We present a simulation-based forward-modeling framework for cosmological inference from optical galaxy-cluster samples, and apply it to the abundance and weak-lensing signals of DES-Y1 redMaPPer clusters. The model embeds cosmology-dependent optical selection using a counts-in-cylinders approach, while also accounting for cluster miscentering and baryonic feedback in lensing. Applied to DES-Y1, and assuming a flat ΛCDM cosmology, we obtain Ωm=0.254−0.020+0.026 and σ8=0.826−0.034+0.030, consistent with a broad suite of low-redshift structure measurements, including recent full-shape analyses, the DES/KiDS/HSC 3×2 results, and most cluster-abundance studies. Our results are also consistent with \textit{Planck}, with the difference being significant at 2.58σ. These results establish simulation-based forward-modeling of cluster abundances as a promising new tool for precision cosmology with Stage~IV survey data.
@article{arxiv.2510.25706,
title = {Cosmological Constraints from Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Cluster Lensing and Abundances with Simulation-based Forward-Modeling},
author = {Andrés N. Salcedo and Eduardo Rozo and Hao-Yi Wu and David H. Weinberg and Pranav Chiploonkar and Chun-Hao To and Shulei Cao and Eli S. Rykoff and Nicole Marcelina Gountanis and Conghao Zhou},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2510.25706},
year = {2025}
}
Comments
21 pages, 8 main text figures and 1 table, 2 appendix figures and 1 table, submitted to PRD