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Thomson scattering: One rate to rule them all

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arxiv 2306.06165 v3 pith:KNRATDAG submitted 2023-06-09 astro-ph.CO hep-ph

Thomson scattering: One rate to rule them all

classification astro-ph.CO hep-ph
keywords ratescatteringthomsonconstanthubblelocalmeasurementstension
verification ladder T0 review T1 audit T2 compute T3 formal T4 reserved
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abstract

The enduring tension between local and distant measurements of $H_0$ remains unresolved. It was recently pointed out that cosmic microwave background (CMB) and large-scale structure (LSS) observables are invariant under a uniform rescaling of the gravitational free-fall rates of all species present and the Thomson scattering rate between photons and electrons. We show that a unique variation of the fine-structure constant $\alpha$ and the electron mass $m_{\rm e}$ can leverage this scaling transformation to reconcile the CMB and LSS data with a broad spectrum of Hubble constant values, encompassing those inferred from local measurements. Importantly, this study demonstrates that the constraints on the variation of fundamental constants imposed by the specific recombination history are not as stringent as previously assumed. Our work highlights the critical role of the Thomson scattering rate in the existing Hubble tension and offers a distinct avenue of exploration for particle model builders.

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Cited by 4 Pith papers

Reviewed papers in the Pith corpus that reference this work. Sorted by Pith novelty score.

  1. The $H_0$ world cup. II. A comprehensive competition between proposed Hubble tension solutions

    astro-ph.CO 2026-07 conditional novelty 6.0

    Against a common 2025-26 dataset (Planck PR4, ACT DR6, SPT-3G, DESI DR2, Pantheon+), early dark energy and early modified gravity models win the H0 competition (~3σ residual tension), while radiation and late-time sol...

  2. BAO miscalibration cannot rescue late-time solutions to the Hubble tension

    astro-ph.CO 2025-10 accept novelty 6.0

    Even after rescaling BAO data to prefer H0≈73 km/s/Mpc, none of six tested late-time dark-energy models can resolve the Hubble tension once unanchored SNeIa and CMB geometry are included.

  3. Cosmological Viability of Exponential Infrared $f(T)$ Gravity

    astro-ph.CO 2026-06 unverdicted novelty 4.0

    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.

  4. What it takes to solve the Hubble tension through Modifications of Cosmological Recombination II: in light of ACT DR6 and DESI DR2

    astro-ph.CO 2026-06 unverdicted novelty 4.0

    Perturbative modifications to the electron mass m_e(z) resolve the Hubble tension with Planck+ACT CMB data but cannot when DESI DR2 BAO data are added due to lowered Omega_m.