DETERMINING MODEL-INDEPENDENT H0 AND CONSISTENCY TESTS

Abstract

We determine the Hubble constant H0 precisely (2.3% uncertainty) in a manner independent of cosmological model through Gaussian process regression, using strong lensing and supernova data. Strong gravitational lensing of a variable source can provide a time-delay distance D∆t and angular diameter distance to the lens Dd. These absolute distances can anchor Type Ia supernovae, which give an excellent constraint on the shape of the distance-redshift relation. Updating our previous results to use the H0LiCOW program’s milestone dataset consisting of six lenses, four of which have both D∆t and Dd measurements, we obtain H0 = 72.8 +1.6 −1.7 km/s/Mpc for a flat universe and H0 = 77.3 +2.2 −3.0 km/s/Mpc for a non-flat universe. We carry out several consistency checks on the data and find no statistically significant tensions, though a noticeable redshift dependence persists in a particular systematic manner that we investigate. Speculating on the possibility that this trend of derived Hubble constant with lens distance is physical, we show how this can arise through modified gravity light propagation, which would also impact the weak lensing σ8 tension