Cross-correlating the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect and the distribution of galaxy clusters

We present the analytical formulas, derived based on the halo model, to compute the cross correlation between the thermal Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (SZ) effect and the distribution of galaxy clusters. By binning the clusters according to their redshifts and masses, this cross correlation, the so-called stacked SZ signal, reveals the average SZ profile around the clusters. The stacked SZ signal is obtainable from a joint analysis of an arc-minute-resolution cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiment and an overlapping optical survey, which allows for detection of the SZ signals for clusters whose masses are below the individual cluster detection threshold. We derive the error covariance matrix for measuring the stacked SZ signal, and then forecast for its detection from ongoing and forthcoming combined CMB-optical surveys. We find that, over a wide range of mass and redshift, the stacked SZ signal can be detected with a significant signal-to-noise ratio (total S/N≳10), whose value peaks for the clusters with intermediate masses and redshifts. Our calculation also shows that the stacking method allows for probing the clusters’ SZ profiles over a wide range of scales, even out to projected radii as large as the virial radius, thereby providing a promising way to study gas physics at the outskirts of galaxy clusters.