Striking a Chord with Spectral Sirens: Multiple Features in the Compact Binary Population Correlate with H<sub>0</sub>

Abstract Spectral siren measurements of the Hubble constant ( H 0 ) rely on correlations between observed detector-frame masses and luminosity distances. Features in the source-frame mass distribution can induce these correlations. It is crucial, then, to understand (i) which features in the source-frame mass distribution are robust against model (re)parameterization, (ii) which features carry the most information about H 0 , and (iii) whether distinct features independently correlate with cosmological parameters. We study these questions using real gravitational-wave observations from the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaborations' third observing run. Although constraints on H 0 are weak, we find that current data reveals several prominent features in the mass distribution, including peaks in the binary black hole source-frame mass distribution near ∼9 M ⊙ and ∼32 M ⊙ and a roll-off at masses above ∼46 M ⊙. For the first time using real data, we show that all of these features carry cosmological information and that the peak near ∼32 M ⊙ consistently correlates with H 0 most strongly. Introducing model-independent summary statistics, we show that these statistics independently correlate with H 0 , exactly what is required to limit systematics within future spectral siren measurements from the (expected) astrophysical evolution of the mass distribution.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
The Astrophysical Journal
Published
2025-02-05
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad9de7
Citations
8
Primary Topic
Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
9.24
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Striking a Chord with Spectral Sirens: Multiple Features in the Compact Binary Population Correlate with H0

R. C. Essick, U. Mali
8 citations
The Astrophysical Journal
Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
9.24
article

Striking a Chord with Spectral Sirens: Multiple Features in the Compact Binary Population Correlate with H0

R. C. Essick, U. Mali
article en
8 citations

Abstract

Abstract Spectral siren measurements of the Hubble constant ( H 0 ) rely on correlations between observed detector-frame masses and luminosity distances. Features in the source-frame mass distribution can induce these correlations. It is crucial, then, to understand (i) which features in the source-frame mass distribution are robust against model (re)parameterization, (ii) which features carry the most information about H 0 , and (iii) whether distinct features independently correlate with cosmological parameters. We study these questions using real gravitational-wave observations from the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaborations' third observing run. Although constraints on H 0 are weak, we find that current data reveals several prominent features in the mass distribution, including peaks in the binary black hole source-frame mass distribution near ∼9 M ⊙ and ∼32 M ⊙ and a roll-off at masses above ∼46 M ⊙. For the first time using real data, we show that all of these features carry cosmological information and that the peak near ∼32 M ⊙ consistently correlates with H 0 most strongly. Introducing model-independent summary statistics, we show that these statistics independently correlate with H 0 , exactly what is required to limit systematics within future spectral siren measurements from the (expected) astrophysical evolution of the mass distribution.

The Astrophysical JournalVol. 980(1)
Openalex Percentile: Top 2%
Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
9.24
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.