Joint Cosmic Microwave Background and Weak Lensing Analysis: Constraints on Cosmological Parameters

We use cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations together with the red-sequence cluster survey weak lensing results to derive constraints on a range of cosmological parameters. This particular choice of observations is motivated by their robust physical interpretation and complementarity. Our combined analysis, including a weak nucleosynthesis constraint, yields accurate determinations of a number of parameters including the amplitude of fluctuations ${\sigma }_8=0.89\pm 0.05$ and matter density ${\Omega }_m=0.30\pm 0.03$. We also find a value for the Hubble parameter of $H_0=70\pm 3\mathrm{k}\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}{\mathrm{M}\mathrm{p}\mathrm{c}}^{-1}$, in good agreement with the Hubble Space Telescope key-project result. We conclude that the combination of CMB and weak lensing data provides some of the most powerful constraints available in cosmology today.