The density of virialized clusters as a probe of dark energy

Abstract

We use the spherical collapse model to demonstrate that the observable average density of virialized clusters depends on the properties of dark energy along with the properties of gravity on cluster scales and can therefore be used as a probe of these properties. As an application of this approach we derive the predicted virialized densities and radii of cluster mass structures for a wide range of values of the cosmological constant (including negative values) as a function of the turnaround redshift. For the value of $\Omega_{\Lambda,0}=-0.7$ (with $\Omega_{m,0}=0.3$) preferred by $\Lambda$ sign-switching models ($\Lambda_s\text{CDM}$) proposed for the resolution of the Hubble and $S_8$ tensions, we find an amplification of the density of virialized clusters which can be as large as $80\%$ compared to \plcdm for a turnaround redshift $z_{\text{max}} \gtrsim 2$. Such an amplification may lead to more efficient early galaxy formation in this class of models in accordance with the recent findings of JWST.