Constraints on cold dark matter theories from observations of massive x-ray-luminous clusters of galaxies at high redshift

Abstract

During the course of a gravitational lensing survey of distant, X-ray selected, EMSS clusters of galaxies, we have studied 6 X-ray luminous (Lx > 5x10^44 h_{50}^{-2} erg s^{-1}) clusters at redshifts exceeding z=0.5. All of these clusters are apparently massive. In addition to their high X-ray luminosity, two of the clusters at z~0.6 exhibit gravitationally lensed arcs. Furthermore, the highest redshift cluster in our sample, MS1054-0321 at z=0.826, is both extremely X-ray luminous (L[0.3-3.5 keV]=9.3x10^{44} h_{50}^{-2} erg s^{-1}), and exceedingly rich with an optical richness comparable to an Abell Richness Class 4 cluster. In this {\it Letter}, we discuss the cosmological implications of the very existence of these clusters for hierarchical stucture formation theories such as standard \Omega=1 CDM, hybrid \Omega=1 C+HDM, and flat, low-density \Lambda+CDM models.