Understanding cluster gas evolution and fine-scale cosmic microwave background anisotropy with deep Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect surveys

We investigate the impact of gas evolution on the expected yields from deep Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect surveys, as well as on the expected SZ effec t contribution to fine-scale anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). The approximate yields from SZ effect surveys are remarkably insensi tive to gas evolution, even though the observable properties of the resulti ng clusters can be markedly different. The CMB angular power spectrum at hi gh multipoles (l greater than or similar to 2000, less than or similar to5' ) due to the SZ effect from clusters is quite sensitive to gas evolution. W e show that moderate-resolution (less than or equal to1') SZ effect imaging of clusters found in deep SZ effect surveys should allow a good understand ing of gas evolution in galaxy clusters, independent of the details of the nature of the gas evolution. Such an understanding will be necessary before precise cosmological constraints can be set from yields of large cluster s urveys.