SUMMARY OF PROPOSAL 62157

DR. JOHN P. HUGHES
JPH@PHYSICS.RUTGERS.EDU

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
P.O. BOX 849
PISCATAWAY
NJ USA 08855
Tel: 732-445-0980 Fax: 732-445-4343
Medium: CD ROM
Subject: CLUSTERS OF GALAXIES AND SUPERCLUSTERS

ASCA AO6 OBSERVATIONS OF SUNYAEV-ZEL'DOVICH CLUSTERS


ABSTRACT

We propose ASCA observations of RXJ 1532.9+3021, a galaxy cluster that we have detected in the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect. This cluster was chosen as part of a sample in which selection effects that arise in determining the cosmic distance scale using SZ effect and X-ray data are tightly controlled. The ASCA data will provide information on the temperature of the intracluster hot gas that is essential for applying and testing the technique. The proposed observations, combined with ASCA data from earlier rounds, represent the first rigorous attempt to measure the selection effect biases in the SZ/X-ray distances, which must be understood before the distance-measuring techniques can be used with confidence.

CO-INVESTIGATORS
CO-I NAME INSTITUTE COUNTRY
MARK BIRKINSHAWSAOUSA
JOHN CARLSTROMUNIV. OF CHICAGOUSA
LAURA GREGOCAL TECHUSA
MARSHALL JOYNASA/MSFCUSA

TARGETS

TARGET NAMEPRIRADECTIMETCOFFGISSIS CNTOBS
1)RX J1532.9+3021
2
233.2250 30.3531 40 ksN
N
P
0.30000
1