Gravitational wave cosmology : an introduction

TL;DR

This paper provides an accessible introduction to gravitational wave cosmology, focusing on how gravitational waves serve as standard sirens to measure the Universe's expansion history, detailing methodologies, assumptions, and applications.

Contribution

It offers a comprehensive overview of bright and dark siren analyses, including their theoretical foundations, data requirements, and statistical frameworks, for cosmological inference.

Findings

Explanation of standard siren methods

Discussion of data and assumptions involved

Examples of cosmological applications

Abstract

This chapter introduces gravitational wave cosmology, focusing on the use of gravitational waves as standard sirens to probe the expansion history of the Universe. It presents and explains the methodologies behind bright and dark siren analyses, including their respective data requirements and underlying assumptions. Particular attention is given to the theoretical foundations of these approaches, the statistical frameworks used to interpret gravitational-wave events, and the treatment of selection effects. Examples and applications are provided for each method, with the aim of offering a clear and accessible introduction to the tools and concepts enabling cosmological inference from gravitational-wave observations.