skip to main content


Title: A dark siren measurement of the Hubble constant using gravitational wave events from the first three LIGO/Virgo observing runs and DELVE
ABSTRACT

The current and next observation seasons will detect hundreds of gravitational waves (GWs) from compact binary systems coalescence at cosmological distances. When combined with independent electromagnetic measurements, the source redshift will be known, and we will be able to obtain precise measurements of the Hubble constant H0 via the distance–redshift relation. However, most observed mergers are not expected to have electromagnetic counterparts, which prevents a direct redshift measurement. In this scenario, one possibility is to use the dark sirens method that statistically marginalizes over all the potential host galaxies within the GW location volume to provide a probabilistic source redshift. Here we presented H0 measurements using two new dark sirens compared to previous analyses using DECam data: GW190924$\_$021846 and GW200202$\_$154313. The photometric redshifts of the possible host galaxies of these two events are acquired from the DECam Local Volume Exploration Survey (DELVE) carried out on the Blanco telescope at Cerro Tololo. The combination of the H0 posterior from GW190924$\_$021846 and GW200202$\_$154313 together with the bright siren GW170817 leads to $H_{0} = 68.84^{+15.51}_{-7.74}\, \rm {km\, s^{-1}\, Mpc^{-1}}$. Including these two dark sirens improves the 68  per cent confidence interval (CI) by 7  per cent over GW170817 alone. This demonstrates that the addition of well-localized dark sirens in such analysis improves the precision of cosmological measurements. Using a sample containing 10 well-localized dark sirens observed during the third LIGO/Virgo observation run, without the inclusion of GW170817, we determine a measurement of $H_{0} = 76.00^{+17.64}_{-13.45}\, \rm {km\, s^{-1}\, Mpc^{-1}}$.

 
more » « less
Award ID(s):
2308181
PAR ID:
10489140
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Oxford University Press
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume:
528
Issue:
2
ISSN:
0035-8711
Format(s):
Medium: X Size: p. 3249-3259
Size(s):
p. 3249-3259
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. ABSTRACT We present the measurement of the Hubble constant, H0, with three strong gravitational lens systems. We describe a blind analysis of both PG 1115+080 and HE 0435−1223 as well as an extension of our previous analysis of RXJ 1131−1231. For each lens, we combine new adaptive optics (AO) imaging from the Keck Telescope, obtained as part of the SHARP (Strong-lensing High Angular Resolution Programme) AO effort, with Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging, velocity dispersion measurements, and a description of the line-of-sight mass distribution to build an accurate and precise lens mass model. This mass model is then combined with the COSMOGRAIL-measured time delays in these systems to determine H0. We do both an AO-only and an AO + HST analysis of the systems and find that AO and HST results are consistent. After unblinding, the AO-only analysis gives $H_{0}=82.8^{+9.4}_{-8.3}~\rm km\, s^{-1}\, Mpc^{-1}$ for PG 1115+080, $H_{0}=70.1^{+5.3}_{-4.5}~\rm km\, s^{-1}\, Mpc^{-1}$ for HE 0435−1223, and $H_{0}=77.0^{+4.0}_{-4.6}~\rm km\, s^{-1}\, Mpc^{-1}$ for RXJ 1131−1231. The joint AO-only result for the three lenses is $H_{0}=75.6^{+3.2}_{-3.3}~\rm km\, s^{-1}\, Mpc^{-1}$. The joint result of the AO + HST analysis for the three lenses is $H_{0}=76.8^{+2.6}_{-2.6}~\rm km\, s^{-1}\, Mpc^{-1}$. All of these results assume a flat Λ cold dark matter cosmology with a uniform prior on Ωm in [0.05, 0.5] and H0 in [0, 150] $\rm km\, s^{-1}\, Mpc^{-1}$. This work is a collaboration of the SHARP and H0LiCOW teams, and shows that AO data can be used as the high-resolution imaging component in lens-based measurements of H0. The full time-delay cosmography results from a total of six strongly lensed systems are presented in a companion paper. 
    more » « less
  2. ABSTRACT

    We present a new constraint on the Hubble constant ($H_0$) from the standard dark siren method using a sample of five well-covered gravitational wave (GW) alerts reported during the first part of the fourth observing run of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), the Virgo and Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector (KAGRA) collaborations (LVK) and with three updated standard dark sirens from third observation run in combination with the previous constraints from the first three runs. Our methodology relies on the galaxy catalogue method alone. We use a deep learning method to derive the full probability density estimation of photometric redshifts using the Legacy Survey catalogues. We add the constraints from well localized binary black hole mergers to the sample of standard dark sirens analysed in our previous work. We combine the $H_0$ posterior for 5 new standard sirens with other 10 previous events (using the most recent available data for the five novel events and updated three previous posteriors from O3), finding $H_0 = 70.4^{+13.6}_{-11.7}~{\rm km~s^{-1}~Mpc^{-1}}$ (68 per cent confidence interval) with the catalogue method only. This result represents an improvement of $\sim 23~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ comparing the new 15 dark siren constraints with the previous 10 dark siren constraints and a reduction in uncertainty of $\sim 40~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ from the combination of 15 dark and bright sirens compared with the GW170817 bright siren alone. The combination of dark and bright siren GW170817 with recent jet constraints yields $H_0$ of $68.0^{+4.4}_{-3.8}~{\rm km~s^{-1}~Mpc^{-1}}$, a $\sim 6~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ precision from standard sirens, reducing the previous constraint uncertainty by $\sim 10~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$.

