A new analytical formalism self-consistently predicts both the ionized fraction x_i(z) and photoionization rate Gamma_HI(z), achieving percent-level accuracy in x_i and 20-30% accuracy in Gamma_HI versus radiative transfer simulations at z less than or equal to 6.
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Turning a negative neutrino mass into a positive optical depth
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abstract
Under $\Lambda$CDM, recent baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) distance measures from DESI, which favor a low matter density $\Omega_m$, are in moderate $2-3\sigma$ tension with cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations. This tension appears alternately as a preference for the sum of neutrino masses dropping below the $\sum m_\nu = 0.06$eV value required by neutrino oscillation measurements to formally negative values; a discrepant value of $\Omega_m$ at 0.06eV; or preference for dynamical dark energy beyond $\Lambda$CDM. We show that this tension largely arises from the CMB lensing constraints on the calibration of the sound horizon for geometric measurements and relies on the measurement of the reionization optical depth $\tau$ from large-angle CMB polarization to set the lensing amplitude. Dropping these constraints removes the neutrino tension at $\sum m_\nu=0.06$eV entirely, favoring $\tau = 0.091\pm 0.011$ in $\Lambda$CDM. Beyond $\Lambda$CDM, it brings the preference for $w_0-w_a$ dynamical dark energy to below $95\%$ CL. We explore the freedom in interpreting the low-$\ell$ EE polarization constraint due to analysis choices and reionization modeling beyond the standard step-function assumption and find that this drops the neutrino tension in $\Lambda$CDM to below $95\%$ CL. Alternately, this raising of $\tau$ can also be achieved by the same reduction in large-scale curvature fluctuations that also ameliorates the low-$\ell$ temperature anomaly.
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representative citing papers
Assuming τ=0.11±0.006 yields a 2σ positive neutrino mass detection (Σmν=0.10^{+0.04}_{-0.05} eV) and removes CMB-DESI tensions within ΛCDM.
A control variate technique using differenced estimates from realistic masked and isotropic simulations reduces the computational cost of CMB lensing bias calculations by a factor of three to five.
A Gompertzian reionization model with three nuisance parameters demotes optical depth to a derived quantity, reducing its uncertainty by a factor of three and revealing potential neutrino mass tension in CMB analyses.
No monotonic reionization history fits Planck τ, patchy kSZ from SPT/ACT, and Lyα endpoint; an early ionization phase at z≳12 relaxes ∑mν<0.39 eV and shifts σ8 via As-τ degeneracy.
Bin-wise uncorrelated reconstruction from DESI/SDSS BAO and Pantheon+/Union3.1/DES-Dovekie supernovae yields dark energy density peaking then declining and equation of state oscillating with phantom crossing near z~0.7, consistent across datasets at moderate significance.
A compressed Gaussian likelihood for Planck low-ℓ data is built from SRoll2 via offset log-normal functions for Fisher compatibility and validated against the original via MCMC.
Early dark energy resolves CMB-BAO tension and, combined with thawing quintessence, reduces overall cosmological tensions without phantom crossing.
The w†VCDM model shows a statistically significant preference for late-time quintessence-phantom crossing dark energy, raises the Hubble constant, and satisfies neutrino mass and Neff constraints from current cosmological datasets.
Spontaneous wash-in leptogenesis in Type II Seesaw with Majoron pNGB background enables baryon asymmetry generation alongside dark matter cogenesis for specific v_T, v_sigma and m_j ranges.
Cosmological data can constrain only a handful of EFT parameters for single-scalar dark energy; extended models show modest preference over Λ but remain underdetermined and challenged by fifth forces and screening.
Exponential IR f(T) gravity Model I alleviates Hubble tension but is disfavoured by combined Planck/ACT/SPT+DESI+Pantheon+ data; Model II is ruled out because background constraints force unphysical shifts in CMB parameters.
Marginalizing over generalized slow-roll inflationary templates for the CMB low-power feature raises the 95% upper limit on τ to 0.075 (Planck) or 0.082 (all CMB+BAO), resolving incompatibility with lower bounds.
citing papers explorer
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A self-consistent analytical model for both the photoionization rate and reionization history
A new analytical formalism self-consistently predicts both the ionized fraction x_i(z) and photoionization rate Gamma_HI(z), achieving percent-level accuracy in x_i and 20-30% accuracy in Gamma_HI versus radiative transfer simulations at z less than or equal to 6.
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Cosmological Concordance in an Especially Opaque Universe: A Tentative Cosmological Detection of Physical Neutrino Mass in $\Lambda$CDM
Assuming τ=0.11±0.006 yields a 2σ positive neutrino mass detection (Σmν=0.10^{+0.04}_{-0.05} eV) and removes CMB-DESI tensions within ΛCDM.
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Faster CMB lensing with control variates
A control variate technique using differenced estimates from realistic masked and isotropic simulations reduces the computational cost of CMB lensing bias calculations by a factor of three to five.
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Into the Gompverse: A robust Gompertzian reionization model for CMB analyses
A Gompertzian reionization model with three nuisance parameters demotes optical depth to a derived quantity, reducing its uncertainty by a factor of three and revealing potential neutrino mass tension in CMB analyses.
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A hidden reionization prior biases cosmological inference
No monotonic reionization history fits Planck τ, patchy kSZ from SPT/ACT, and Lyα endpoint; an early ionization phase at z≳12 relaxes ∑mν<0.39 eV and shifts σ8 via As-τ degeneracy.
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Reconstructing dark energy with fewer assumptions
Bin-wise uncorrelated reconstruction from DESI/SDSS BAO and Pantheon+/Union3.1/DES-Dovekie supernovae yields dark energy density peaking then declining and equation of state oscillating with phantom crossing near z~0.7, consistent across datasets at moderate significance.
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Compressed Gaussian likelihood for the Planck low-$\ell$ data
A compressed Gaussian likelihood for Planck low-ℓ data is built from SRoll2 via offset log-normal functions for Fisher compatibility and validated against the original via MCMC.
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Disentangling cosmic distance tensions with early and late dark energy
Early dark energy resolves CMB-BAO tension and, combined with thawing quintessence, reduces overall cosmological tensions without phantom crossing.
-
Joint Constraints on Neutrinos and Dynamical Dark Energy in Minimally Modified Gravity
The w†VCDM model shows a statistically significant preference for late-time quintessence-phantom crossing dark energy, raises the Hubble constant, and satisfies neutrino mass and Neff constraints from current cosmological datasets.
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Type II Seesaw Leptogenesis in a Majoron background
Spontaneous wash-in leptogenesis in Type II Seesaw with Majoron pNGB background enables baryon asymmetry generation alongside dark matter cogenesis for specific v_T, v_sigma and m_j ranges.
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The Status of Single Scalar Field Dark Energy
Cosmological data can constrain only a handful of EFT parameters for single-scalar dark energy; extended models show modest preference over Λ but remain underdetermined and challenged by fifth forces and screening.
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Cosmological Viability of Exponential Infrared $f(T)$ Gravity
Exponential IR f(T) gravity Model I alleviates Hubble tension but is disfavoured by combined Planck/ACT/SPT+DESI+Pantheon+ data; Model II is ruled out because background constraints force unphysical shifts in CMB parameters.
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Raising the reionization optical depth with inflationary CMB features
Marginalizing over generalized slow-roll inflationary templates for the CMB low-power feature raises the 95% upper limit on τ to 0.075 (Planck) or 0.082 (all CMB+BAO), resolving incompatibility with lower bounds.
- Intertwined Constraints in Extended Cosmologies: Dark Energy, Curvature, Neutrinos, and Inflation