Galaxy clusters are the largest reservoirs of matter in the Universe, and as such are unique laboratories to understand the connection between dark and luminous, 'normal' matter. We use... Show more Galaxy clusters are the largest reservoirs of matter in the Universe, and as such are unique laboratories to understand the connection between dark and luminous, 'normal' matter. We use several techniques and galaxy cluster samples to study this connection from various angles. In particular, we try to understand how does the motion of galaxies within clusters relate to their luminous mass content; how do the shapes of galaxies respond to the strong gravitational potential of their host cluster (analogous to tidal waves produced by the Earth-Moon gravitational interaction), and how much of their total mass are galaxies able to retain once they fall under the influence of their host cluster, in connection with the same interactions. Our results provide important information for models of galaxy formation and evolution, particularly their dark matter content, and for studies trying to link observations of galaxy clusters to the overall properties of the Universe such as its total matter content. Show less
