‘Depending on where we look, the universe is expanding at different rates’ The JWST confirms

 

In various regions of observation, the universe exhibits disparate rates of expansion. Presently, scientists have utilized the James Webb and Hubble space telescopes to verify that this observation is not attributable to a measurement error.

Astronomers, employing the James Webb and Hubble space telescopes, have substantiated one of the most perplexing dilemmas in the realm of physics — the apparent differential rates of expansion of the universe contingent upon the direction of observation.

This phenomenon, referred to as the Hubble Tension, carries significant implications, potentially necessitating revisions or even revisions to the field of cosmology as a whole. In 2019, observations made by the Hubble Space Telescope corroborated the existence of this enigma; subsequently, in 2023, even more precise measurements from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) solidified this discrepancy.

A collaborative effort by both telescopes has now thoroughly examined the prospect of any measurement inaccuracies. The findings, published on February 6 in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, suggest a fundamental flaw in our comprehension of the universe.

“With the elimination of measurement errors, what remains is the genuine and intriguing prospect that we have misconstrued the nature of the universe,” remarked lead study author Adam Riess, who serves as a professor of physics and astronomy at Johns Hopkins University.

Adam Riess, alongside Saul Perlmutter and Brian P. Schmidt, was awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in physics for their 1998 revelation of dark energy, the enigmatic force propelling the universe’s accelerated expansion.

Currently, two predominant methodologies exist for determining the Hubble constant, a parameter describing the rate of expansion of the universe. The first method entails meticulous examination of minute fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) — the ancient remnants of the universe’s primordial light, originating merely 380,000 years following the Big Bang.

Between 2009 and 2013, astronomers utilized the European Space Agency’s Planck satellite to map out these microwave patterns, inferring a Hubble constant of approximately 46,200 mph per million light-years, equivalent to roughly 67 kilometers per second per megaparsec (km/s/Mpc).

The second approach involves the study of pulsating stars known as Cepheid variables. These stars undergo periodic fluctuations in brightness as a result of their dying state, with their outer layers of helium gas expanding and contracting in response to radiation absorption and emission, akin to distant signal beacons.

As the brightness of Cepheid stars fluctuates, astronomers can ascertain their absolute luminosity. By comparing this luminosity with their observed brightness, astronomers can construct a “cosmic distance ladder,” enabling them to peer further into the universe’s past. Utilizing this framework, astronomers can derive a precise value for the universe’s expansion by analyzing the redshift of Cepheids’ light.

However, discrepancies arise. According to measurements of Cepheid variables conducted by Riess and his collaborators, the universe’s expansion rate stands at approximately 74 km/s/Mpc — an exceedingly high value compared to Planck’s measurements. This incongruity has propelled cosmology into uncharted waters.

“We cannot merely characterize it as a tension or problem, but rather, it constitutes a crisis,” remarked David Gross, a Nobel Prize-winning astronomer, during a 2019 conference at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP) in California.

Initially, some scientists posited that the disparity could be attributed to measurement errors stemming from the blending of Cepheids with other stellar entities within Hubble’s aperture. However, in 2023, researchers utilized the more precise JWST to validate their Hubble measurements for the initial segments of the cosmic ladder. Nevertheless, uncertainties persisted regarding observations further back in the universe’s timeline.

To address this quandary, Riess and his team expanded upon their previous observations, scrutinizing an additional 1,000 Cepheid stars across five host galaxies situated as far as 130 million light-years from Earth. Upon comparing their data with that obtained from Hubble, the astronomers reaffirmed their earlier determinations of the Hubble constant.

“We have now thoroughly examined the entirety of what Hubble has observed, and we can confidently dismiss measurement error as the cause of the Hubble Tension,” asserted Riess. “By combining data from Webb and Hubble, we can leverage the strengths of both instruments. Our findings affirm the reliability of Hubble’s measurements as we progress further along the cosmic distance ladder.”