This research will use synthetic observations applied to detailed, high-resolution simulations of cosmological structure formation to focus on three specific problems that may hinder progress with surveys of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect (SZE). First, the transient boosting of a cluster's SZE signature due to cluster mergers may significantly complicate comparison of observed clusters to cosmological models. Second, measurement of cluster masses may introduce both systematic errors and bias. Finally, internal flows act as a contaminant to measurements of cluster peculiar velocities through the kinetic SZE, but are themselves an interesting observable. To maximize the impact of this research, all simulation results, in their entirety, will be available for use by the scientific community through the Simulated Cluster Archive. Research projects will be generated to involve undergraduate astrophysics majors, and the investigators will partner with an area high school via a university initiative that targets under-represented groups.
