TITLE:
Expansion Rate and Hubble Tension Study
AUTHORS:
Gene H. Barbee
KEYWORDS:
Cosmology, Expansion, Hubble Constant, WMAP, PLANCK, Astrophysics, Black Holes
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of High Energy Physics, Gravitation and Cosmology,
Vol.12 No.4,
October
15,
2026
ABSTRACT: Two methods of measuring Hubble’s expansion rate constant H0 that do not agree are called the Hubble tension. The WMAP and PLANCK mission results were H0 = 67.5 ± 2 km/sec/mpsec. Their methodology involved interpretation of the Cosmic Microwave Background using the Lambda Cold Dark Matter (LCDM) expansion model and the Friedmann equation. A higher value, H0 = 70.39 km/sec/mpsec was recently reported from James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observations. Using distances for luminosity events (Cepheid variables and longer-range Type Ia supernove) yields higher values. Measurements are accurate to several sigma, indicating that something fundamental may be occurring. The present study addresses the expansion rate. A new expansion model, called the straight-line model, allows H0 to be determined in a straightforward manner. The result is 73.291 ± 0.008. Fundamental differences between the LCDM expansion model and the new model are reviewed. For example, derivations show that the concept of critical density does not apply to straight-line expansion. The continued motivation of this work is to understand the role of information in nature. The author believes there are two levels to nature: 1) an information level, 2) a correlated energy level. This belief is based on data that leads to an information-based proton mass model.