Distance Priors from \emph{Planck} 2015 data

TL;DR

This paper updates cosmological distance priors using Planck 2015 data, tightening constraints, and combines them with supernova and BAO data to analyze dark energy models, finding consistency with a cosmological constant.

Contribution

The paper provides updated distance priors from Planck 2015 data and applies them to constrain dark energy models with combined observational data.

Findings

Distance priors are at least 30% tighter than previous constraints.

Dark energy equations of state are consistent with w=-1.

Tension with Lyα forest BAO data remains unresolved.

Abstract

We update the distance priors by adopting $Planck~ \textrm{TT,TE,EE}+\textrm{lowP}$ data released in 2015, and our results impose at least $30\%$ tighter constraints than those from $Planck~ \textrm{TT}+\textrm{lowP}$. Combining the distance priors with the combination of supernova Union~2.1 compilation of 580 SNe (Union~2.1) and low redshift Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) data, we constrain the cosmological parameters in the freely binned dark energy (FBDE) and FBDE$+\Omega_k$ models respectively, and find that the equations of state of dark energy in both models are consistent with $w=-1$. Furthermore, we show that the tension with the BAO data at $z=2.34$ from Ly$\alpha$ forest (Ly$\alpha$F) auto-correlation and Combined Ly$\alpha$F cannot be relaxed in the FBDE and FBDE$+\Omega_k$ models.