Distances and Cosmology from Galaxy Cluster Cosmic Microwave Background Data

The measurement of the angular diameter distance to galaxy clusters, through combined Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect data with X-ray emission observations, is now a well-known probe of cosmology. Using a combination of SZ data and a map of the lensed cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies by the galaxy cluster potential, we propose an alternative geometric technique to measure distance information primarily through cluster-related multifrequency CMB measurements. We discuss the necessary requirements to implement this measurement, potential errors including systematic biases, and the extent to which cosmological parameters can be extracted. While individual cluster distances are not likely to be precise, with upcoming subarcminute-resolution wide-area CMB observations, useful information on cosmology, such as on the dark energy equation of state, can be obtained from a large sample of galaxy clusters. Alternatively, the proposed study provides a much needed method to calibrate and to understand evolutionary effects and systematics internally within cluster catalogs from wide-field blind SZ surveys.