiting exoplanets; studying aliphatic and aromatic carbon-bearing molecules in the interstellar medium; mapping star formation rates in nearby galaxies; determining the redshift of clusters of galaxies; identifying high redshift quasars over the full sky; and providing a NIR spectrum for most eROSITA X-ray sources. All of these investigations, and others not listed here, can be carried out with the nominal all-sky spectra to be produced by SPHEREx. In addition, the workshop defined enhanced data products and user tools which would facilitate some of these scientific studies. Finally, the workshop noted the high degrees of synergy between SPHEREx and a number of other current or forthcoming programs, including JWST, WFIRST, Euclid, GAIA, K2/Kepler, TESS, eROSITA and LSST.

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arXiv2016

A Comparison and Joint Analysis of Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect Measurements from Planck and Bolocam for a set of 47 Massive Galaxy Clusters

We measure the SZ signal toward a set of 47 clusters with a median mass of $9.5 \times 10^{14}$ M$_{\odot}$ and a median redshift of 0.40 using data from Planck and the ground-based Bolocam receiver. When Planck XMM-like masses are used to set the scale radius $θ_{\textrm{s}}$, we find consistency between the integrated SZ signal, $Y_{\textrm{5R500}}$, derived from Bolocam and Planck based on gNFW model fits using A10 shape parameters, with an average ratio of $1.069 \pm 0.030$ (allowing for the $\simeq 5$% Bolocam flux calibration uncertainty). We also perform a joint fit to the Bolocam and Planck data using a modified A10 model with the outer logarithmic slope $β$ allowed to vary, finding $β= 6.13 \pm 0.16 \pm 0.76$ (measurement error followed by intrinsic scatter). In addition, we find that the value of $β$ scales with mass and redshift according to $β\propto M^{0.077 \pm 0.026} \times (1+z)^{-0.06 \pm 0.09}$. This mass scaling is in good agreement with recent simulations. We do not observe the strong trend of $β$ with redshift seen in simulations, though we conclude that this is most likely due to our sample selection. Finally, we use Bolocam measurements of $Y_{500}$ to test the accuracy of the Planck completeness estimate. We find consistency, with the actual number of Planck detections falling approximately $1 σ$ below the expectation from Bolocam. We translate this small difference into a constraint on the the effective mass bias for the Planck cluster cosmology results, with $(1-b) = 0.93 \pm 0.06$.

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arXiv2016

Dark matter implications of the WMAP-Planck Haze

Gamma rays and microwave observations of the Galactic Center and surrounding areas indicate the presence of anomalous emission, whose origin remains ambiguous. The possibility of dark matter (DM) annihilation explaining both signals through prompt emission at gamma-rays and secondary emission at microwave frequencies from interactions of high-energy electrons produced in annihilation with the Galactic magnetic fields has attracted much interest in recent years. We investigate the DM interpretation of the Galactic Center gamma-ray excess by searching for the associated synchrotron in the WMAP-Planck data. Considering various magnetic field and cosmic-ray propagation models, we predict the synchrotron emission due to DM annihilation in our Galaxy, and compare it with the WMAP-Planck data at 23-70GHz. In addition to standard microwave foregrounds, we separately model the microwave counterpart to the Fermi Bubbles and the signal due to DM, and use component separation techniques to extract the signal associated with each template from the total emission. We confirm the presence of the Haze at the level of 7% of the total sky intensity at 23GHz in our chosen region of interest, with a harder spectrum $I \sim ν^{-0.8}$ than the synchrotron from regular cosmic-ray electrons. The data do not show a strong preference towards fitting the Haze by either the Bubbles or DM emission only. Inclusion of both components provides a better fit with a DM contribution to the Haze emission of 20% at 23GHz, however, due to significant uncertainties in foreground modeling, we do not consider this a clear detection of a DM signal. We set robust upper limits on the annihilation cross section by ignoring foregrounds, and also report best-fit DM annihilation parameters obtained from a complete template analysis. We conclude that the WMAP-Planck data are consistent with a DM interpretation of the gamma-ray excess.

