A high-frequency study of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect morphology in galaxy clusters

TL;DR

High-frequency, high-resolution imaging of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect reveals significant morphological differences in galaxy clusters due to relativistic corrections, enabling detailed study of cluster atmospheres.

Contribution

This study demonstrates the impact of relativistic corrections on SZ effect morphology at multiple frequencies using simulated and real galaxy clusters.

Findings

SZ intensity maps differ significantly between 345 GHz and 857 GHz due to relativistic effects.

High-resolution imaging can reveal these morphological differences.

Relativistic corrections are crucial for interpreting SZ observations in merging galaxy clusters.

Abstract

High-frequency, high-resolution imaging of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect is an important technique to study the complex structures of the atmospheres of merging galaxy clusters. Such observations are sensitive to the details of the electron spectrum. We show that the morphology of the SZ intensity maps in simulated galaxy clusters observed at 345 GHz, 600 GHz, and 857 GHz are significantly different because of SZ relativistic corrections. These differences can be revealed by high-resolution imaging instruments. We calculate relativistically corrected SZ intensity maps of a simulated, massive, merging galaxy cluster and of the massive, merging clusters 1E0657-558 (the Bullet Cluster) and Abell 2219. The morphologies of the SZ intensity maps are remarkably different between 345 GHz and 857 GHz for each merging cluster. We show that high-resolution imaging observations of the SZ intensity maps at these frequencies, obtainable with the LABOCA and HERSCHEL-SPIRE instruments, allow to fully exploit the astrophysical relevance of the predicted SZ morphological effect.