Measuring the Hubble constant: Gravitational wave observations meet galaxy clustering

Abstract

We show how the distances to binary black holes measured in gravitational wave observations with ground-based interferometers can be used to constrain the redshift-distance relation and, thereby, measure the Hubble constant (H0). Gravitational wave observations of stellar-mass binary black holes are not expected to be accompanied by any electro-magnetic event that may help in accessing their redshifts. We address this deficiency by using an optical catalog to get the distribution of galaxies in redshift. Assuming that the clustering of the binaries is correlated with that of the galaxies, we propose using that correlation to measure H0. We show that employing this method on simulated data obtained for second-generation networks comprising at least three detectors, e.g., advanced LIGO -advanced VIRGO network, one can measure H0 with an accuracy of ∼ 8% with detection of a reference population of 25 binaries, each with black holes of mass 10M . As expected, with third-generation detectors like the Einstein telescope (ET), which will measure distances much more accurately and to greater depths, one can obtain better estimates for H0. Specifically, we show that with 25 observations, ET can constrain H0 to an accuracy of ∼7%. This method can also be used to estimate other cosmological parameters like the matter density Ωm and the dark energy equation of state.

First Measurement of the Hubble Constant from a Dark Standard Siren using the Dark Energy Survey Galaxies and the LIGO/Virgo Binary–Black-hole Merger GW170814

“…Several studies have developed methodologies to infer cosmological parameters from standard sirens and establish their constraining power (Schutz 1986;Holz & Hughes 2005;MacLeod & Hogan 2008;Nissanke et al 2010Nissanke et al , 2013Del Pozzo 2012;Nishizawa 2017;Chen et al 2018;Feeney et al 2019;Mortlock et al 2018;Vitale & Chen 2018). Chen et al (2018) predicted that we will be able to constrain H 0 with 2% precision within 5 yr with standard sirens detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)/Virgo, while Nair et al (2018) predicted a ∼7% measurement with just 25 binary-black-hole (BBH) events from the Einstein telescope.…”

Constraining the neutron-matter equation of state with gravitational waves

“…The detection of gravitational waves from the binary neutron star (bns) merger gw170817 by the advanced laser interferometer gravitational wave observatory (aligo) detectors [1] in Hanford, wa (lho) and Livingston, la (llo) and the virgo detector [2] ushered in the era of multi-messenger astronomy with gravitational waves [3,4]. This has been instrumental in launching novel ways of constraining cosmological parameters [5][6][7][8], on the one hand, and neutron star equation of state (eos) parameters, on the other hand [3,9]. In a bns system the neutron star masses and their eos determine how much quadrupolar deformation Q ij their tidal fields E ij are able to induce in each other.…”

Constraining properties of neutron star merger outflows with radio observations

“…Soares-Santos et al (2019) also apply this method to GW170814, and find H 0 = 75 +40 −32 km s −1 Mpc −1 . Chen et al (2018) find that this method will only achieve a precision of ∼ 10% within the next decade, while Nair et al (2018) find that third generation GW detectors may achieve a precision of 7% with only 25 BBH mergers. However, it will be possible to measure the redshift of BBH merger with third generation GW detectors to as good as 8% (Messenger & Read 2012), which will allow direct measurement of H 0 from gravitational wave events alone.…”