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arXiv2013

A Measurement of the Kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Signal Toward MACS J0717.5+3745

We report our analysis of MACS J0717.5+3745 using 140 and 268 GHz Bolocam data collected at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory. We detect extended Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect signal at high significance in both Bolocam bands, and we employ Herschel-SPIRE observations to subtract the signal from dusty background galaxies in the 268 GHz data. We constrain the two-band SZ surface brightness toward two of the sub-clusters of MACS J0717.5+3745: the main sub-cluster (named C), and a sub-cluster identified in spectroscopic optical data to have a line-of-sight velocity of +3200 km/s (named B). We determine the surface brightness in two separate ways: via fits of parametric models and via direct integration of the images. For both sub-clusters, we find consistent surface brightnesses from both analysis methods. We constrain spectral templates consisting of relativistically corrected thermal and kinetic SZ signals, using a jointly-derived electron temperature from Chandra and XMM-Newton under the assumption that each sub-cluster is isothermal. The data show no evidence for a kinetic SZ signal toward sub-cluster C, but they do indicate a significant kinetic SZ signal toward sub-cluster B. The model-derived surface brightnesses for sub-cluster B yield a best-fit line-of-sight velocity of v_z = +3450 +- 900 km/s, with (1 - Prob[v_z > 0]) = 1.3 x 10^-5 (4.2 sigma away from 0 for a Gaussian distribution). The directly integrated sub-cluster B SZ surface brightnesses provide a best-fit v_z = +2550 +- 1050 km/s, with (1 - Prob[v_z > 0]) = 2.2 x 10^-3 (2.9 sigma).

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arXiv2013

Constraints on Neutrino Mass from Sunyaev--Zeldovich Cluster Surveys

The presence of massive neutrinos has a characteristic impact on the growth of large scale structures such as galaxy clusters. We forecast on the capability of the number count and power spectrum measured from the ongoing and future Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) cluster surveys, combined with cosmic microwave background (CMB) observation to constrain the total neutrino mass $\mnu$ in a flat $Λ$CDM cosmology. We adopt self-calibration for the mass-observable scaling relation, and evaluate constraints for the South Pole Telescope normal and with polarization (SPT, SPTPol), Planck, and Atacama Cosmology Telescope Polarization (ACTPol) surveys. We find that a sample of $\approx1000$ clusters obtained from the Planck cluster survey plus extra information from CMB lensing extraction could tighten the current upper bound on the sum of neutrino masses to $σ_{\mnu}=0.17$ eV at 68% C.L. Our analysis shows that cluster number counts and power spectrum provide complementary constraints and as a result they help reducing the error bars on $\mnu$ by a factor of 4-8 when both probes are combined. We also show that the main strength of cluster measurements in constraining $\mnu$ is when good control of cluster systematics is available. When applying a weak prior on the mass-observable relations, which can be at reach in the upcoming cluster surveys, we obtain $σ_{\mnu}=0.48$ eV using cluster only probes and, more interestingly, $σ_{\mnu}=0.08$ eV using cluster + CMB which corresponds to a $S/N\approx4$ detection for $\mnu\ge0.3$ eV. We analyze and discuss the degeneracies of $\mnu$ with other parameters and investigate the sensitivity of neutrino mass constraints with various surveys specifications.

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arXiv2013

Sunyaev-Zel'dovich-Measured Pressure Profiles from the Bolocam X-ray/SZ Galaxy Cluster Sample

