No Arabic abstract
We analyze constraints on parameters characterizing the pre-inflating universe in an open inflation model with a present slightly open $Lambda$CDM universe. We employ an analytic model to show that for a broad class of inflation-generating effective potentials, the simple requirement that some fraction of the observed dipole moment represents a pre-inflation isocurvature fluctuation allows one to set upper and lower limits on the magnitude and wavelength scale of pre-inflation fluctuations in the inflaton field, and the curvature of the pre-inflation universe, as a function of the fraction of the total initial energy density in the inflaton field as inflation begins. We estimate that if the pre-inflation contribution to the current CMB dipole is near the upper limit set by the {it Planck} Collaboration then the current constraints on $Lambda$CDM cosmological parameters allow for the possibility of a significantly open $Omega_{i} le 0.4$ pre-inflating universe for a broad range of the fraction of the total energy in the inflaton field at the onset of inflation. This limit to $Omega_{i}$ is even smaller if a larger dark-flow tilt is allowed.
We present constraints on extensions to the flat $Lambda$CDM cosmological model by varying the spatial curvature $Omega_K$, the sum of the neutrino masses $sum m_ u$, the dark energy equation of state parameter $w$, and the Hu-Sawicki $f(R)$ gravity $f_{R0}$ parameter. With the combined $3times2$pt measurements of cosmic shear from the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS-1000), galaxy clustering from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), and galaxy-galaxy lensing from the overlap between KiDS-1000, BOSS, and the spectroscopic 2-degree Field Lensing Survey (2dFLenS), we find results that are fully consistent with a flat $Lambda$CDM model with $Omega_K=0.011^{+0.054}_{-0.057}$, $sum m_ u<1.76$ eV (95% CL), and $w=-0.99^{+0.11}_{-0.13}$. The $f_{R0}$ parameter is unconstrained in our fully non-linear $f(R)$ cosmic shear analysis. Considering three different model selection criteria, we find no clear preference for either the fiducial flat $Lambda$CDM model or any of the considered extensions. Besides extensions to the flat $Lambda$CDM parameter space, we also explore restrictions to common subsets of the flat $Lambda$CDM parameter space by fixing the amplitude of the primordial power spectrum to the Planck best-fit value, as well as adding external data from supernovae and lensing of the CMB. Neither the beyond-$Lambda$CDM models nor the imposed restrictions explored in this analysis are able to resolve the $sim 3sigma$ tension in $S_8$ between the $3times2$pt constraints and Planck, with the exception of $w$CDM, where the $S_8$ tension is resolved. The tension in the $w$CDM case persists, however, when considering the joint $S_8$-$w$ parameter space. The joint flat $Lambda$CDM CMB lensing and $3times2$pt analysis is found to yield tight constraints on $Omega_{rm m}=0.307^{+0.008}_{-0.013}$, $sigma_8=0.769^{+0.022}_{-0.010}$, and $S_8=0.779^{+0.013}_{-0.013}$.
We study Planck 2015 cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy data using the energy density inhomogeneity power spectrum generated by quantum fluctuations during an early epoch of inflation in the non-flat $Lambda$CDM model. Unlike earlier analyses of non-flat models, which assumed an inconsistent power-law power spectrum of energy density inhomogeneities, we find that the Planck 2015 data alone, and also in conjunction with baryon acoustic oscillation measurements, are reasonably well fit by a closed $Lambda$CDM model in which spatial curvature contributes a few percent of the current cosmological energy density budget. In this model, the measured Hubble constant and non-relativistic matter density parameter are in good agreement with values determined using most other data. Depending on parameter values, the closed $Lambda$CDM model has reduced power, relative to the tilted, spatially-flat $Lambda$CDM case, and can partially alleviate the low multipole CMB temperature anisotropy deficit and can help partially reconcile the CMB anisotropy and weak lensing $sigma_8$ constraints, at the expense of somewhat worsening the fit to higher multipole CMB temperature anisotropy data. Our results are interesting but tentative; a more thorough analysis is needed to properly gauge their significance.
We perform Markov chain Monte Carlo analyses to put constraints on the non-flat $phi$CDM inflation model using Planck 2015 cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy data and baryon acoustic oscillation distance measurements. The $phi$CDM model is a consistent dynamical dark energy model in which the currently accelerating cosmological expansion is powered by a scalar field $phi$ slowly rolling down an inverse power-law potential energy density. We also use a physically consistent power spectrum for energy density inhomogeneities in this non-flat model. We find that, like the closed-$Lambda$CDM and closed-XCDM models, the closed-$phi$CDM model provides a better fit to the lower multipole region of the CMB temperature anisotropy data compared to that provided by the tilted flat-$Lambda$CDM model. Also, like the other closed models, this model reduces the tension between the Planck and the weak lensing $sigma_8$ constraints. However, the higher multipole region of the CMB temperature anisotropy data are better fit by the tilted flat-$Lambda$CDM model than by the closed models.
The homogeneous, isotropic, and flat $Lambda$CDM universe favored by observations of the cosmic microwave background can be described using only Euclidean geometry, locally correct Newtonian mechanics, and the basic postulates of special and general relativity. We present simple derivations of the most useful equations connecting astronomical observables (redshift, flux density, angular diameter, brightness, local space density,...) with the corresponding intrinsic properties of distant sources (lookback time, distance, spectral luminosity, linear size, specific intensity, source counts,...). We also present an analytic equation for lookback time that is accurate within 0.1% for all redshifts $z$. The exact equation for comoving distance is an elliptic integral that must be evaluated numerically, but we found a simple approximation with errors $< 0.2$% for all redshifts up to $z approx 50$.
We investigate the observational viability of a class of cosmological models in which the vacuum energy density decays linearly with the Hubble parameter, resulting in a production of cold dark matter particles at late times. Similarly to the flat Lambda CDM case, there is only one free parameter to be adjusted by the data in this class of Lambda(t)CDM scenarios, namely, the matter density parameter. To perform our analysis we use three of the most recent SNe Ia compilation sets (Union2, SDSS and Constitution) along with the current measurements of distance to the BAO peaks at z = 0.2 and z = 0.35 and the position of the first acoustic peak of the CMB power spectrum. We show that in terms of $chi^2$ statistics both models provide good fits to the data and similar results. A quantitative analysis discussing the differences in parameter estimation due to SNe light-curve fitting methods (SALT2 and MLCS2k2) is studied using the current SDSS and Constitution SNe Ia compilations. A matter power spectrum analysis using the 2dFGRS is also performed, providing a very good concordance with the constraints from the SDSS and Constitution MLCS2k2 data.