Abstract
Rich clusters of galaxies, the largest virialized systems known, place some of the most powerful constraints on cosmology. I discuss below the use of clusters of galaxies in addressing two fundamental questions: What is the mass-density of the universe? and how is the mass distributed? I show that several independent methods utilizing clusters of galaxies - cluster dynamics and mass-to-light ratio, baryon fractions in clusters, and cluster evolution -all indicate the same robust result: the mass-density of the universe is low, Ωm ≃ 0.2, and the mass approximately traces light on large scales.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 32-36 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Physica Scripta T |
Volume | 85 |
State | Published - 2000 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Mathematical Physics
- Condensed Matter Physics
- General Physics and Astronomy