A gravitational-wave standard siren measurement of the Hubble constant

LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration; 1M2H Collaboration; Dark Energy Camera GW-EM Collaboration; DES Collaboration; DLT40 Collaboration; Las Cumbres Observatory Collaboration; VINRO UGE Collaboration; MASTER Collaboration

doi:10.1038/nature24471

A gravitational-wave standard siren measurement of the Hubble constant

LIGO Scientific Collaboration, Virgo Collaboration, 1M2H Collaboration, Dark Energy Camera GW-EM Collaboration, DES Collaboration, DLT40 Collaboration, Las Cumbres Observatory Collaboration, VINRO UGE Collaboration, MASTER Collaboration

School of Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

905 Scopus citations

Abstract

On 17 August 2017, the Advanced LIGO¹ and Virgo² detectors observed the gravitational-wave event GW170817-a strong signal from the merger of a binary neutron-star system³. Less than two seconds after the merger, a γ-ray burst (GRB 170817A) was detected within a region of the sky consistent with the LIGO-Virgo-derived location of the gravitational-wave source^4-6. This sky region was subsequently observed by optical astronomy facilities⁷, resulting in the identification^8-13 of an optical transient signal within about ten arcseconds of the galaxy NGC 4993. This detection of GW170817 in both gravitational waves and electromagnetic waves represents the first 'multi-messenger' astronomical observation. Such observations enable GW170817 to be used as a 'standard siren'^14-18 (meaning that the absolute distance to the source can be determined directly from the gravitational-wave measurements) to measure the Hubble constant. This quantity represents the local expansion rate of the Universe, sets the overall scale of the Universe and is of fundamental importance to cosmology. Here we report a measurement of the Hubble constant that combines the distance to the source inferred purely from the gravitational-wave signal with the recession velocity inferred from measurements of the redshift using the electromagnetic data. In contrast to previous measurements, ours does not require the use of a cosmic 'distance ladder'¹⁹: the gravitational-wave analysis can be used to estimate the luminosity distance out to cosmological scales directly, without the use of intermediate astronomical distance measurements. We determine the Hubble constant to be about 70 kilometres per second per megaparsec. This value is consistent with existing measurements^20,21, while being completely independent of them. Additional standard siren measurements from future gravitationalwave sources will enable the Hubble constant to be constrained to high precision.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	85-98
Number of pages	14
Journal	Nature
Volume	551
Issue number	7678
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nature24471
State	Published - 2 Nov 2017

Funding

Funders	Funder number
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India
Ministry of Education, India
ICTP South American Institute for Fundamental Research
Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovações e Comunicações
National Kidney Foundation of Iowa
National Research Foundation of Korea
Narodowe Centrum Nauki
Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte
Scottish Universities Physics Alliance
Lomonosov MSU Development Programme
Scottish Funding Council
Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
Leverhulme Trust
Science and Engineering Research Board
Engineering Research Centers
Instituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation
Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Kavli Foundation
Danmarks Grundforskningsfond
Nemzeti Kutatási Fejlesztési és Innovációs Hivatal
European Commission
Russian Foundation for Basic Research
Heising-Simons Foundation
U.S. Department of Energy
Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Agencia Estatal de Investigación
Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research for the construction and operation of the Virgo detector
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee
Russian Science Foundation
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
David and Lucile Packard Foundation
State of Niedersachsen
Office of Science
Hungarian Scientific Research Fund
UCMEXUS-CONACYT
Royal Society
Canadian Institute for Advanced Research
Universitat de les Illes Balears
European Regional Development Fund
Generalitat Valenciana
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Science and Technology Facilities Council	ST/N000064/1, ST/K005014/2, ST/N00003X/1, ST/M004090/1, ST/K005014/1, ST/M004090/2, ST/J000019/1, 1785610, ST/P000258/1, ST/H002006/1, ST/P000649/1, ST/L000954/1, ST/M005844/1, ST/J000345/1, ST/H008438/1, PP/F00110X/1, ST/I000887/1, ST/J000302/1, 1653071, ST/N005481/1, ST/N000072/1, ST/L000911/1, ST/N005422/1, ST/P000495/1, ST/N005716/1, PPA/G/S/2002/00652, ST/N005406/1, ST/J000361/1, Gravitational Waves, ST/G504284/1, ST/K000845/1, ST/N000927/1, ST/L003465/1, ST/I006285/1, ST/I006242/1, ST/M006735/1, PP/F001096/1, ST/N000080/1, ST/I006269/1, ST/I001085/1, ST/L000946/1, ST/L000733/1, ST/L000962/1, ST/N000633/1, ST/F500972/1, ST/N005430/1, ST/I001026/1, ST/J00166X/1
National Science Foundation	1607709, 1707965, 1707954, 1458952, 1104371, 1138766, 1707835, 1517030, 1313484, 1708081, 1607520, 1607585, 1716394, 1455090, 1700765, 1720756, 1541396, 1404139, 1125897, 1714498, 1517649, 1242090, 1607336
Centro de Excelencia	SEV-2016-0597, MDM-2015-0509, SEV-2012-0234
Space Telescope Science Institute	NNX16AC22G, NNX15AE50G, NAS5–26555, AST-1411763, AST-1714498
Niels Bohr International Academy	AST–1518052
High Energy Physics	PF6-170148, AST-1313484, AST-1517649
Israel Science Foundation	541/17
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science	15H02082
Seventh Framework Programme	240672, 306478, 291329
Fermi Research Alliance, LLC	DE-AC02-07CH11359
Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung	159922
Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad	ESP2015-88861, AST-1138766, FPA2015-68048, AST-1536171, AYA2015-71825
Australian Research Council	CE110001020
National Aeronautics and Space Administration	HST–HF–51348.001, HST–HF–51373.001
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme	725246
Not added	12227

