Constraining dark energy with SNe Ia and large-scale structure

Abstract

Measurements of the distances to SNe Ia have produced strong evidence that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating, implying the existence of a nearly uniform component of dark energy with negative pressure. We show that constraints to this mysterious component based upon large-scale structure nicely complement the SN Ia data, and that together they require Omega_X = (0.6,0.7) and w_X < -0.6 (95% cl), for the favored flat Universe. Other cosmological data support this conclusion. The simplest explanation, a cosmological constant, is consistent with this, while some of the other possibilities are not.

Comments: 5 pages Revtex with 2 eps figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett Minor changes to references