Redshift of Galaxy Clusters from the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect

We develop a new method for estimating the redshift of galaxy clusters through resolved images of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect (SZE). Our method is based on morphological observables which can be measured by actual and future SZE experiments. The method is tested using a set of high resolution hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy clusters at different redshifts. The method combines the observables in a principal component analysis. We show how this can give an estimate of the redshift of the galaxy clusters. Although the uncertainty in the redshift estimation is large, the method should be useful for future SZE surveys where hundreds of clusters are expected to be detected. A first preselection of the high redshift candidates could be done using our proposed morphological redshift estimator.