Bounds on graviton mass using weak lensing and SZ effect in galaxy clusters

Abstract

In General Relativity (GR), the graviton is massless. However, a common feature in several theoretical alternatives of GR is a non-zero mass for the graviton. These theories can be described as massive gravity theories. Despite many theoretical complexities in these theories, on phenomenological grounds the implications of massive gravity have been widely used to put bounds on graviton mass. One of the generic implications of giving a mass to the graviton is that the gravitational potential will follow a Yukawa-like fall off. We use this feature of massive gravity theories to probe the mass of graviton by using the largest gravitationally bound objects, namely galaxy clusters. In this work, we use the mass estimates of galaxy clusters measured at various cosmologically defined radial distances measured via weak lensing (WL) and Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect. We also uses the model independent values of Hubble parameter H(z) smoothed by a non-parametric method, Gaussian process. Within 1σ confidence region, we obtain the mass of graviton m g < 5.9 × 10 −30 eV with the corresponding Compton length scale λ g > 6.82 Mpc from weak lensing and m g < 8.31 × 10 −30 eV with λ g > 5.012 Mpc from SZ effect. This analysis improves the upper bound on graviton mass obtained earlier from galaxy clusters.

Bound on the graviton mass from Chandra x-ray cluster sample

“…Most recently, multiple groups have obtained such bounds on the graviton mass from galaxy clusters [7][8][9], more than 40 years after the first such limit with clusters [10]. Galaxy clusters are the most massive gravitationally collapsed objects in the universe.…”

“…The key idea in this work, similar to Refs. [7,8] is to look for signatures of Yukawa gravity in these clusters. As discussed in Ref.…”

Recent bounds on graviton mass using galaxy clusters

“…[11]. This situation was soon rectified starting in 2018, when new limits on graviton mass with galaxy clusters using latest observational data were presented to supersede the old limit from 1974 [5,[13][14][15].…”

Limit on graviton mass using stacked galaxy cluster catalogs from SPT-SZ, Planck-SZ and SDSS-redMaPPer

“…There has been a renewed interest in obtaining updated bounds on the graviton mass from solar system, galactic and extragalactic observations [1][2][3][4], following the recent detection of gravitational waves from the LIGO detectors [5][6][7]. These massive gravity theories can solve multiple problems in cosmology and fundamental physics [2].…”

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In the last few years, there has been a resurgence of interest in obtaining observational bounds on the graviton mass, following the detection of gravitational waves, because of the versatility of massive graviton theories in resolving multiple problems in cosmology and fundamental physics. In this work, we apply the method proposed in Rana et al [1], which consists of looking for Yukawa-like fall off in the gravitational potential, to stacked galaxy cluster catalogs from three disparate surveys. These include catalogs from 2500 sq.

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