Related papers: Thomson scattering: One rate to rule them all
We investigate the variation of the fine-structure constant, {\alpha}, in symmetron models using N-body simulations in which the full spatial distribution of {\alpha} at different redshifts has been calculated. In particular, we obtain…
Measurements of the Hubble parameter from the distance ladder are in tension with indirect measurements based on the cosmic microwave background (CMB) data and the inverse distance ladder measurements at 3-4 $\sigma$ level. We consider…
Some attempts of easing the critical Hubble tension present in modern cosmology have resorted to using variations of fundamental constants, such as the fine-structure constant, at the time of recombination. In this article we demonstrate…
I review recent constraints on and claimed detections of a time-varying fine-structure constant $\alpha$, and discuss our own work, particularly on the effects of $\alpha$ in the cosmic microwave background and large-scale structure. Our…
We explore how local, cosmology-independent measurements of the Hubble constant and the age of the Universe help to provide a powerful consistency check of the currently favored cosmological model (flat LambdaCDM) and model-independent…
Fluctuations in the intensity and polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and the large-scale distribution of matter in the universe each contain clues about the nature of the earliest moments of time. The next generation of…
A time variation in the Higgs vacuum expectation value alters the electron mass and thereby changes the ionization history of the universe. This change produces a measurable imprint on the pattern of cosmic microwave background (CMB)…
The recent measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background anisotropies at arcminute angular scales performed by the ACT and SPT experiments are probing the damping regime of CMB fluctuations. The analysis of these datasets unexpectedly…
The standard cosmological model, the $\Lambda$CDM model, is the most suitable description for our universe. This framework can explain the accelerated expansion phase of the universe but still is not immune to open problems when it comes to…
Recent measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation have shown an apparent tension with the present value of the Hubble parameter inferred from local observations of supernovae, which look closer, i.e. brighter, than what…
Low amplitude (linear regime) cosmic density fluctuations lead to spatial variations in the locally measurable value of $H_0$ (denoted as $H_L$), $\delta_H \equiv (H_L-H_0)/H_0$, which are of order 3-6% (95% confidence interval) in a sphere…
Thomson scattering of laser light is one of the most fundamental diagnostics of plasma density, temperature and magnetic fields. It relies on the assumption that the properties in the probed volume are homogeneous and constant during the…
The standard $\Lambda$CDM model of cosmology is largely successful in describing many observations, including precise measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation. However, some intriguing anomalies remain currently…
The Hubble constant is one of the most important parameters in cosmology. Discrepancies in values of the Hubble constant estimated from various measurements, the so-called Hubble tension, are a serious problem. In this paper, we study the…
Do current observational data confirm the assumptions of the cosmological principle, or is there statistical evidence for deviations from spatial homogeneity on large scales? To address these questions, we developed a flexible framework…
The ratio of the self-gravitational energy density of the scattering particles in the universe to the energy density of the scattered photons in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) is the same in any volume of space. These two energy…
The $\Lambda$CDM model provides a good fit to most astronomical observations but harbors large areas of phenomenology and ignorance. With the improvements in the precision and number of observations, discrepancies between key cosmological…
The current Hubble constant tension is usually presented by comparing constraints on $H_0$ only. However, the post-recombination background cosmic evolution is determined by two parameters in the standard $\Lambda$CDM model, the Hubble…
The possible variation of the electromagnetic fine structure constant $\alpha_e$ on cosmological scales arouses great interests in recent years. The strongly lensed gravitational waves and the electromagnetic counterparts could be used to…
The recent BICEP2 detection of degree scale CMB B-mode polarization, coupled with a deficit of observed power in large angle temperature anisotropy, suggest that the slow-roll parameter $\epsilon_H$, the fractional variation in the Hubble…