The cosmic aberration drift: proposal for a real-time detection of our acceleration through space

TL;DR

This paper proposes a method to detect our acceleration through space in real-time by observing changes in the positions of distant sources, offering a new way to test cosmological models and explore new physics.

Contribution

It introduces a formalism for a novel cosmological test based on aberration drift, with simulated forecasts demonstrating its potential for future high-precision astrometric experiments.

Findings

Potential to test the standard cosmological model

Constraints on the Hubble constant and growth rate

Feasibility of real-time detection of cosmic acceleration

Abstract

Our proper acceleration with respect to the Cosmic Microwave Background results in a real-time change of the angular position of distant extragalactic sources. The cosmological component of this aberration drift signal, the non-inertial motion generated by the large-scale distribution of matter, can in principle be detected by future high-precision astrometric experiments. It will provide interesting consistency tests of the standard model of cosmology, set independent constraints on the amplitude of the Hubble constant and the linear growth rate of cosmic structures, and be instrumental in searching for evidence of new physics beyond the standard model. We present the formalism of this novel cosmological test, discuss the physics to which it is sensitive and show simulated forecasts of the accuracy with which it can be implemented.