Clusters of galaxies: a cosmological probe.

The constraints on cosmological parameters presently obtained and those that can be obtained from X-ray cluster surveys are presented. Extremely strong bounds on the values of Omega, Lambda, sigma(8) and the power spectrum of fluctuations, as well as constraints on the equation of state of dark energy, can be determined. Recent Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics and XMM results on the chemical composition of clusters show that the Fe abundance is not universal, but is correlated with cluster mass and central gas density. The Si, S and Fe abundances do not resemble those seen in Milky Way Halo stars or those in the Lyman-limit galaxies. The XMM RGS abundances for gas in elliptical galaxies are subsolar and the abundance pattern is not alpha-element rich, in contradiction with all models of elliptical-galaxy gas abundances.