Precision cosmology defeats void models for acceleration

TL;DR

This study rigorously tests void models as an alternative to dark energy using comprehensive cosmological data, finding that such models are strongly inconsistent with observations and thus unlikely to explain cosmic acceleration.

Contribution

The paper provides the most complete comparison to date of void models against diverse cosmological data, including supernovae, CMB, BAO, and local measurements.

Findings

Void models predict a too low local Hubble rate.

Void models face an 'old age problem'.

Void models predict less local structure than observed.

Abstract

The suggestion that we occupy a privileged position near the centre of a large, nonlinear, and nearly spherical void has recently attracted much attention as an alternative to dark energy. Putting aside the philosophical problems with this scenario, we perform the most complete and up-to-date comparison with cosmological data. We use supernovae and the full cosmic microwave background spectrum as the basis of our analysis. We also include constraints from radial baryonic acoustic oscillations, the local Hubble rate, age, big bang nucleosynthesis, the Compton y-distortion, and for the first time include the local amplitude of matter fluctuations, \sigma_8. These all paint a consistent picture in which voids are in severe tension with the data. In particular, void models predict a very low local Hubble rate, suffer from an "old age problem", and predict much less local structure than is observed.