Massive black hole binaries are key targets for the space based gravitational wave interferometer LISA. Several studies have investigated how LISA observations could be used to constrain the parameters of these systems. Until recently, most of these studies have ignored the higher harmonic corrections to the waveforms. Here we analyze the effects of the higher harmonics in more detail by performing extensive Monte Carlo simulations. We pay particular attention to how the higher harmonics impact parameter correlations, and show that the additional harmonics help mitigate the impact of having two laser links fail, by allowing for an instantaneous measurement of the gravitational wave polarization with a single interferometer channel. By looking at parameter correlations we are able to explain why certain mass ratios provide dramatic improvements in certain parameter estimations, and illustrate how the improved polarization measurement improves the prospects for single interferometer operation.
Here we describe a hierarchal and iterative data analysis algorithm used for searching, characterizing, and removing bright, monochromatic binaries from the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) data streams. The algorithm uses the F-statistic to provide an initial solution for individual bright sources, followed by an iterative least squares fitting for all the bright sources. Using the above algorithm, referred to as Slice & Dice, we demonstrate the removal of multiple, correlated galactic binaries from simulated LISA data. Initial results indicate that Slice & Dice may be a useful tool …
Gravitational radiation from the galactic population of white dwarf binaries is expected to produce a background signal in the LISA frequency band. At frequencies below 1 mHz, this signal is expected to be confusion-limited and has been approximated as gaussian noise. At frequencies above about 5 mHz, the signal will consist of separable individual sources. We have produced a simulation of the LISA data stream from a population of 90k galactic binaries in the frequency range between 1 - 5 mHz. This signal is compared with the simulated signal from globular cluster populations of binaries. Nota…
One of the major assumptions in the search for gravitational wave signatures from massive and supermassive black hole binaries with LISA, is that these systems will have circularized before entering the LISA bandwidth. Current astrophysical simulations now suggest that systems could have a non-negligible eccentricity in the LISA band, and an important level of eccentricity in the Pulsar Timing regime. In this work, we use a set of source catalogues from astrophysically motivated models of massive black hole binary formation and assume a one year LISA mission lifetime. Depending on the model in…
We consider LISA observations of in-spiral signals emitted by massive black hole binary systems in circular orbit and with negligible spins. We study the accuracy with which the source parameters can be extracted from the data stream. We show that the use of waveforms retaining post-Newtonian corrections not only to the phase but also the amplitude can drastically improve the estimation of some parameters.
The space based gravitational wave detector LISA is expected to observe a large population of Galactic white dwarf binaries whose collective signal is likely to dominate instrumental noise at observational frequencies in the range 10^{-4} to 10^{-3} Hz. The motion of LISA modulates the signal of each binary in both frequency and amplitude, the exact modulation depending on the source direction and frequency. Starting with the observed response of one LISA interferometer and assuming only doppler modulation due to the orbital motion of LISA, we show how the distribution of the entire binary pop…
We present data analysis methods used in detection and the estimation of parameters of gravitational wave signals from the white dwarf binaries in the mock LISA data challenge. Our main focus is on the analysis of challenge 3.1, where the gravitational wave signals from more than 50 mln. Galactic binaries were added to the simulated Gaussian instrumental noise. Majority of the signals at low frequencies are not resolved individually. The confusion between the signals is strongly reduced at frequencies above 5 mHz. Our basic data analysis procedure is the maximum likelihood detection method. We…
We report on our F-statistic search for white-dwarf binary signals in the Mock LISA Data Challenge 1B (MLDC1B). We focus in particular on the improvements in our search pipeline since MLDC1, namely refinements in the search pipeline and the use of a more accurate detector response (rigid adiabatic approximation). The search method employs a hierarchical template-grid based exploration of the parameter space, using a coincidence step to distinguish between primary (``true'') and secondary maxima, followed by a final (multi-TDI) ``zoom'' stage to provide an accurate parameter estimation of the f…
Gravitational waves from the inspiral and coalescence of supermassive black-hole (SMBH) binaries with masses ~10^6 Msun are likely to be among the strongest sources for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). We describe a three-stage data-analysis pipeline designed to search for and measure the parameters of SMBH binaries in LISA data. The first stage uses a time-frequency track-search method to search for inspiral signals and provide a coarse estimate of the black-hole masses m_1, m_2 and of the coalescence time of the binary t_c. The second stage uses a sequence of matched-filter tem…
The F-statistic is an optimal detection statistic for continuous gravitational waves, i.e., long-duration (quasi-)monochromatic signals with slowly-varying intrinsic frequency. This method was originally developed in the context of ground-based detectors, but it is equally applicable to LISA where many signals fall into this class of signals. We report on the application of a LIGO/GEO F-statistic code to LISA data-analysis using the long-wavelength limit (LWL), and we present results of our search for white-dwarf binary signals in the first Mock LISA Data Challenge. Somewhat surprisingly, the …
