Physics
Scientific paper
Jul 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009hst..prop12253c&link_type=abstract
HST Proposal ID #12253. Cycle 18
Physics
Scientific paper
We propose to study the physical nature of dark matter by using massive, merging clusters of galaxies. As shown with the Bullet Cluster {1E0657-56}, such massive well-measured systems are critical for our understanding of dark matter. By more than doubling the number of clusters in the sample and obtaining systems at different observation angles, impact parameters, geometrical arrangements, and merger velocities, the systematic uncertainties in the dark matter cross section calculations can be improved substantially, allowing us to move from rough order of magnitude estimates to measurements with quantifiable uncertainties that can be compared usefully with the predictions from numerical simulations, and the constraints on alternate gravity models become unambiguous. Our proposed targets are three extraordinary, merging galaxy clusters with X-ray and optical offsets that are placed at ideal redshifts for such a study; A520, A1758N, and A2163. To pin down the position of the dark matter component we require high resolution, absolutely calibrated mass maps. High resolution gravitational lensing data is needed to attain this goal, which can only be achieved with the excellent resolving power of the HST.;
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