BAO signatures in the 2-point angular correlations and the Hubble tension

Abstract

An observational tension on estimates of the Hubble parameter, H_0, using early and late Universe information, is being of intense discussion in the literature. Additionally, it is of great importance to measure H_0 independently of CMB data and local distance ladder method. In this sense, we analyze 15 measurements of the transversal BAO scale, theta _mathrm{BAO}, obtained in a weakly model-dependent approach, in combination with other data sets obtained in a model-independent way, namely, Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) information, 6 gravitationally lensed quasars with measured time delays by the H0LiCOW team, and measures of cosmic chronometers (CC). We find H_0 = 74.88_{-2.1}^{+1.9} km s{}^{-1} Mpc{}^{-1} and H_0 = 72.06_{-1.3}^{+1.2} km s{}^{-1} Mpc{}^{-1} from theta _{BAO}+BBN+H0LiCOW and theta _{BAO}+BBN+CC, respectively, in fully accordance with local measurements. Moreover, we estimate the sound horizon at drag epoch, r_mathrm{d}, independent of CMB data, and find r_mathrm{d}=144.1_{-5.5}^{+5.3} Mpc (from theta _{BAO}+BBN+H0LiCOW) and r_mathrm{d} =150.4_{-3.3}^{+2.7} Mpc (from theta _{BAO}+BBN+CC). In a second round of analysis, we test how the presence of a possible spatial curvature, Omega _k, can influence the main results. We compare our constraints on H_0 and r_mathrm{d} with other reported values. Our results show that it is possible to use a robust compilation of transversal BAO data, theta _{BAO}, jointly with other model-independent measurements, in such a way that the tension on the Hubble parameter can be alleviated.