Neutrino Mass Limit from Galaxy Cluster Number Density Evolution

Abstract

Measurements of the evolution with redshift of the number density of massive galaxy clusters are used to constrain the energy density of massive neutrinos and so the sum of neutrino masses $\sum m_ν$. We consider a spatially-flat cosmological model with cosmological constant, cold dark matter, baryonic matter, and massive neutrinos. Accounting for the uncertainties in the measurements of the relevant cosmological parameters we obtain a limit of $\sum m_ν$ $<$ 2.4 eV (95 % C.L.).

6 pages, 2 figures and references added, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. D