Primordial gravitational waves and the H0-tension problem

Leila L. Graef, Micol Benetti, and Jailson S. Alcaniz
Phys. Rev. D 99, 043519 – Published 15 February 2019

Abstract

We analyze the H0-tension problem in the context of models of the early universe that predict a blue tilted spectrum of primordial gravitational waves (GWs), which is a positive value of the tensor tilt nT. By considering the GW’s contribution, NeffGW, to the effective number of relativistic degrees of freedom, Neff, and assuming standard particle physics, we discuss the effects of NeffGW on the background expansion, especially the constraints on the Hubble parameter H0. We analyze three scenarios that take into account the contribution of NeffGW using recent data of cosmic microwave background, baryon acoustic oscillation, the latest measurement of the local expansion rate, along with the LIGO constraints on the tensor to scalar ratio, r, and the tensor index. For the models explored, we show that an additional contribution from the primordial GW’s background to Neff does not solve but alleviates the current H0-tension problem.

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  • Received 15 October 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.99.043519

© 2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Gravitation, Cosmology & Astrophysics

Authors & Affiliations

Leila L. Graef1,6,*, Micol Benetti2,3,4,†, and Jailson S. Alcaniz2,5,‡

  • 1Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Avenida General Milton Tavares de Souza s/n, Gragoatá, 24210-346 Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • 2Observatório Nacional, Rua General José Cristino 77, 20921-400, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • 3Physics department “E. Pancini,” Napoli University “Federico II,” Via Cinthia, I-80126, Napoli, Italy
  • 4Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Napoli section, Via Cinthia 9, I-80126 Napoli, Italy
  • 5Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
  • 6Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Física – Departamento de Física Teórica – Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, 20550-013, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

  • *leilagraef@if.uff.br
  • micolbenetti@on.br
  • alcaniz@on.br

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Issue

Vol. 99, Iss. 4 — 15 February 2019

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