On the errors on Ω₀: Monte Carlo simulations of the EMSS cluster sample

We perform Monte Carlo simulations of synthetic EMSS cluster samples, to quantify the systematic errors and the statistical uncertainties on the estimate of Ω0 derived from fits to the cluster number density evolution and to the X-ray temperature distribution up to z = 0.83. We identify the scatter around the relation between cluster X-ray luminosity and temperature to be a source of systematic error, of the order of ΔsystΩ0 = 0.09, if not properly taken into account in the modelling. After correcting for this bias, our best Ω0 is 0.66. The uncertainties on the shape and normalization of the power spectrum of matter fluctuations imply relatively large uncertainties on this estimate of Ω0, of the order of ΔstatΩ0 = 0.1 at the 1σ level. On the other hand, the statistical uncertainties due to the finite size of the high-redshift sample are twice as small. Therefore, what is needed in order to improve the accuracy of Ω0 estimates based on cluster number density evolution is a more reliable measure of the local temperature function and a better understanding of the cluster observed properties both in the local Universe and at high redshift, that is the relation between cluster mass, temperature and luminosity. This requires detailed observations of X-ray selected cluster samples, in comparison with hydrodynamic simulations including refined physics.