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 determining two fundamental properties of the universe: the mass-density of the universe, and the distribution of dark matter. I show that several independent methods utilizing clusters of galaxies - cluster dynamics and the mass-to-light function, baryon fraction in clusters, and cluster abundance and its evolution - all indicate the same result: a universe with a low mass-density, ∼20% of the critical density needed to halt the universal expansion, and a mass distribution that approximately traces light on large scales.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 16-20 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Nuclear Physics B - Proceedings Supplements |
Volume | 138 |
Issue number | 1-3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 2005 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Nuclear and High Energy Physics