Constraining LLTB models with galaxy cluster counts from next generation surveys

TL;DR

This paper forecasts how future galaxy cluster surveys can test the cosmological principle by constraining inhomogeneous LTB models, showing significant improvements over previous methods in detecting possible large-scale inhomogeneities.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach using galaxy cluster counts to test large-scale inhomogeneity and provides forecast constraints on LTB models with upcoming surveys.

Findings

Future surveys can improve constraints on inhomogeneity by 50%

Galaxy cluster counts are sensitive probes of large-scale inhomogeneity

Next-generation surveys will tightly test the cosmological principle

Abstract

The Universe's assumed homogeneity and isotropy is known as the cosmological principle. It is one of the assumptions that lead to the Friedmann-Lema\^{\i}tre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) metric and it is a cornerstone of modern cosmology, because the metric plays a crucial role into the determination of the cosmological observables. Thus, it is of paramount importance to question this principle and perform observational tests that may falsify this hypothesis. Here we explore the use of galaxy cluster counts as a probe of a large-scale inhomogeneity, which is a novel approach for the study of inhomogeneous models, and to determine the precision with which future galaxy cluster surveys will be able to test the cosmological principle. We present forecast constraints on the inhomogeneous Lema\^{\i}tre-Tolman-Bondi (LTB) model with a cosmological constant and cold dark matter, from a combination of simulated data according to a compilation of `Stage-IV' galaxy surveys following a methodology that involves the use of a mass function correction from numerical $N$-body simulations of an LTB cosmology. When considering the \lcdm fiducial model as a baseline for constructing our mock catalogs, we find that our combination of the forthcoming cluster surveys, will improve the constraints on the cosmological principle parameters as well on the FLRW parameters by about $50\%$ with respect to previous similar forecasts performed using geometrical and linear growth of structure probes, with $\pm20\%$ variations depending on the level of knowledge of systematic effects.These results indicate that galaxy cluster abundances are sensitive probes of inhomogeneity, and that next-generation galaxy cluster surveys, will thoroughly test homogeneity at cosmological scales, tightening the constraints on possible violations of the cosmological principle in the framework of $\Lambda$LTB scenarios. (Abridged)