The Effect of Inhomogeneities on the Luminosity Distance-Redshift Relation: is Dark Energy Necessary in a Perturbed Universe?

Abstract

The luminosity distance-redshift relation is one of the fundamental tools of modern cosmology. We compute the luminosity distance-redshift relation in a perturbed flat matter-dominated Universe, taking into account the presence of cosmological inhomogeneities up to second order in perturbation theory. Cosmological observations implementing the luminosity distance-redshift relation tell us that the Universe is presently undergoing a phase of accelerated expansion. This seems to call for a mysterious Dark Energy component with negative pressure. Our findings suggest that the need of a Dark Energy fluid may be challenged once a realistic inhomogeneous Universe is considered and that an accelerated expansion may be consistent with a matter-dominated Universe.

Comments: 19 pages, 2 figures. Phys. Rev. D, in press. replaced to match the accepted version