An estimate of Ω_m without priors

Abstract

Using mean relative peculiar velocity measurements for pairs of galaxies, we estimate the cosmological density parameter $Ω_m$ and the amplitude of density fluctuations $σ_8$. Our results suggest that our statistic is a robust and reproducible measure of the mean pairwise velocity and thereby the $Ω_m$ parameter. We get $Ω_m = 0.30^{+0.17}_{-0.07}$ and $σ_8 = 1.13^{+0.22}_{-0.23}$. These estimates do not depend on prior assumptions on the adiabaticity of the initial density fluctuations, the ionization history, or the values of other cosmological parameters.

12 pages, 4 figures, slight changes to reflect published version