The WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey: constraining the evolution of Newton's constant using the growth rate of structure
- The Niels Bohr International Academy and Discovery Center, The Niels Bohr Institute, Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100, Copenhagen Ø (Denmark)
- Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology, P.O. Box 218, Hawthorn, VIC 3122 (Australia)
- School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 (Australia)
We constrain the evolution of Newton's constant using the growth rate of large-scale structure measured by the WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey in the redshift range 0.1 < z < 0.9. We use this data in two ways. Firstly we constrain the matter density of the Universe, Ω{sub m} (assuming General Relativity), and use this to construct a diagnostic to detect the presence of an evolving Newton's constant. Secondly we directly measure the evolution of Newton's constant, G{sub eff}, that appears in Modified Gravity theories, without assuming General Relativity to be true. The novelty of these approaches are that, contrary to other methods, they do not require knowledge of the expansion history of the Universe, H(z), making them model independent tests. Our constraints for the second derivative of Newton's constant at the present day, assuming it is slowly evolving as suggested by Big Bang Nucleosynthesis constraints, using the WiggleZ data is G double-dot{sub eff}(t{sub 0}) = −1.19 ± 0.95·10{sup −20} h{sup 2} yr{sup −2}, where h is defined via H{sub 0} = 100 h km s{sup −1} Mpc{sup −1}, while using both the WiggleZ and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Luminous Red Galaxy (SDSS LRG) data is G double-dot{sub eff}(t{sub 0}) = −3.6 ± 6.8·10{sup −21} h{sup 2} yr{sup −2}, both being consistent with General Relativity. Finally, our constraint for the rms mass fluctuation σ{sub 8} using the WiggleZ data is σ{sub 8} = 0.75 ± 0.08, while using both the WiggleZ and the SDSS LRG data σ{sub 8} = 0.77 ± 0.07, both in good agreement with the latest measurements from the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation.
- OSTI ID:
- 22277794
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Vol. 2011, Issue 07; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1475-7516
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Completed SDSS-IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: Cosmological implications from two decades of spectroscopic surveys at the Apache Point Observatory
A cosmological exclusion plot: towards model-independent constraints on modified gravity from current and future growth rate data