Coalescing massive Black Hole binaries are the strongest and probably the most important gravitational wave sources in the LISA band. The spin and orbital precessions bring complexity in the waveform and make the likelihood surface richer in structure as compared to the non-spinning case. We introduce an extended multimodal genetic algorithm which utilizes the properties of the signal and the detector response function to analyze the data from the third round of mock LISA data challenge (MLDC 3.2). The performance of this method is comparable, if not better, to already existing algorithms. We …
We report on the measurement of parasitic surface force noise on a hollow replica of a LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna for the observation of gravitational waves) proof mass surrounded by a faithful representation of its in flight surroundings, namely the capacitive sensor used to detect proof-mass motion. Parasitic forces are detected through the corresponding torque exerted on the proof mass and measured with a torsion pendulum in the frequency range 0.1 30 mHz. The sensor electrodes, electrode housing and associated readout electronics have the same nominal design as for the flight…
We are developing a Bayesian approach based on Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques to search for and extract information about white dwarf binary systems with the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). Here we present results obtained by applying an initial implementation of this method to some of the data sets released in Round 1B of the Mock LISA Data Challenges. For Challenges 1B.1.1a and 1b the signals were recovered with parameters lying within the 95.5% posterior probability interval and the correlation between the true and recovered waveform is in excess of 99%. Results were not sub…
Stellar-mass black hole binaries (SBHBs), like those currently being detected with the ground-based gravitational-wave (GW) observatories LIGO and Virgo, are also an anticipated GW source for LISA. LISA will observe them during the early inspiral stage of evolution; some of them will chirp through the LISA band and reappear some time later in the band of $3^{rd}$ generation ground-based detectors. SBHBs could serve as laboratories for testing the theory of General Relativity and inferring the astrophysical properties of the underlying population. In this study, we assess LISA's ability to infe…
The Mock LISA Data Challenge is a worldwide effort to solve the LISA data analysis problem. We present here our results for the Massive Black Hole Binary (BBH) section of Round 1. Our results cover Challenge 1.2.1, where the coalescence of the binary is seen, and Challenge 1.2.2, where the coalescence occurs after the simulated observational period. The data stream is composed of Gaussian instrumental noise plus an unknown BBH waveform. Our search algorithm is based on a variant of the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method that uses Metropolis-Hastings sampling and thermostated frequency annealing. …
This article is an introduction for the nonpractitioner to the ideas and issues of LISA data analysis, as reflected in the explorations and experiments of the participants in the Mock LISA Data Challenges. In particular, I discuss the methods and codes that have been developed for the detection and parameter estimation of supermassive black-hole binaries, extreme mass-ratio inspirals, and Galactic binaries.
Efficient time-domain eccentric model for Galactic binaries in LISA
ETH Zurich（苏黎世联邦理工学院）；Tata Institute of Fundamental Research（塔塔基础研究所）；University of Zürich（苏黎世大学）；National Institute for Subatomic Physics (Nikhef)（荷兰亚原子物理国家研究所（Nikhef））；Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam（阿姆斯特丹自由大学）
We calculate how accurately parameters of the short-period binaries $(10^{-4} {Hz} \lsim f\lsim 10^{-2} {Hz})$ will be determined from the gravitational waves by LISA. In our analysis the chirp signal ${\dot f}$ is newly included as a fitting parameters and dependence on observational period or wave frequency is studied in detail. Implications for gravitational wave astronomy are also discussed quantitatively.
We study the evolution and gravitational wave emission of white dwarf -- black hole accreting binaries with a semi-analytical model. These systems will evolve across the mHz gravitational wave frequency band and potentially be detected by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). We identify new universal relations for this class of binaries, which relate the component masses to the gravitational wave frequency and its first derivative. Combined with the high precision measurements possible with LISA, these relations could allow us to infer the component masses and the luminosity distance…
Spin induced precessional modulations of gravitational wave signals from supermassive black hole binaries can improve the estimation of luminosity distance to the source by space based gravitational wave missions like the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). We study how this impacts the ablity of LISA to do cosmology, specifically, to measure the dark energy equation of state (EOS) parameter $w$. Using the $Λ$CDM model of cosmology, we show that observations of precessing binaries by LISA, combined with a redshift measurement, can improve the determination of $w$ up to an order of magni…
The space gravitational wave detector LISA is expected to detect $\sim10^4$ of nearly monochromatic binaries, after $\sim 10$yr operation. We propose to measure the inspiral/outspiral binary fluxes in the frequency space, by processing tiny frequency drifts of these numerous binaries. Rich astrophysical information is encoded in the frequency dependencies of the two fluxes, and we can read the long-term evolution of white dwarf binaries, resulting in metamorphoses or disappearances. This measurement will thus help us to deepen our understanding on the strongly interacting exotic objects. Using…
Response of an interferometer becomes complicated for gravitational wave shorter than the arm-length of the detector, as nature of wave appears strongly. We have studied how parameter estimation for merging massive black hole binaries are affected by this complicated effect in the case of LISA. It is shown that three dimensional positions of some binaries might be determined much better than the past estimations that use the long wave approximation. For equal mass binaries this improvement is most prominent at $\sim 10^5\sol$.
