Tighter bounds on a hypothetical graviton screening mass from the gravitational wave observation GW150914 at LIGO

TL;DR

This paper uses the LIGO GW150914 gravitational wave data to establish tighter bounds on the possible mass of the graviton, which could influence theories of quantum gravity and cosmic expansion.

Contribution

It provides new phenomenological constraints on the graviton mass based on recent gravitational wave observations, refining previous bounds.

Findings

Tighter upper bounds on graviton mass from GW150914 data

Implications for quantum gravity and cosmic acceleration models

Reinforcement of the viability of massless graviton theories

Abstract

While quantum gravity is not solved yet, a screening mass for the graviton remains theoretically possible. If such a mass would screen gravity at distances of the order of the cluster galaxy radius, it could account for the universe expansion. The modified Newtonian dynamics model also could be related to a screening graviton mass at inter-galactic scales. Moreover, massive spin-2 theories constitute a very active theoretical topic. We briefly show how the very recent LIGO gravitational wave observation GW150914, emitted by a binary black hole merger distant $\sim 1.3 \times 10^9$ ly from the Earth, tightens the phenomenological bound on a massive graviton or on the screening of gravity.