Constraining the Dark Universe

Rachel Bean; Steen H. Hansen; Alessandro Melchiorri

doi:10.1016/S0920-5632(02)01475-5

paper

Constraining the Dark Universe

arXiv:astro-ph/0201127 · doi:10.1016/S0920-5632(02)01475-5

Abstract

We combine complementary datasets to constrain dark energy. Using standard Big Bang Nucleosynthesis and the observed abundances of primordial nuclides to put constraints on $I^c ◯_{Q}$ at temperatures near $T \sim 1 M e V$ , we find the strong constraint $I^c ◯_{Q} (M e V) < 0.045$ at $2 I ¨ $ c.l.. Under the assumption of flatness, using results from Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropy measurements, high redshift supernovae (SN-Ia) observations and data from local cluster abundances we put a new constraint on the equation of state parameter $w_{Q} < - 0.85$ at 68% c.l..

5 pages, 3 figures, new reference added. To appear in the proceedings of TAUP 2001 (7th international workshop on Topics in Astroparticle and Underground Physics), Sep 2001, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Assergi, Italy