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Article
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
Faculty Publications
  • Tiffany Summerscales, Andrews University
  • M. Soares-Santos, et al.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-26-2019
Keywords
  • Hubble constant,
  • Redshift,
  • Galaxy,
  • Dark energy,
  • Black hole,
  • VIRGO,
  • LIGO,
  • Cosmic background radiation,
  • Gravitational radiation,
  • Gravitational radiation,
  • Emission,
  • Direct detection,
  • Gravitational radiation detector,
  • Electromagnetic field production,
  • Statistical analysis,
  • Black hole: binary,
  • Supernova
Abstract

We present a multi-messenger measurement of the Hubble constant H 0 using the binary–black-hole merger GW170814 as a standard siren, combined with a photometric redshift catalog from the Dark Energy Survey (DES). The luminosity distance is obtained from the gravitational wave signal detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)/Virgo Collaboration (LVC) on 2017 August 14, and the redshift information is provided by the DES Year 3 data. Black hole mergers such as GW170814 are expected to lack bright electromagnetic emission to uniquely identify their host galaxies and build an object-by-object Hubble diagram. However, they are suitable for a statistical measurement, provided that a galaxy catalog of adequate depth and redshift completion is available. Here we present the first Hubble parameter measurement using a black hole merger. Our analysis results in , which is consistent with both SN Ia and cosmic microwave background measurements of the Hubble constant. The quoted 68% credible region comprises 60% of the uniform prior range [20, 140] km s−1 Mpc−1, and it depends on the assumed prior range. If we take a broader prior of [10, 220] km s−1 Mpc−1, we find (57% of the prior range). Although a weak constraint on the Hubble constant from a single event is expected using the dark siren method, a multifold increase in the LVC event rate is anticipated in the coming years and combinations of many sirens will lead to improved constraints on H 0.

Journal Title
Astrophysical Journal Letters
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ab14f1
First Department
Physics
Citation Information
Tiffany Summerscales and M. Soares-Santos. "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" Vol. 876 Iss. 1 (2019) p. 01540
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/tiffany_summerscales/117/