Analysis of Pantheon+ supernova data suggests evidence of sign-changing pressure of the cosmological fluid

TL;DR

This study uses an updated, model-independent method to analyze Pantheon+ supernova data, providing evidence for sign-changing dark energy pressure and confirming the universe's acceleration without relying on specific matter-energy models.

Contribution

It extends the spread-LDF method to new datasets and demonstrates the need for possibly nonconstant dark energy pressure, challenging standard assumptions in cosmology.

Findings

Evidence for sign-changing pressure of dark energy at high redshift

Confirmation of universe's acceleration independent of matter-energy models

Hints at complexity in dark energy or issues with cosmological assumptions

Abstract

In this work, we revisit/reinterpret/extend the model-independent analysis method (which we now call spread - luminosity distance fitting, spread-LDF) from our previous work. We apply it to the updated supernova type Ia catalogue, Pantheon+ and recent GRB compilations. The procedure allows us, using only FLRW assumption, to construct good approximations for expansion history of the universe, re-confirming its acceleration to be a robust feature. When we also assume General Relativity ("GR"), we can demonstrate, without any matter/energy model in mind, the need for (possibly nonconstant) dark energy ("GDE"). We find hints for positive pressure of GDE at z>1 with implications on either the complexity of dark energy, or the validity of one of the cosmological principle, interpretation of SN Ia data, or GR.