Calibrating SZ Mass Estimates with Weak Lensing: Executing observations with the Magellan Telescope in October 2014
Final Report Abstract
The aim of the project was to acquire high quality optical imaging of galaxy clusters discovered by the South Pole Telescope collaboration. Such high quality data will allow our team to measure the mass of each cluster with the weak gravitational lensing effect. Each additional cluster where we measure a mass increases the statistical precision of our ensemble measurements, measurements which will be used to advance our understanding of general relativity and dark energy as probed by the South Pole Telescope cluster survey. For this effort, our team was awarded four nights of observing at the Magellan Telescope. We were able to acquire lensing quality data for eleven targets and complimentary color photometry for 18 targets. This has allowed us to nearly double the number of clusters in our study.
