Hubble parameter data constraints on dark energy

TL;DR

This paper uses Hubble parameter data to constrain dark energy models, finding results consistent with supernova data and supporting a flat universe dominated by a cosmological constant, while allowing for time-varying dark energy.

Contribution

It provides new constraints on dark energy models using Hubble parameter data, comparing their restrictiveness with other observational methods.

Findings

Constraints are consistent with supernova data.

Data favor a flat universe with a cosmological constant.

Time-varying dark energy cannot be excluded.

Abstract

We use Hubble parameter versus redshift data from Stern, et al(2010) and Gazta\~{n}aga, et al (2009) to place constraints on model parameters of constant and time-evolving dark energy cosmological models. These constraints are consistent with (through not as restrictive as) those derived from supernova Type Ia magnitude-redshift data. However, they are more restrictive than those derived from galaxy cluster angular diameter distance, and comparable with those from gamma-ray burst and lookback time data. A joint analysis of the Hubble parameter data with more restrictive baryon acoustic oscillation peak length scale and supernova Type Ia apparent magnitude data favors a spatially-flat cosmological model currently dominated by a time-independent cosmological constant but does not exclude time-varying dark energy.