Resolving the S_8 Tension via the SV0 Framework: Gauge-Invariant Cosmological Perturbations and the Universal Information Field (Preprint)

The S_8 tension—the discrepancy between the amplitude of matter clustering predicted by Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) measurements and that observed by low-redshift weak lensing surveys—poses a significant challenge to the standard \LambdaCDM model. In this paper (Paper XXIV of the SV0 series), we present a rigorous resolution using the Signed-Volume (SV0) framework. Building upon the gauge-invariant perturbations formulated in Paper IV, we demonstrate that the Universal Information Field (UIF) acts as a dark matter component with a non-negligible effective sound speed. This sound speed introduces a Jeans scale that suppresses the growth of structure at small (non-linear) scales, while preserving the background expansion history. By modifying the standard growth equation with the SV0 logistic exchange law, we show that the predicted S_8 value aligns perfectly with weak lensing observations (e.g., DES, KiDS) without altering the CMB constraints. This work provides a natural, mathematically consistent solution to the S_8 tension. References:[1] M. U. Sandaruwan, "Gauge-Invariant Cosmological Perturbations..." (2026). Zenodo: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24034927[2] M. U. Sandaruwan, "Entropy Cancellation and Dark Matter..." (2026). Zenodo: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24047385[3] M. U. Sandaruwan, "Formalizing the SV0 Resolution of the Hierarchy Problem..." (2026). Zenodo: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24072004