(The) effect of dark gauge boson and quintessence on the Hubble tension

Abstract

A significant tension currently exists between the Hubble constant of the early universe and the late universe. The inferred value of the Hubble constant from the CMB measurement based on $\Lambda$CDM is $H_0=67.4\pm0.5$ km s$^{-1}$Mpc$^{-1}$, which represents the early universe estimation. However, local observations in the late universe from supernovae or lensing time delays mostly give a Hubble constant of about $73$ km s$^{-1}$Mpc$^{-1}$. This discrepancy is called "the Hubble tension." In this paper, we suggest a quintessence scalar field and hidden U(1)$_D$ gauge boson as dark energy extending the $\Lambda$CDM to explain the dynamics of the dark energy resolving the Hubble tension. In our numerical analysis, the cosmic fluid of the quintessence and the dark gauge boson behaves as radiation in the early universe. After recombination, the cosmic fluid transforms to dark energy and finally dominates the late universe. The additional radiation introduced by the quintessence and dark gauge boson resolves the Hubble tension by reducing the sound horizon, which enhances $H_0$ to $73$ km s$^{-1}$Mpc$^{-1}$. And this model does not alter the BAO angle since the quintessence slightly changes the Hubble parameter in the late universe.