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Neutrino constraints from clusters of galaxies and other probes
Costanzi Alunno Cerbolini, Matteo
2015-04-14
Abstract
This Ph.D Thesis is devoted to the derivation of cosmological constraints by using different probes of the large scale structure, with focus on massive neutrino constraints from galaxy clusters surveys.
After having introduced the general theory of cosmic structure formation and the probes used for this Thesis work, I present a study on the effects that an improved calibration of the halo mass function for cosmology with massive neutrinos has on theoretical predictions of cluster number counts and on cosmological parameter inference from cluster samples.
These results are particularly relevant in light of the recently highlighted tension between the Planck
measurements of the primary CMB temperature anisotropies and measurements of the current expansion rate and low-redshift growth of structure from low-redshift Universe probes. Indeed, beside unresolved systematic effects massive neutrinos can offer a possible means to relieve this tension. In this Thesis I present a detailed analysis of the cosmological constraints derived from the joint analysis of different CMB datasets with low-redshift probes of the LSS. I derived constraints on neutrino properties, either active or sterile, combining WMAP 9-year or Planck CMB data with several probes of the local Universe: BOSS DR11 BAO scale and CFTHLenS shear measurements, SDSS-II Ly-α forest constraints and cluster mass function from Chandra observations (CCCP cluster catalogue).
Finally, I present results for a forecast analysis aimed at exploring the cosmological information contained in the cluster catalogue that will be provided by the photometric redshift survey of ESA's Euclid mission, which has been approved for lunch in 2020.
The results found in this work highlight the potential that a large optical/near-IR cluster survey, like that to be carried out by Euclid, could have in constraining neutrino properties and emphasize the key relevance of a robust calibration of the observable-mass relation in order to fully exploit the cosmological information carried by such survey.
Publisher
Università degli studi di Trieste
Languages
en
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