This is the third of a series of papers in which we derive simultaneous constraints on cosmological parameters and X-ray scaling relations using observations of the growth of massive, X-ray flux-selected galaxy clusters. Our data set consists of 238
clusters drawn from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey, and incorporates extensive follow-up observations using the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Here we present improved constraints on departures from General Relativity (GR) on cosmological scales, using the growth index, gamma, to parameterize the linear growth rate of cosmic structure. Using the method of Mantz et al. (2009a), we simultaneously and self-consistently model the growth of X-ray luminous clusters and their observable-mass scaling relations, accounting for survey biases, parameter degeneracies and systematic uncertainties. We combine the cluster growth data with gas mass fraction, SNIa, BAO and CMB data. This combination leads to a tight correlation between gamma and sigma_8. Consistency with GR requires gamma~0.55. Under the assumption of self-similar evolution and constant scatter in the scaling relations, and for a flat LCDM model, we measure gamma(sigma_8/0.8)^6.8=0.55+0.13-0.10, with 0.79<sigma_8<0.89. Relaxing the assumptions on the scaling relations by introducing two additional parameters to model possible evolution in the normalization and scatter of the luminosity-mass relation, we obtain consistent constraints on gamma that are only ~20% weaker than those above. Allowing the dark energy equation of state, w, to take any constant value, we simultaneously constrain the growth and expansion histories, and find no evidence for departures from either GR or LCDM. Our results represent the most robust consistency test of GR on cosmological scales to date. (Abridged)
(Abridged) This is the second in a series of papers in which we derive simultaneous constraints on cosmology and X-ray scaling relations using observations of massive, X-ray flux-selected galaxy clusters. The data set consists of 238 clusters drawn f
rom the ROSAT All-Sky Survey with 0.1-2.4 keV luminosities >2.5e44 erg/second, and incorporates extensive follow-up observations using the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Our analysis accounts self-consistently for all selection effects, covariances and systematic uncertainties. Here we describe the reduction of the follow-up X-ray observations, present results on the cluster scaling relations, and discuss their implications. Our constraints on the luminosity-mass and temperature-mass relations, measured within r_500, lead to three important results. First, the data support the conclusion that excess heating of the intracluster medium has altered its thermodynamic state from that expected in a simple, gravitationally dominated system; however, this excess heating is primarily limited to the central regions of clusters (r<0.15r_500). Second, the intrinsic scatter in the center-excised luminosity-mass relation is remarkably small, being undetected at the <10% level in current data; for the hot, massive clusters under investigation, this scatter is smaller than in either the temperature-mass or Y_X-mass relations (10-15%). Third, the evolution with redshift of the scaling relations is consistent with the predictions of simple, self-similar models of gravitational collapse, indicating that the mechanism responsible for heating the central regions of clusters was in operation before redshift 0.5 (the limit of our data) and that its effects on global cluster properties have not evolved strongly since then.
(Abridged) This is the first of a series of papers in which we derive simultaneous constraints on cosmological parameters and X-ray scaling relations using observations of the growth of massive, X-ray flux-selected galaxy clusters. Our data set consi
sts of 238 clusters drawn from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey, and incorporates extensive follow-up observations using the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Here we describe and implement a new statistical framework required to self-consistently produce simultaneous constraints on cosmology and scaling relations from such data, and present results on models of dark energy. In spatially flat models with a constant dark energy equation of state, w, the cluster data yield Omega_m=0.23 +- 0.04, sigma_8=0.82 +- 0.05, and w=-1.01 +- 0.20, marginalizing over conservative allowances for systematic uncertainties. These constraints agree well and are competitive with independent data in the form of cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies, type Ia supernovae (SNIa), cluster gas mass fractions (fgas), baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), galaxy redshift surveys, and cosmic shear. The combination of our data with current CMB, SNIa, fgas, and BAO data yields Omega_m=0.27 +- 0.02, sigma_8=0.79 +- 0.03, and w=-0.96 +- 0.06 for flat, constant w models. For evolving w models, marginalizing over transition redshifts in the range 0.05-1, we constrain the equation of state at late and early times to be respectively w_0=-0.88 +- 0.21 and w_et=-1.05 +0.20 -0.36. The combined data provide constraints equivalent to a DETF FoM of 15.5. Our results highlight the power of X-ray studies to constrain cosmology. However, the new statistical framework we apply to this task is equally applicable to cluster studies at other wavelengths.
