Our local environment at r < 10 Mpc expands linearly and smoothly , as if ruled by a uniform matter distribution , while observations show the very clumpy local universe .
This is a long standing enigma in cosmology .
We argue that the recently discovered vacuum or quintessence ( dark energy ( DE ) component with the equation of state p _ { Q } = w \rho _ { Q } c ^ { 2 } , w \in [ -1 , 0 ) ) from observations of the high-redshift universe may also manifest itself in the properties of the very local Hubble flow .
We introduce the concept of the critical distance r _ { Q } where the repulsive force of dark energy starts to dominate over the gravity of a mass concentration .
For the Local Group r _ { Q } is about 1.5 Mpc .
Intriguingly , at the same distance 1.5 Mpc the linear and very ” cold ” Hubble flow emerges , with about the global Hubble constant .
We also consider the critical epoch t _ { Q } , when the DE antigravity began to dominate over the local matter gravity for a galaxy which at the present epoch is in the local DE dominated region .
Our main result is that the homogeneous dark energy component , revealed by SNIa observations , resolves the old confrontation between the local Hubble flow and local highly non-uniform , fractal matter distribution .
It explains why the Hubble law starts on the outskirts of the Local Group , with the same Hubble constant as globally and with a remarkably small velocity dispersion .