Thursday

Combining HST and MUSE data, we were able to model the mass distribution in strongly lensing galaxy clusters with the software Lenstool. From the inferred gravitational potentials, we proposed a simple analytical model for the electron cloud distribution and thermodynamics, and were thus able to predict the expected Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect and the X-ray brightness.
Comparing these results to observations in virialised clusters, we expect to refine our models to the point we can constrain interacting dark matter. In particular, an electron - DM interaction should produce an excess of SZ and X-ray brightness and can thus be constrained.
Perturbed clusters such as the Buffalo survey objects should in the future provide much better scenarios to distinguish the electron cloud from the dark matter halo, and thus to tighten the constraints.