Testing the Copernican principle with the Hubble parameter

Zhi-Song Zhang, Tong-Jie Zhang, Hao Wang, and Cong Ma
Phys. Rev. D 91, 063506 – Published 3 March 2015

Abstract

Using the longitudinal expression of Hubble expansion rate for the general Lemaître-Tolman-Bondi (LTB) metric as a function of cosmic time, we examine the scale on which the Copernican principle holds in the context of a void model. By way of performing parameter estimation on the constrained Garcia-Bellido–Haugbolle void model, we show that the Hubble parameter data favors a void with a characteristic radius of 2–3 Gpc. This brings the void model closer, but not yet enough, to harmony with observational indications given by the background kinetic Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effect and the normalization of near-infrared galaxy luminosity function. However, the test of such void models may ultimately lie in the future detection of the discrepancy between longitudinal and transverse expansion rates, a touchstone of inhomogeneous models. With the proliferation of observational Hubble parameter data and future large-scale structure observation, a definitive test could be performed on the question of cosmic homogeneity. Particularly, the spherical LTB void models have been ruled out, but more general nonspherical inhomogeneities still need to be tested by observation. In this paper, we utilize a spherical void model to provide guidelines into how observational tests may be done with more general models in the future.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 4 October 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.91.063506

© 2015 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Zhi-Song Zhang1,2, Tong-Jie Zhang2,3,4,*, Hao Wang2, and Cong Ma2

  • 1Department of Aerospace Engineering, School of Astronautics, Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China
  • 2Department of Astronomy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
  • 3Departments of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
  • 4Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, USA

  • *tjzhang@bnu.edu.cn

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 91, Iss. 6 — 15 March 2015

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
CHORUS

Article Available via CHORUS

Download Accepted Manuscript
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review D

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×