Transition Redshift: New Kinematic Constraints from Supernovae

TL;DR

This paper constrains the transition redshift from deceleration to acceleration using supernova data, confirming recent acceleration and past deceleration in a model-independent way, with improved estimates of the transition redshift.

Contribution

It introduces a kinematic approach to determine the transition redshift using two parameterizations and multiple supernova samples, providing updated and consistent estimates independent of cosmological models.

Findings

Best fit transition redshift from SNLS data is z_t=0.61.

Results favor recent acceleration and past deceleration.

Findings are consistent with the ΛCDM model.

Abstract

The transition redshift (deceleration/acceleration) is discussed by expanding the deceleration parameter to first order around its present value. A detailed study is carried out by considering two different parameterizations: $q=q_0 + q_1z$ and $q=q_0 + q_1 z(1+z)^{-1}$, and the associated free parameters ($q_o, q_1$) are constrained by 3 different supernova samples. The previous analysis by Riess {\it{et al.}} [ApJ 607, 665, 2004] using the first expansion is slightly improved and confirmed in light of their recent data ({\emph{Gold}}07 sample). However, by fitting the model with the Supernova Legacy Survey (SNLS) type Ia sample we find that the best fit to the redshift transition is $z_t = 0.61$ instead of $z_t = 0.46$ as derived by the High-z Supernovae Search (HZSNS) team. This result based in the SNLS sample is also in good agreement with the Davis {\it{et al.}} sample, $z_t=0.60^{+0.28}_{-0.11}$ ($1\sigma$). Such results are in line with some independent analyzes and accommodates more easily the concordance flat model ($\Lambda$CDM). For both parameterizations, the three SNe type Ia samples considered favor recent acceleration and past deceleration with a high degree of statistical confidence level. All the kinematic results presented here depend neither on the validity of general relativity nor the matter-energy contents of the Universe.