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

California Institute of Technology
Louisiana State University
University of Salerno
National Institute for Nuclear Physics
University of Florida
Monash University
National Science Foundation
Université Savoie Mont Blanc
University of Sannio
Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute)
University of Mississippi
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Cambridge
National Institute for Subatomic Physics
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais
Gran Sasso Science Institute
Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics India
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Leibniz University Hannover
University of Pisa
Australian National University
CNRS/IN2P3
University of the West of Scotland
Université Paris-Saclay
California State University Fullerton
European Gravitational Observatory
SPIC Science Foundation
University of Rome Tor Vergata
University of Hamburg
Cardiff University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Université de Paris
University of Glasgow

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

1089 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
Externally published	Yes

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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{2d921e288fd34d3d857da9a759bcf412,

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 S. Babak and P. Bacon and K. Lee",

year = "2017",

month = nov,

day = "2",

doi = "10.1038/nature24471",

language = "English",

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 - Babak, S.

AU - Bacon, P.

AU - Lee, K.

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.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85033578549

U2 - 10.1038/nature24471

DO - 10.1038/nature24471

M3 - Article

C2 - 29094696

AN - SCOPUS:85033578549

SN - 0028-0836

VL - 551

SP - 85

EP - 98

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

IS - 7678

ER -

A gravitational-wave standard siren measurement of the Hubble constant

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