Cosmological Parameters

Michael S. Turner

Published 1999-04-03Version 1

The discussion of cosmological parameters used to be a source of embarrassment to cosmologists. Today, measurements of the cosmological parameters are leading the way into the era of precision cosmology. The CMB temperature is measured to four significant figures, T_0=2.7277+/-0.002 K; the Hubble constant is now determined with a reliable error estimate, H_0=(65+/-5) km sec^-1 Mpc^-1; the mass density of baryons is precisely determined by big-bang nucleosynthesis Omega_B = (0.019+/-0.001) h^-2; and the age of the Universe inferred from the ages of the oldest stars is 14+/-1.5 Gyr, which is consistent the expansion age. Further, we have the first full accounting of matter and energy in the Universe, complete with a self consistency check. Expressed as a fraction of the critical density it goes like this: neutrinos, between 0.3% and 15%; stars, between 0.3% and 0.6%; baryons (total), 5+/-0.5%; matter (total),40% +/- 10%; smooth, dark energy, 80% +/- 20%; totaling to the critical density (within the errors).