Clusters of Galaxies and Mass estimates

Abstract

The determination of galaxy cluster mass is of great importance since it is directly linked to the well- known problem of dark matter in the Universe and to the cluster baryon content. X-ray observations from satellites have enabled a better understanding of the physics occuring inside clusters, their matter content as well as a detailed description of their structure. In addition, the discovery of giant gravitational arcs and the lensing properties of clusters of galaxies represent the most exciting events in cosmology and have led to many new results on mass distribution. I review the different methods used to determine the mass in clusters of galaxies and discuss their accuracy and the implications for Cosmology.