The Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect

Mark Birkinshaw

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

695 Citations (Scopus)
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Abstract

The Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect causes a change in the apparent brightness of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation towards a cluster of galaxies or any other reservoir of hot plasma. Measurements of the effect provide distinctly different information about cluster properties than X-ray imaging data, while combining X-ray and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect data leads to new insights into the structures of cluster atmospheres. The effect is redshift-independent, and so provides a unique probe of the structure of the Universe on the largest scales. The present review discusses the theory of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect and collects published results for many clusters, presents the overall conclusions that may be drawn from the detections so far, and discusses the prospects for future research on the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effects.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)97-195
Number of pages99
JournalPhysics Reports
Volume310
Issue number2-3
Early online date17 Feb 1999
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 1999

Bibliographical note

Date of Acceptance: 06/08/1998

Keywords

  • Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect
  • Clusters
  • Microwave background radiation

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