We describe Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect measurements and analysis of the intracluster medium (ICM) pressure profiles of a set of 45 massive galaxy clusters imaged using Bolocam at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory. We have used masses determined from Chandra X-ray observations to scale each cluster's profile by the overdensity radius R500 and the mass-and-redshift-dependent normalization factor P500. We deproject the average pressure profile of our sample into 13 logarithmically spaced radial bins between 0.07R500 and 3.5R500. We find that a generalized Navarro, Frenk, and White (gNFW) profile describes our data with sufficient goodness-of-fit and best-fit parameters (C500, alpha, beta, gamma, P0 = 1.18, 0.86, 3.67, 0.67, 4.29). We also use the X-ray data to define cool-core and disturbed subsamples of clusters, and we constrain the average pressure profiles of each of these subsamples. We find that given the precision of our data the average pressure profiles of disturbed and cool-core clusters are consistent with one another at R>~0.15R500, with cool-core systems showing indications of higher pressure at R<~0.15R500. In addition, for the first time, we place simultaneous constraints on the mass scaling of cluster pressure profiles, their ensemble mean profile, and their radius-dependent intrinsic scatter between 0.1R500 and 2.0R500. The scatter among profiles is minimized at radii between ~0.2R500 and ~0.5R500, with a value of ~20%. The best-fit mass scaling has a power-law slope of 0.49, which is shallower than the nominal prediction of 2/3 from self-similar hydrostatic equilibrium models. These results for the intrinsic scatter and mass scaling are largely consistent with previous analyses, most of which have relied heavily on X-ray derived pressures of clusters at significantly lower masses and redshifts compared to our sample.

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arXiv2013

The Contribution of Radio Galaxy Contamination to Measurements of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Decrement in Massive Galaxy Clusters at 140 GHz with Bolocam

We describe in detail our characterization of the compact radio source population in 140 GHz Bolocam observations of a set of 45 massive galaxy clusters. We use a combination of 1.4 and 30 GHz data to select a total of 28 probable cluster-member radio galaxies and also to predict their 140 GHz flux densities. All of these galaxies are steep-spectrum radio sources and they are found preferentially in the cool-core clusters within our sample. In particular, 11 of the 12 brightest cluster member radio sources are associated with cool-core systems. Although none of the individual galaxies are robustly detected in the Bolocam data, the ensemble-average flux density at 140 GHz is consistent with, but slightly lower than, the extrapolation from lower frequencies assuming a constant spectral index. In addition, our data indicate an intrinsic scatter of 30 percent around the power-law extrapolated flux densities at 140 GHz, although our data do not tightly constrain this scatter. For our cluster sample, which is composed of high-mass and moderate-redshift systems, we find that the maximum fractional change in the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich signal integrated over any single cluster due to the presence of these radio sources is 20 percent, and only 1/4 of the clusters show a fractional change of more than 1 percent. The amount of contamination is strongly dependent on cluster morphology, and nearly all of the clusters with more than 1 percent contamination are cool-core systems. This result indicates that radio contamination is not significant compared to current noise levels in 140 GHz images of massive clusters and is in good agreement with the level of radio contamination found in previous results based on lower frequency data or simulations.

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arXiv2012

Constraints on Non-Gaussianity from Sunyaev--Zeldovich Cluster Surveys

We perform a Fisher matrix analysis to forecast the capability of ongoing and future Sunyaev-Zeldovich cluster surveys in constraining the deviations from Gaussian distribution of primordial density perturbations. We use the constraining power of the cluster number counts and clustering properties to forecast limits on the $\fnl$ parameter. The primordial non-Gaussianity effects on the mass function and halo bias are considered. We adopt self-calibration for the mass-observable scaling relation, and evaluate constraints for the SPT, Planck, CCAT--like, SPTPol and ACTPol surveys. We show that the scale-dependence of halo bias induced by the local NG provides strong constraints on $\fnl$, while the results from number count are two orders of magnitude worse. When combining information from number counts and power spectrum, the \planck\ cluster catalog provides the tightest constraint with $σ_{\fnl}=7$ (68% C.L.) even for relatively conservative assumptions on the expected cluster yields and systematics. This value is a factor of 2 smaller than the $1σ$ error as measured by WMAP CMB measurements, and comparable to what expected from Planck. We find that the results are mildly sensitive to the mass threshold of the surveys, but strongly depend on the survey coverage: a full-sky survey like Planck is more favorable because it can probe longer wavelengths modes which are most sensitive to NG effects. In addition, the constraints are largely insensitive to priors on nuisance parameters as they are mainly driven by the power spectrum probe which has a mild dependence on the mass-observable relations.

