Abstract
We present the first determination of the Hubble constant from strong lensing time delay data and type Ia supernova luminosity distances that is independent of the cosmological model. We also determine the spatial curvature model independently. We assume that light propagation over long distances is described by the Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) metric and geometrical optics holds, but make no assumption about the contents of the Universe or the theory of gravity on cosmological scales. We find and . This is a 6% determination of . A weak prior from the cosmic microwave background on the distance to the last scattering surface improves this to and . Assuming a zero spatial curvature, we get , a precision of 4%. The measurements also provide a consistency test of the FLRW metric: we find no evidence against it.
- Received 23 May 2019
- Revised 11 October 2019
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.231101
© 2019 American Physical Society