arXiv subjects

Luca Di Mascolo

Publications and source records attributed to Luca Di Mascolo.

42 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

Astrophysics with the Spatially and Spectrally Resolved Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effects: A Millimetre/Submillimetre Probe of the Warm and Hot Universe

In recent years, observations of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect have had significant cosmological implications and have begun to serve as a powerful and independent probe of the warm and hot gas that pervades the Universe. As a few pioneering studies have already shown, SZ observations both complement X-ray observations -- the traditional tool for studying the intra-cluster medium -- and bring unique capabilities for probing astrophysical processes at high redshifts and out to the low-density regions in the outskirts of galaxy clusters. Advances in SZ observations have largely been driven by developments in centimetre-, millimetre-, and submillimetre-wave instrumentation on ground-based facilities, with notable exceptions including results from the Planck satellite. Here we review the utility of the thermal, kinematic, relativistic, non-thermal, and polarised SZ effects for studies of galaxy clusters and other large scale structures, incorporating the many advances over the past two decades that have impacted SZ theory, simulations, and observations. We also discuss observational results, techniques, and challenges, and aim to give an overview and perspective on emerging opportunities, with the goal of highlighting some of the exciting new directions in this field.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2019

An ALMA+ACA measurement of the shock in the Bullet Cluster

The thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect presents a relatively new tool for characterizing galaxy cluster merger shocks, traditionally studied through X-ray observations. Widely regarded as the "textbook example" of a cluster merger bow shock, the western shock front in the Bullet Cluster (1E0657-56) represents the ideal test case for such an SZ study. We aim to reconstruct a parametric model for the shock SZ signal by directly and jointly fitting deep, high-resolution interferometric data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and Atacama Compact Array (ACA) in Fourier space. The ALMA+ACA data are primarily sensitive to the electron pressure difference across the shock front. To estimate the shock Mach number $M$, this difference can be combined with the value for the upstream electron pressure derived from an independent Chandra X-ray analysis. In the case of instantaneous electron-ion temperature equilibration, we find $M=2.08^{+0.12}_{-0.12}$, in $\approx 2.4σ$ tension with the independent constraint from Chandra, $M_X=2.74\pm0.25$. The assumption of purely adiabatic electron temperature change across the shock leads to $M=2.53^{+0.33}_{-0.25}$, in better agreement with the X-ray estimate $M_X=2.57\pm0.23$ derived for the same heating scenario. We have demonstrated that interferometric observations of the SZ effect provide constraints on the properties of the shock in the Bullet Cluster that are highly complementary to X-ray observations. The combination of X-ray and SZ data yields a powerful probe of the shock properties, capable of measuring $M$ and addressing the question of electron-ion equilibration in cluster shocks. Our analysis is however limited by systematics related to the overall cluster geometry and the complexity of the post-shock gas distribution. To overcome these limitations, a joint analysis of SZ and X-ray data is needed.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2019

CMB-HD: An Ultra-Deep, High-Resolution Millimeter-Wave Survey Over Half the Sky

A millimeter-wave survey over half the sky, that spans frequencies in the range of 30 to 350 GHz, and that is both an order of magnitude deeper and of higher-resolution than currently funded surveys would yield an enormous gain in understanding of both fundamental physics and astrophysics. By providing such a deep, high-resolution millimeter-wave survey (about 0.5 uK-arcmin noise and 15 arcsecond resolution at 150 GHz), CMB-HD will enable major advances. It will allow 1) the use of gravitational lensing of the primordial microwave background to map the distribution of matter on small scales (k~10/hMpc), which probes dark matter particle properties. It will also allow 2) measurements of the thermal and kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effects on small scales to map the gas density and gas pressure profiles of halos over a wide field, which probes galaxy evolution and cluster astrophysics. In addition, CMB-HD would allow us to cross critical thresholds in fundamental physics: 3) ruling out or detecting any new, light (< 0.1eV), thermal particles, which could potentially be the dark matter, and 4) testing a wide class of multi-field models that could explain an epoch of inflation in the early Universe. Such a survey would also 5) monitor the transient sky by mapping the full observing region every few days, which opens a new window on gamma-ray bursts, novae, fast radio bursts, and variable active galactic nuclei. Moreover, CMB-HD would 6) provide a census of planets, dwarf planets, and asteroids in the outer Solar System, and 7) enable the detection of exo-Oort clouds around other solar systems, shedding light on planet formation. CMB-HD will deliver this survey in 5 years of observing half the sky, using two new 30-meter-class off-axis cross-Dragone telescopes to be located at Cerro Toco in the Atacama Desert. The telescopes will field about 2.4 million detectors (600,000 pixels) in total.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2019

A joint ALMA-Bolocam-Planck SZ study of the pressure distribution in RX J1347.5-1145

We report the joint analysis of single-dish and interferometric observations of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect from the galaxy cluster RX J1347.5-1145. We have developed a parametric fitting procedure that uses native imaging and visibility data, and tested it using the rich data sets from ALMA, Bolocam, and Planck available for this object. RX J1347.5-1145 is a very hot and luminous cluster showing signatures of a merger. Previous X-ray-motivated SZ studies have highlighted the presence of an excess SZ signal south-east of the X-ray peak, which was generally interpreted as a strong, shock-induced pressure perturbation. Our model, when centred at the X-ray peak, confirms this. However, the presence of two almost equally bright giant elliptical galaxies separated by $\sim100\;{\rm kpc}$ makes the choice of the cluster centre ambiguous, and allows for considerable freedom in modelling the structure of the galaxy cluster. For instance, we have shown that the SZ signal can be well-described by a single smooth ellipsoidal generalized Navarro-Frenk-White profile, where the best-fitting centroid is located between the two brightest cluster galaxies. This leads to a considerably weaker excess SZ signal from the south-eastern substructure. Further, the most prominent features seen in the X-ray can be explained as predominantly isobaric structures, alleviating the need for highly supersonic velocities, although overpressurized regions associated with the moving subhaloes are still present in our model.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2019

Science from an Ultra-Deep, High-Resolution Millimeter-Wave Survey

Opening up a new window of millimeter-wave observations that span frequency bands in the range of 30 to 500 GHz, survey half the sky, and are both an order of magnitude deeper (about 0.5 uK-arcmin) and of higher-resolution (about 10 arcseconds) than currently funded surveys would yield an enormous gain in understanding of both fundamental physics and astrophysics. In particular, such a survey would allow for major advances in measuring the distribution of dark matter and gas on small-scales, and yield needed insight on 1.) dark matter particle properties, 2.) the evolution of gas and galaxies, 3.) new light particle species, 4.) the epoch of inflation, and 5.) the census of bodies orbiting in the outer Solar System.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2019

A High-resolution SZ View of the Warm-Hot Universe

The Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect was first predicted nearly five decades ago, but has only recently become a mature tool for performing high resolution studies of the warm and hot ionized gas in and between galaxies, groups, and clusters. Galaxy groups and clusters are powerful probes of cosmology, and they also serve as hosts for roughly half of the galaxies in the Universe. In this white paper, we outline the advances in our understanding of thermodynamic and kinematic properties of the warm-hot universe that can come in the next decade through spatially and spectrally resolved measurements of the SZ effects. Many of these advances will be enabled through new/upcoming millimeter/submillimeter (mm/submm) instrumentation on existing facilities, but truly transformative advances will require construction of new facilities with larger fields of view and broad spectral coverage of the mm/submm bands.

astro-ph.CO↗