Constraints on Cardassian Expansion from Distant type Ia Supernovae

The distant type Ia supernovae data compiled by Perlmutter et al. (1999) are used to analyze the Cardassian expansion scenario, which was recently proposed by Freese and Lewis (2002) as an alternative to a cosmological constant (or more generally a dark energy component) in explaining the currently accelerating universe. We show that the allowed intervals for $n$ and $z_{eq}$, the two parameters of the Cardassian model, will give rise to a universe with a very low matter density, which can hardly be reconciled with the current value derived from the measurements of the cosmic microwave background anisotropy and galaxy clusters (cluster baryon fraction). As a result, this Cardassian expansion proposal does not seem to survive the magnitude-redshift test for the present type Ia supernovae data, unless the universe contains primarily baryonic matter.