     
    more » « less
  3. Abstract We present a measurement of the Hubble constant (H0) and other cosmological parameters from a joint analysis of six gravitationally lensed quasars with measured time delays. All lenses except the first are analyzed blindly with respect to the cosmological parameters. In a flat ΛCDM cosmology, we find $H_{0} = 73.3_{-1.8}^{+1.7}~\mathrm{km~s^{-1}~Mpc^{-1}}$, a $2.4{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ precision measurement, in agreement with local measurements of H0 from type Ia supernovae calibrated by the distance ladder, but in 3.1σ tension with Planck observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). This method is completely independent of both the supernovae and CMB analyses. A combination of time-delay cosmography and the distance ladder results is in 5.3σ tension with Planck CMB determinations of H0 in flat ΛCDM. We compute Bayes factors to verify that all lenses give statistically consistent results, showing that we are not underestimating our uncertainties and are able to control our systematics. We explore extensions to flat ΛCDM using constraints from time-delay cosmography alone, as well as combinations with other cosmological probes, including CMB observations from Planck, baryon acoustic oscillations, and type Ia supernovae. Time-delay cosmography improves the precision of the other probes, demonstrating the strong complementarity. Allowing for spatial curvature does not resolve the tension with Planck. Using the distance constraints from time-delay cosmography to anchor the type Ia supernova distance scale, we reduce the sensitivity of our H0 inference to cosmological model assumptions. For six different cosmological models, our combined inference on H0 ranges from ∼73–78 km s−1 Mpc−1, which is consistent with the local distance ladder constraints. 
    more » « less
  4. ABSTRACT

    The measurement of the Hubble–Lemaître constant (H0) from the cosmic microwave background and the Type IA supernovae are at odds with each other. One way to resolve this tension is to use an independent way to measure H0. This can be accomplished by using gravitational-wave (GW) observations. Previous works have shown that with the onset of the next generation of GW detector networks, it will be possible to constrain H0 to better than 2 per cent precision (which is enough to resolve the tension) with binary black hole systems that are extremely well localized in the sky, also called golden dark sirens. Bright sirens like binary neutron star systems can also help resolve the tension if both the GW and the following electromagnetic counterpart are detected. In this work, we show that neutron star-black hole (NSBH) mergers can act both as golden dark sirens as well as bright sirens, thus, assigning them the term grey sirens. We assess the potential of using NSBH mergers to measure H0 and find that the Voyager network might be able to resolve the tension in an observation span of 5 yr. The next generation networks, which include the Cosmic Explorer detectors and the Einstein Telescope will be able to measure H0 to sub-per cent level just by using NSBH mergers.

     
    more » « less
  5. ABSTRACT

    Modified theories of gravity predict deviations from general relativity (GR) in the propagation of gravitational waves (GWs) across cosmological distances. A key prediction is that the GW luminosity distance will vary with redshift, differing from the electromagnetic (EM) luminosity distance due to varying effective Planck mass. We introduce a model-independent, data-driven approach to explore these deviations using multimessenger observations of dark standard sirens [binary black holes (BBH)]. By combining GW luminosity distance measurements from dark sirens with baryon acoustic oscillation measurements, BBH redshifts inferred from cross-correlation with spectroscopic or photometric galaxy surveys, and sound horizon measurements from the cosmic microwave background, we can make a data-driven test of GR (jointly with the Hubble constant) as a function of redshift. Using the multimessenger technique with the spectroscopic DESI galaxy survey, we achieve precise measurements of deviations in the effective Planck mass variation with redshift. For the Cosmic Explorer and Einstein Telescope (CEET), the best precision is approximately 3.6 per cent, and for LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA (LVK), it is 7.4 per cent at a redshift of $\rm {z = 0.425}$. Additionally, we can measure the Hubble constant with a precision of about 1.1 per cent from CEET and 7 per cent from LVK over 5 yr of observation with a 75 per cent duty cycle. We also explore the potential of cross-correlation with photometric galaxy surveys from the Rubin Observatory, extending measurements up to a redshift of $\rm {z \sim 2.5}$. This approach can reveal potential deviations from models affecting GW propagation using numerous dark standard sirens in synergy with DESI and the Rubin Observatory.

     
    more » « less