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arXiv2012

X-ray, lensing and Sunyaev Zel'dovich triaxial analysis of Abell 1835 out to R_{200}

Measuring the intrinsic shape and orientation of dark matter (DM) and intracluster (IC) gas in galaxy clusters is crucial to constraining their formation and evolution, and for enhancing the use of clusters as more precise cosmological probes. Extending our previous works, we present for the first time results from a triaxial joint analysis of the galaxy cluster Abell 1835, by means of X-ray, strong lensing (SL) and Sunyaev Zel'dovich (SZ) data. We parametrically reconstruct the full three-dimensional structure (triaxial shape and principal axis orientation) of both the DM and the IC gas, and the level of non-thermal pressure of the IC gas. We find that the intermediate-major and minor-major axis ratios of the DM are 0.71+/-0.08 and 0.59+/-0.05, respectively, and the major axis of the DM halo is inclined with respect to the line of sight at 18.3+/-5.2 deg. We present the first observational measurement of the non-thermal pressure out to R_{200}, which has been evaluated to be a few percent of the total energy budget in the internal regions, while reaching approximately 20% in the outer volumes. We discuss the implications of our method for the viability of the CDM scenario, focusing on the concentration parameter C and the inner slope of the DM gamma in order to test the cold dark matter (CDM) paradigm for structure formation: we measure gamma=1.01+/-0.06 and C=4.32+/-0.44, values which are close to the predictions of the CDM model. The combination of X-ray/SL data at high spatial resolution, capable of resolving the cluster core, with the SZ data, which are more sensitive to the cluster outer volume, allows us to characterize the level and the gradient of the gas entropy distribution and non-thermal pressure out to R_{200}, breaking the degeneracy among the physical models describing the thermal history of the ICM.

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arXiv2011

Constraints on Modified Gravity from Sunyaev-Zeldovich Cluster Surveys

We investigate the constraining power of current and future Sunyaev-Zeldovich cluster surveys on the f(R) gravity model. We use a Fisher matrix approach, adopt self-calibration for the mass- observable scaling relation, and evaluate constraints for the SPT, Planck, SPTPol and ACTPol surveys. The modified gravity effects on the mass function, halo bias, matter power spectrum, and mass-observable relation are taken into account. We show that, relying on number counts only, the Planck cluster catalog is expected to reduce current upper limits by about a factor of four, to σfR0 = 3 {\times} 10-5 (68% confidence level). Adding the cluster power spectrum further improves the constraints to σfR0 = 10-5 for SPT and Planck, and σfR0 = 3 {\times} 10-6 for SPTPol, pushing cluster constraints significantly beyond the limit where number counts have no constraining power due to the chameleon screening mechanism. Further, the combination of both observables breaks degeneracies, especially with the expansion history (effective dark energy density and equation of state). The constraints are only mildly worsened by the use of self-calibration but depend strongly on the mass threshold of the cluster samples.

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arXiv2011

Impacts of Dark Stars on Reionization and Signatures in the Cosmic Microwave Background

We perform a detailed and systematic investigation of the possible impacts of dark stars upon the reionization history of the Universe, and its signatures in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). We compute hydrogen reionization histories, CMB optical depths and anisotropy power spectra for a range of stellar populations including dark stars. If dark stars capture large amounts of dark matter via nuclear scattering, reionization can be substantially delayed, leading to decreases in the integrated optical depth to last scattering and large-scale power in the EE polarization power spectrum. Using the integrated optical depth observed by WMAP7, in our canonical reionization model we rule out the section of parameter space where dark stars with high scattering-induced capture rates tie up more than ~90% of all the first star-forming baryons, and live for over ~250 Myr. When nuclear scattering delivers only moderate amounts of dark matter, reionization can instead be sped up slightly, modestly increasing the CMB optical depth. If dark stars do not obtain any dark matter via nuclear scattering, effects upon reionization and the CMB are negligible. The effects of dark stars upon reionization and its CMB markers can be largely mimicked or compensated for by changes in the existing parameters of reionization models, making dark stars difficult to disentangle from astrophysical uncertainties, but also widening the range of standard parameters in reionization models that can be made consistent with observations.

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