Cosmological constraints from baryon acoustic oscillations and clustering of large-scale structure

We constrain cosmological parameters using combined measurements of the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) feature in the correlation function of galaxies and Ly- absorbers that together cover 0. 1 < z < 2. 4. The BAO position measurements alone -- without fixing the absolute sound horizon `standard ruler' length with cosmic microwave background (CMB) data -- constrain ₘ = 0. 303 +/- 0. 040 (68 per cent confidence) for a flat CDM model, and w = -1. 06^+0. 33-₀. ₃₂, ₘ = 0. 292^+0. 045-₀. ₀₄₀ for a flat wCDM model. Adding other large-scale structure (LSS) clustering constraints -- correlation function shape, the Alcock-Paczynski test and growth rate information -- to the BAO considerably tightens constraints (ₘ = 0. 290 +/- 0. 019, H₀ = 67. 5 +/- 2. 8 km s^-1 Mpc^-1, ₈ = 0. 80 +/- 0. 05 for CDM, and w = -1. 14 +/- 0. 19 for wCDM). The LSS data mildly prefer a lower value of H₀, and a higher value of ₘ, than local distance ladder and type IA supernovae (SNe) measurements, respectively. While tension in the combined CMB, SNe and distance ladder data appears to be relieved by allowing w < -1, this freedom introduces tension with the LSS ₈ constraint from the growth rate of matter fluctuations. The combined constraint on w from CMB, BAO and LSS clustering for a flat wCDM model is w = -1. 03 +/- 0. 06.