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10.1038/nature24471

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LIGO Scientific Collaboration, Virgo Collaboration, 1M2H Collaboration, Dark Energy Camera GW-EM Collaboration, DES Collaboration, DLT40 Collaboration, Las Cumbres Observatory Collaboration, VINRO UGE Collaboration, & MASTER Collaboration (2017). A gravitational-wave standard siren measurement of the Hubble constant. Nature, 551(7678), 85-98. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature24471

@article{b9ad4f0830cc463f9769e98e25193a26,

title = "A gravitational-wave standard siren measurement of the Hubble constant",

abstract = "On 17 August 2017, the Advanced LIGO1 and Virgo2 detectors observed the gravitational-wave event GW170817-a strong signal from the merger of a binary neutron-star system3. Less than two seconds after the merger, a γ-ray burst (GRB 170817A) was detected within a region of the sky consistent with the LIGO-Virgo-derived location of the gravitational-wave source4-6. This sky region was subsequently observed by optical astronomy facilities7, resulting in the identification8-13 of an optical transient signal within about ten arcseconds of the galaxy NGC 4993. This detection of GW170817 in both gravitational waves and electromagnetic waves represents the first 'multi-messenger' astronomical observation. Such observations enable GW170817 to be used as a 'standard siren'14-18 (meaning that the absolute distance to the source can be determined directly from the gravitational-wave measurements) to measure the Hubble constant. This quantity represents the local expansion rate of the Universe, sets the overall scale of the Universe and is of fundamental importance to cosmology. Here we report a measurement of the Hubble constant that combines the distance to the source inferred purely from the gravitational-wave signal with the recession velocity inferred from measurements of the redshift using the electromagnetic data. In contrast to previous measurements, ours does not require the use of a cosmic 'distance ladder'19: the gravitational-wave analysis can be used to estimate the luminosity distance out to cosmological scales directly, without the use of intermediate astronomical distance measurements. We determine the Hubble constant to be about 70 kilometres per second per megaparsec. This value is consistent with existing measurements20,21, while being completely independent of them. Additional standard siren measurements from future gravitationalwave sources will enable the Hubble constant to be constrained to high precision.",

author = "{LIGO Scientific Collaboration} and {Virgo Collaboration} and {1M2H Collaboration} and {Dark Energy Camera GW-EM Collaboration} and {DES Collaboration} and {DLT40 Collaboration} and {Las Cumbres Observatory Collaboration} and {VINRO UGE Collaboration} and {MASTER Collaboration} and Abbott, {B. P.} and R. Abbott and Abbott, {T. D.} and F. Acernese and K. Ackley and C. Adams and T. Adams and P. Addesso and Adhikari, {R. X.} and Adya, {V. B.} and C. Affeldt and M. Afrough and B. Agarwal and M. Agathos and K. Agatsuma and N. Aggarwal and Aguiar, {O. D.} and L. Aiello and A. Ain and P. Ajith and B. Allen and G. Allen and A. Allocca and Altin, {P. A.} and A. Amato and A. Ananyeva and Anderson, {S. B.} and Anderson, {W. G.} and Angelova, {S. V.} and S. Antier and S. Appert and K. Arai and Araya, {M. C.} and Areeda, {J. S.} and N. Arnaud and Arun, {K. G.} and S. Ascenzi and G. Ashton and M. Ast and Aston, {S. M.} and P. Astone and Atallah, {D. V.} and P. Aufmuth and C. Aulbert and K. AultONeal and C. Austin and A. Avila-Alvarez and J. Scheuer and Iair Arcavi and Dovi Poznanski",

year = "2017",

month = nov,

day = "2",

doi = "10.1038/nature24471",

language = "אנגלית",

volume = "551",

pages = "85--98",

journal = "Nature",

issn = "0028-0836",

publisher = "Nature Research",

number = "7678",

}

LIGO Scientific Collaboration, Virgo Collaboration, 1M2H Collaboration, Dark Energy Camera GW-EM Collaboration, DES Collaboration, DLT40 Collaboration, Las Cumbres Observatory Collaboration, VINRO UGE Collaboration & MASTER Collaboration 2017, 'A gravitational-wave standard siren measurement of the Hubble constant', Nature, vol. 551, no. 7678, pp. 85-98. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature24471

TY - JOUR

T1 - A gravitational-wave standard siren measurement of the Hubble constant

AU - LIGO Scientific Collaboration

AU - Virgo Collaboration

AU - 1M2H Collaboration

AU - Dark Energy Camera GW-EM Collaboration

AU - DES Collaboration

AU - DLT40 Collaboration

AU - Las Cumbres Observatory Collaboration

AU - VINRO UGE Collaboration

AU - MASTER Collaboration

AU - Abbott, B. P.

