Contents of: VI/111/./abstract/GSERRA_SZCLUST.abs

The following document lists the file abstract/GSERRA_SZCLUST.abs from catalogue VI/111.
A plain copy of the file (without headers/trailers) may be downloaded.


Zel'dovich and Sunyaev (1969, Sov Astron Let 6:387) predicted that the Cosmic
Microwave Background at 2.7 K could be distorded when passing through the
hot gas contained in galaxy clusters. The effect is potentially a very
powerfull tool of observational cosmology and many attemps have been made
to detect the effect (SZ effect). A few clusters have now been detected at
centimeter and millimeter wavelengths (negative effect). A large fraction of
these have been detected only  recently, using bolometers arrays operated in
the atmospheric windows with the CSO antenna (Lange et al. 1994 preprint). The
PRONAOS-SPM balloon borne subm telescope, will aim at detecting the positive
part of the distortion around 800 mu. This will allow to measure the peculiar
velocities of clusters and help determine important cosmological parameters
such as the Hubble constant.

However, in this wavelength range, emission from the galaxies in the cluster
are expected to be comparable or larger than the cosmological signal, and
may mimic the SZ effect. Individual galaxies contributing significantly must
therefore be identified, and their Submm flux be measured with sufficient
accuracy to allow a precise subtraction. Due to its wide wavelength coverage
and imaging capabilites, ISO will offer a unique opportunity to make these
measurements toward clusters for which detection of the positive part is
foreseen in the near future. We propose to observe several clusters with PHOT
(90 and 180 um) and CAM (15 um). The data will allow to determine the galaxies
emission and their distribution in the cluster, which are required to
estimate their contribution in the SZ beam.

The targets are gathered in 2 priority groups. In the 1st priority group are
clusters for which a detection of the negative effect has been reported, and
the measurement of the positive effect is scheduled. The second group
consists in clusters selected as good candidates for trying a
detection, on the basis of their X ray emitting properties.