Constraints from the old quasar APM 08279+5255 on two classes of Λ(t)-cosmologies

Abstract

The viability of two different classes of Λ(t)CDM cosmologies is tested by using the APM 08279+5255, an old quasar at redshift z = 3.91. In the first class of models, the cosmological term scales as Λ(t) ~ R ⁻ⁿ. The particular case n = 0 describes the standard ΛCDM model whereas n = 2 stands for the Chen and Wu model. For an estimated age of 2 Gyr, it is found that the power index has a lower limit n > 0.21, whereas for 3 Gyr the limit is n > 0.6. Since n can not be so large as ~ 0.81, the ΛCDM and Chen and Wu models are also ruled out by this analysis. The second class of models is the one recently proposed by Wang and Meng which describes several Λ(t)CDM cosmologies discussed in the literature. By assuming that the true age is 2 Gyr it is found that the ε parameter satisfies the lower bound $\epsilon > 0.11$ , while for 3 Gyr, a lower limit of $\epsilon > 0.52$ is obtained. Such limits are slightly modified when the baryonic component is included.