High $H_0$ Values from CMB E-mode Data: A Clue for Resolving the Hubble Tension?

Abstract

The E-mode (EE) CMB power spectra measured by Planck, ACTPol, and SPTpol constrain the Hubble constant to be $70.0\pm2.7$, $72.4^{+3.9}_{-4.8}$, and $73.1^{+3.3}_{-3.9}$ km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$ within the standard $\Lambda$CDM model (posterior mean and central 68% interval bounds). These values are higher than the constraints from the Planck temperature (TT) power spectrum, and consistent with the Cepheid-supernova distance ladder measurement $H_0=73.2\pm1.3$ km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$. If this preference for a higher value was strengthened in a joint analysis it could provide an intriguing hint at the resolution of the Hubble disagreement. We show, however, that combining the Planck, ACTPol, and SPTpol EE likelihoods yields $H_0=68.7\pm1.3$ km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$, $2.4\sigma$ lower than the distance ladder measurement. This is due to different degeneracy directions across the full parameter space, particularly involving the baryon density, $\Omega_bh^2$, and scalar tilt, $n_s$, arising from sensitivity to different multipole ranges. We show that the E-mode $\Lambda$CDM constraints are consistent across the different experiments within $1.4\sigma$, and with the Planck TT results at $0.8\sigma$. Combining the Planck, ACTPol, and SPTpol EE data constrains the phenomenological lensing amplitude, $A_L=0.89\pm0.10$, consistent with the expected value of unity.