Numerically reconstructing the geometry of the Universe from data

TL;DR

This paper presents an algorithm to reconstruct the universe's geometry using observational data, showing that certain inhomogeneous models remain viable explanations for cosmic acceleration.

Contribution

The authors introduce a novel algorithm for reconstructing the cosmological metric from observational data within spherically symmetric dust models.

Findings

Void models cannot be ruled out by current data.

The algorithm constrains universe geometry up to redshift 1.75.

Inhomogeneous models remain plausible alternatives for cosmic acceleration.

Abstract

We give an outline of an algorithm designed to reconstruct the background cosmological metric within the class of spherically symmetric dust universes that may include a cosmological constant. Luminosity and age data are used to derive constraints on the geometry of the universe up to a redshift of $z = 1.75$. It is shown that simple radially inhomogeneous void models that are sometimes used as alternative explanations for the apparent acceleration of the late time Universe cannot be ruled out by these data alone.