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The cluster mass-richness relation (MRR) is an observationally efficient and potentially powerful cosmological tool for constraining the mean matter density of the universe and the amplitude of fluctuations using the cluster abundance technique. We derive the MRR relation using GalWCat19, a publicly available galaxy cluster catalog we created from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-DR13 spectroscopic dataset. The MRR shows a tail at the low-richness end. Using the Illustris-TNG and mini-Uchuu cosmological numerical simulations, we demonstrate that this tail is caused by systematical uncertainties. We show that, by means of a judicious cut, identified by the use of the Hinge function, it is possible to determine a richness threshold above which the MRR is linear i.e., where cluster mass scales with richness as logM_200 = alpha + beta logN_200. We derive the MRR and show it is consistent with both sets of simulations with a slope of beta ~ 1. We use our MRR to estimate cluster masses from the GalWCat19 catalog which we then use to set constraints on omega_m and sigma_8. Utilizing the all-member MRR, we obtain constraints of omega_m = 0.31 (+0.04-0.03) and sigma_8 = 0.82 (+0.05-0.04), and utilizing the red-member MRR, we obtain omega_m = 0.31 (+0.04-0.03) and sigma_8 = 0.81 (+0.05-0.04). Our constraints on omega_m and sigma_8 are consistent and very competitive with the Planck 2018 results.

We derive cosmological constraints on the matter density, \om, and the amplitude of fluctuations, \sig, using $\mathtt{GalWCat19}$, a catalog of 1800 galaxy clusters we identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-DR13 spectroscopic data set using our GalWeight technique to determine cluster membership \citep{Abdullah18,Abdullah19}. By analyzing a subsample of 756 clusters in a redshift range of $0.045\leq z \leq 0.125$ and virial masses of $M\geq 0.8\times10^{14}$ \hm ~with mean redshift of $z = 0.085$, we obtain \om ~$=0.310^{+0.023}_{-0.027} \pm 0.041$ (systematic) and \sig ~$=0.810^{+0.031}_{-0.036}\pm 0.035$ (systematic), with a cluster normalization relation of $��_8= 0.43 ��_m^{-0.55}$. There are several unique aspects to our approach: we use the largest spectroscopic data set currently available, and we assign membership using the GalWeight technique which we have shown to be very effective at simultaneously maximizing the number of {\it{bona fide}} cluster members while minimizing the number of contaminating interlopers. Moreover, rather than employing scaling relations, we calculate cluster masses individually using the virial mass estimator. Since $\mathtt{GalWCat19}$ is a low-redshift cluster catalog we do not need to make any assumptions about evolution either in cosmological parameters or in the properties of the clusters themselves. Our constraints on \om ~and \sig ~are consistent and very competitive with those obtained from non-cluster abundance cosmological probes such as Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), Baryonic Acoustic Oscillation (BAO), and supernovae (SNe). The joint analysis of our cluster data with Planck18+BAO+Pantheon gives \om ~$=0.315^{+0.013}_{-0.011}$ and \sig ~$=0.810^{+0.011}_{-0.010}$., 14 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in the ApJ

We present results on the rest-frame $H$-band luminosity functions (LF) of red sequence galaxies in seven clusters at 1.0 < z < 1.3 from the Gemini Observations of Galaxies in Rich Early Environments Survey (GOGREEN). Using deep GMOS-z' and IRAC $3.6 ��$m imaging, we identify red sequence galaxies and measure their LFs down to $M_{H} \sim M_{H}^{*} + (2.0 - 3.0)$. By stacking the entire sample, we derive a shallow faint end slope of $ ��\sim -0.35^{+0.15}_{-0.15} $ and $ M_{H}^{*} \sim -23.52^{+0.15}_{-0.17} $, suggesting that there is a deficit of faint red sequence galaxies in clusters at high redshift. By comparing the stacked red sequence LF of our sample with a sample of clusters at z~0.6, we find an evolution in the faint end of the red sequence over the ~2.6 Gyr between the two samples, with the mean faint end red sequence luminosity growing by more than a factor of two. The faint-to-luminous ratio of our sample ($0.78^{+0.19}_{-0.15}$) is consistent with the trend of decreasing ratio with increasing redshift as proposed in previous studies. A comparison with the field shows that the faint-to-luminous ratios in clusters are consistent with the field at z~1.15 and exhibit a stronger redshift dependence. Our results support the picture that the build up of the faint red sequence galaxies occurs gradually over time and suggest that faint cluster galaxies, similar to bright cluster galaxies, experience the quenching effect induced by environment already at z~1.15., Accepted for publication in ApJ. 24 pages, 13 figures

Using SDSS-DR7, we construct a sample of 42382 galaxies with redshifts in the region of 20 galaxy clusters. Using two successive iterative methods, the adaptive kernel method and the spherical infall model, we obtained 3396 galaxies as members belonging to the studied sample. The 2D projected map for the distribution of the clusters members is introduced using the 2D adaptive kernel method to get the clusters centers. The cumulative surface number density profile for each cluster is fitted well with the generalized King model. The core radii of the clusters' sample are found to vary from 0.18 Mpc $\mbox{h}^{-1}$ (A1459) to 0.47 Mpc $\mbox{h}^{-1}$ (A2670) with mean value of 0.295 Mpc $\mbox{h}^{-1}$. The infall velocity profile is determined using two different models, Yahil approximation and Praton model. Yahil approximation is matched with the distribution of galaxies only in the outskirts (infall regions) of many clusters of the sample, while it is not matched with the distribution within the inner core of the clusters. Both Yahil approximation and Praton model are matched together in the infall region for about 9 clusters in the sample but they are completely unmatched for the clusters characterized by high central density. For these cluster, Yahil approximation is not matched with the distribution of galaxies, while Praton model can describe well the infall pattern of such clusters., 16 pages, 8 figures