AU - Abbott, R.

AU - Abbott, T. D.

AU - Acernese, F.

AU - Ackley, K.

AU - Adams, C.

AU - Adams, T.

AU - Addesso, P.

AU - Adhikari, R. X.

AU - Adya, V. B.

AU - Affeldt, C.

AU - Afrough, M.

AU - Agarwal, B.

AU - Agathos, M.

AU - Agatsuma, K.

AU - Aggarwal, N.

AU - Aguiar, O. D.

AU - Aiello, L.

AU - Ain, A.

AU - Ajith, P.

AU - Allen, B.

AU - Allen, G.

AU - Allocca, A.

AU - Altin, P. A.

AU - Amato, A.

AU - Ananyeva, A.

AU - Anderson, S. B.

AU - Anderson, W. G.

AU - Angelova, S. V.

AU - Antier, S.

AU - Appert, S.

AU - Arai, K.

AU - Araya, M. C.

AU - Areeda, J. S.

AU - Arnaud, N.

AU - Arun, K. G.

AU - Ascenzi, S.

AU - Ashton, G.

AU - Ast, M.

AU - Aston, S. M.

AU - Astone, P.

AU - Atallah, D. V.

AU - Aufmuth, P.

AU - Aulbert, C.

AU - AultONeal, K.

AU - Austin, C.

AU - Avila-Alvarez, A.

AU - Scheuer, J.

AU - Arcavi, Iair

AU - Poznanski, Dovi

PY - 2017/11/2

Y1 - 2017/11/2

N2 - On 17 August 2017, the Advanced LIGO1 and Virgo2 detectors observed the gravitational-wave event GW170817-a strong signal from the merger of a binary neutron-star system3. Less than two seconds after the merger, a γ-ray burst (GRB 170817A) was detected within a region of the sky consistent with the LIGO-Virgo-derived location of the gravitational-wave source4-6. This sky region was subsequently observed by optical astronomy facilities7, resulting in the identification8-13 of an optical transient signal within about ten arcseconds of the galaxy NGC 4993. This detection of GW170817 in both gravitational waves and electromagnetic waves represents the first 'multi-messenger' astronomical observation. Such observations enable GW170817 to be used as a 'standard siren'14-18 (meaning that the absolute distance to the source can be determined directly from the gravitational-wave measurements) to measure the Hubble constant. This quantity represents the local expansion rate of the Universe, sets the overall scale of the Universe and is of fundamental importance to cosmology. Here we report a measurement of the Hubble constant that combines the distance to the source inferred purely from the gravitational-wave signal with the recession velocity inferred from measurements of the redshift using the electromagnetic data. In contrast to previous measurements, ours does not require the use of a cosmic 'distance ladder'19: the gravitational-wave analysis can be used to estimate the luminosity distance out to cosmological scales directly, without the use of intermediate astronomical distance measurements. We determine the Hubble constant to be about 70 kilometres per second per megaparsec. This value is consistent with existing measurements20,21, while being completely independent of them. Additional standard siren measurements from future gravitationalwave sources will enable the Hubble constant to be constrained to high precision.

AB - On 17 August 2017, the Advanced LIGO1 and Virgo2 detectors observed the gravitational-wave event GW170817-a strong signal from the merger of a binary neutron-star system3. Less than two seconds after the merger, a γ-ray burst (GRB 170817A) was detected within a region of the sky consistent with the LIGO-Virgo-derived location of the gravitational-wave source4-6. This sky region was subsequently observed by optical astronomy facilities7, resulting in the identification8-13 of an optical transient signal within about ten arcseconds of the galaxy NGC 4993. This detection of GW170817 in both gravitational waves and electromagnetic waves represents the first 'multi-messenger' astronomical observation. Such observations enable GW170817 to be used as a 'standard siren'14-18 (meaning that the absolute distance to the source can be determined directly from the gravitational-wave measurements) to measure the Hubble constant. This quantity represents the local expansion rate of the Universe, sets the overall scale of the Universe and is of fundamental importance to cosmology. Here we report a measurement of the Hubble constant that combines the distance to the source inferred purely from the gravitational-wave signal with the recession velocity inferred from measurements of the redshift using the electromagnetic data. In contrast to previous measurements, ours does not require the use of a cosmic 'distance ladder'19: the gravitational-wave analysis can be used to estimate the luminosity distance out to cosmological scales directly, without the use of intermediate astronomical distance measurements. We determine the Hubble constant to be about 70 kilometres per second per megaparsec. This value is consistent with existing measurements20,21, while being completely independent of them. Additional standard siren measurements from future gravitationalwave sources will enable the Hubble constant to be constrained to high precision.

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A gravitational-wave standard siren measurement of the Hubble constant

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