Speaker: Dr. Antonella Palmese, Carnegie Mellon University

Title: Probing the Universe’s expansion with multi-messenger astronomy

Abstract: Thanks to the synergies between gravitational wave (GW) experiments, such as LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA, and electromagnetic observations of transients and galaxies, a variety of novel cosmological measurements has recently become possible. Several of these measurements rely on the use of GW events as “standard sirens”. Following the detection of the first electromagnetic counterpart to a GW event, GW170817, the first “bright” standard siren measurement has been performed. We continue searching for optical counterparts to enable more bright siren analyses with the Gravitational Wave Multi-Messenger Astronomy DECam Survey (GW-MMADS), which I will introduce. Standard siren measurements for “dark” events, i.e. without a confirmed electromagnetic counterpart, can also be performed, using cross-correlations with galaxy or Active Galactic Nuclei catalogs. In this talk I will show our latest standard siren measurements and forecasts, and present expectations for multi-messenger detections in the upcoming years.