Optimizing the yield of Sunyaev-Zel'dovich cluster surveys

Abstract

We consider the optimum depth of a cluster survey selected using the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect. By using simple models for the evolution of the cluster mass function and detailed modeling for a variety of observational techniques, we show that the optimum survey yield is achieved when the average size of the clusters selected is close to the size of the telescope beam. For a total power measurement, we compute the optimum noise threshold per beam as a function of the beam size and then discuss how our results can be used in more general situations. As a by-product we gain some insight into what is the most advantageous instrumental set-up. In the case of beam switching observations one is not severely limited if one manages to set the noise threshold close to the point which corresponds to the optimum yield. By defining a particular reference configuration, we show how our results can be applied to interferometer observations. Considering a variety of alternative scenarios, we discuss how robust our conclusions are to modifications in the cluster model and cosmological parameters. The precise optimum is particularly sensitive to the amplitude of fluctuations and the profile of the gas in the cluster.

16 pages, 18 figures

References in corpus (25)

• First Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Determination of Cosmological Parameters
• Final Results from the Hubble Space Telescope Key Project to Measure the Hubble Constant
• Large scale bias and the peak background split
• Statistical Properties of X-ray Clusters: Analytic and Numerical Comparisons
• Mass function of dark matter halos
• Using the Evolution of Clusters to Constrain Omega
• Cluster Abundance Constraints on Quintessence Models
• The 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey: The power spectrum and the matter content of the universe
• Properties of the Intracluster Medium in an Ensemble of Nearby Galaxy Clusters
• Constraints on Cosmological Parameters from Future Galaxy Cluster Surveys
• Galaxy Clusters in Hubble Volume Simulations: Cosmological Constraints from Sky Survey Populations
• The Cluster Abundance in Flat and Open Cosmologies
• Parameter constraints for flat cosmologies from CMB and 2dFGRS power spectra
• Cosmological constraints from the X-ray gas mass fraction in relaxed lensing clusters observed with Chandra
• Constraints on Omega_m, Omega_L, and Sigma_8, from Galaxy Cluster Redshift Distributions
• Reionization Revisited: Secondary CMB Anisotropies and Polarization
• Power spectrum normalization from the local abundance of rich clusters of galaxies
• Constraining cosmological parameters using Sunyaev-Zel'dovich cluster surveys
• The Atacama Cosmology Telescope
• Joint CMB and Weak Lensing Analysis; Physically Motivated Constraints on Cosmological Parameters
• Constraining dark energy with Sunyaev-Zel'dovich cluster surveys
• Expectations For an Interferometric Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect Survey for Galaxy Clusters
• Surveying the Sky with the Arcminute MicroKelvin Imager: Expected Constraints on Galaxy Cluster Evolution and Cosmology
• All-sky component separation for the Planck mission
• Studying Dark Energy with Galaxy Cluster Surveys

Cited by in corpus (6)

• The imprints of primordial non-gaussianities on large-scale structure: scale dependent bias and abundance of virialized objects
• Accurate Realizations of the Ionized Gas in Galaxy Clusters: Calibrating Feedback
• Cosmology with the largest galaxy cluster surveys: Going beyond Fisher matrix forecasts
• Precision cosmology with a combination of wide and deep Sunyaev-Zeldovich cluster surveys
• Probing the cosmic microwave background temperature using the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect
• Using clusters in SZE + x-ray surveys as an ensemble of rulers to constrain cosmology