DETERMINATION OF THE COSMOLOGICAL PARAMETERS

The standard cosmological model is determined once the present values of the Hubble constant, H_o, the deceleration parameter, q_o (or the density parameter Ω_o), the temperature of the cosmic microwave background radiation , T₀, the baryon-to-photon number ratio, η_o, and the number of light neutrino families, N_v, are specified.

In this Chapter the most important methods used to measure H_o, q_o and Ω_o are considered. In forthcoming Chapters, the derivation of the T_o, η_o and N_v parameters will be discussed.