We present a new catalogue of ∼2400 optically selected quasars with spectroscopic redshifts and X-ray observations from either Chandra or XMM–Newton. The sample can be used to investigate the non-linear relation between the ultraviolet (UV) and X-ray luminosity of quasars as well as to build a Hubble diagram up to a redshift of z ∼ 7.5. We selected sources that are neither reddened by dust in the optical and UV nor obscured by gas in the X-rays, and whose X-ray fluxes are free from flux-limit-related biases. After checking for any possible systematics, we confirm, in agreement with our previous works, that the X-ray to UV relation provides distance estimates matching those from supernovae up to z ∼ 1.5, and its slope shows no redshift evolution up to z ∼ 5. We provide a full description of the methodology for testing cosmological models, further supporting a trend whereby the Hubble diagram of quasars is well reproduced by the standard flat cold dark matter model up to z ∼ 1.5–2, but strong deviations emerge at higher redshifts. Since we have minimised all non-negligible systematic effects and proven the stability of the LX − LUV relation at high redshifts, we conclude that an evolution of the expansion rate of the Universe should be considered as a possible explanation for the observed deviation, rather than some systematic (redshift-dependent) effect associated with high-redshift quasars.
Cosmography is a powerful tool for investigating the Universe kinematic and then for reconstructing the dynamics in a model-independent way. However, recent new measurements of supernovae Ia and quasars have populated the Hubble diagram up to high redshifts (z ∼ 7.5) and the application of the traditional cosmographic approach has become less straightforward due to the large redshifts implied. Here we investigate this issue through an expansion of the luminosity distance–redshift relation in terms of orthogonal logarithmic polynomials. In particular, we point out the advantages of a new procedure called orthogonalization, and we show that such an expansion provides a very good fit in the whole z = 0 ÷ 7.5 range to both real and mock data obtained assuming various cosmological models. Moreover, although the cosmographic series is tested well beyond its convergence radius, the parameters obtained expanding the luminosity distance–redshift relation for the Lambda cold dark matter (ΛCDM) model are broadly consistent with the results from a fit of mock data obtained with the same cosmological model. This provides a method for testing the reliability of a cosmographic function to study cosmological models at high redshifts, and it demonstrates that the logarithmic polynomial series can be used to test the consistency of the ΛCDM model with the current Hubble diagram of quasars and supernovae Ia. We confirm a strong tension (at > 4σ) between the concordance cosmological model and the Hubble diagram at z > 1.5. This tension is dominated by the contribution of quasars at z > 2 and also starts to be present in the few supernovae Ia observed at z > 1.
We analyse some open debates in cosmology in light of the most updated quasar (QSO) sample, covering a wide redshift range up to z ∼ 7.5, combined with type Ia supernovae (SNe) and baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO). Indeed, extending the cosmological analyses with high-redshift data is key to distinguishing between different cosmological models that are degenerate at low redshifts, and allowing better constraints on a possible dark energy (DE) evolution. Also, we discuss combinations of BAO, SNe, and QSO data to understand their compatibility and implications for extensions of the standard cosmological model. Specifically, we consider a flat and non-flat ΛCDM cosmology, a flat and non-flat DE model with a constant DE equation of state parameter (w), and four flat DE models with variable w, namely the Chevallier-Polarski-Linder and Jassal-Bagla-Padmanabhan models, and an ‘exponential’ and Barboza-Alcaniz parameterisations. We find that a joint analysis of QSO+SNe with BAO is only possible in the context of a flat Universe. Indeed BAO confirms the flatness condition assuming a curved geometry, whilst SNe+QSO show evidence of a closed space. We also find ΩM, 0 = 0.3 in all data sets assuming a flat ΛCDM model. Yet, all the other models show a statistically significant deviation at 2-3σ with the combined SNe+QSO+BAO data set. In the models where DE density evolves with time, SNe+QSO+BAO data always prefer ΩM, 0 > 0.3, w0 < −1 and wa > 0. This DE phantom behaviour is mainly driven by SNe+QSO, while BAO are closer to the flat ΛCDM model.
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