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Non-Gaussian Error Distribution of Hubble Constant Measurements

Gang Chen·J. Richard Gott III·Bharat Ratra
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Abstract

We construct the error distribution of Hubble constant ($H_0$) measurements from Huchra's compilation of 461 measurements of $H_0$ and the WMAP experiment central value $H_0$ = 71 km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$. This error distribution is non-Gaussian, with significantly larger probability in the tails of the distribution than predicted by a Gaussian distribution. The 95.4 % confidence limits are 7.0 $σ$ in terms of the quoted errors. It is remarkably well described by either a widened $n = 2$ Student's $t$ distribution or a widened double exponential distribution. These conclusions are unchanged if we use instead the central value $H_0$ = 67 km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$ found from a median statistics analysis of a major subset of $H_0$ measurements used here.

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Gang Chen, J. Richard Gott III, Bharat Ratra. 2003-08-06. Non-Gaussian Error Distribution of Hubble Constant Measurements. https://doi.org/10.1086/379219

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