Impact of projection-induced optical selection bias on the weak lensing mass calibration of galaxy clusters

Abstract

Weak gravitational lensing signals of optically identified clusters are impacted by a selection bias -- halo triaxiality and large-scale structure along the line of sight simultaneously boost the lensing signal and richness (the inferred number of galaxies associated with a cluster). As a result, a cluster sample selected by richness has a mean lensing signal higher than expected from its mean mass, and the inferred mass will be biased high. This selection bias is currently limiting the accuracy of cosmological parameters derived from optical clusters. In this paper, we quantify the bias in mass calibration due to this selection bias. Using two simulations, MiniUchuu and Cardinal, with different galaxy models and cluster finders, we find that the selection bias leads to an overestimation of lensing mass at the 20-50% level, with a larger bias (20-80%) for large-scale lensing (>3 Mpc). Even with a moderate projection model, this selection bias significantly outweighs other currently known cluster lensing systematics. This work confirms the need to account for this bias in future optical cluster cosmology analyses, and we discuss strategies for mitigating this bias.