The binary confusion noise spectrum at LISA band depends strongly on observational period and abundance of Galactic close white dwarf binaries (CWDBs). We have investigated how the number of the resolved Galactic CWDBs varies with operation period of LISA, and found that the resolved number would typically grows by a factor of 5 when the operation period increases from 1yr to 10yr. We have also made a similar estimation for number of CWDBs whose chirp signal can be measured in matched filtering analysis.
One of the main sources of gravitational waves for the LISA space-borne interferometer are galactic binary systems. The waveforms for these sources are represented by eight parameters, of which four are extrinsic, and four are intrinsic to the system. Geometrically, these signals exist in an 8-d parameter space. By calculating the metric tensor on this space, we calculate the number of templates needed to search for such sources. We show in this study that below a particular monochromatic frequency, we can ignore one of the intrinsic parameters and search over a 7-d space. Beyond this frequenc…
We propose a novel method to examine whether Galactic double neutron star binaries are formed in the LISA band. In our method, we assign an effective time fraction $τ$ to each double neutron star binary detected by LISA. This fraction is given as a function of the observed orbital period and eccentricity and should be uniformly distributed in the absence of in-band binary formation. Applying statistical techniques such as the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test to the actual list of $τ$, we can inspect the signature of the in-band binary formation. We discuss the prospects of this method, paying close att…
We discuss the prospects of LISA for detecting neutron star binaries (NSBs) in the local group galaxies such as LMC and M31. Using the recently estimated merger rate $ {\rm 1540 \, Gpc^{-3}yr^{-1}}$ and inversely applying the conventional arguments based on the $B$-band galaxy luminosities, we estimate the frequency distributions of NSBs in the local galaxies. We find that, after 10 year observation with its current design sensitivity, LISA might detect $\sim 5$ NSBs both in LMC and M31 with signal-to-noise ratios larger than 10. Some of the NSBs might be three-dimensionally localized well wit…
We study how the angular resolution of LISA for merging massive black-hole binaries would be improved if we observe multiple gravitational wave ``images'' due to strong gravitational lensing. The correlation between fitting parameters is reduced by the additional information of the second image which significantly reduces the error box on the sky. This improvement would be very helpful for identifying the host galaxy of a binary. The angular resolution expected with multiple detectors is also discussed.
Resolving white dwarf binaries within globular clusters with LISA
Radboud University（拉德堡德大学）；Leiden University（莱顿大学）；University of Auckland（奥克兰大学）；SRON, Netherlands Institute for Space Research（荷兰空间研究所（SRON））；KU Leuven（荷语鲁汶大学）；Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院高能物理研究所）；University of Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院大学）
The Galactic population of close white dwarf binaries is expected to provide the largest number of gravitational wave sources for low frequency detectors such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). Current data analysis techniques have demonstrated the capability of resolving on the order of $10^4$ white dwarf binaries from a 2 year observation. Resolved binaries are either at high frequencies or large amplitudes. Such systems are more likely to be high-mass binaries, a subset of which will be progenitors of SNe Ia in the double degenerate scenario. We report on results of a study o…
Massive black hole binaries are expected to provide the strongest gravitational wave signals for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), a space mission targeting $\sim\,$mHz frequencies. As a result of the technological challenges inherent in the mission's design, implementation and long duration (4 yr nominal), the LISA data stream is expected to be affected by relatively long gaps where no data is collected (either because of hardware failures, or because of scheduled maintenance operations, such as re-pointing of the antennas toward the Earth). Depending on their mass, massive black…
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will observe black hole binaries of stellar origin during their gravitational wave inspiral, months to years before coalescence. Due to the long duration of the signal in the LISA band, a faithful waveform is necessary in order to keep track of the binary phase. This is crucial to extract the signal from the data and to perform an unbiased estimation of the source parameters. We consider Post-Newtonian (PN) waveforms, and analyze the PN order needed to keep the bias caused by the PN approximation negligible relative to the statistical parameter est…
The noise produced by the inspiral of millions of white dwarf binaries in the Milky Way may pose a threat to one of the main goals of the space-based LISA mission: the detection of massive black hole binary mergers. We present a novel study for reconstruction of merger waveforms in the presence of Galactic confusion noise using dictionary learning. We discuss the limitations of untangling signals from binaries with total mass from $10^2 M_{\odot}$ to $10^4 M_{\odot}$. Our method proves extremely successful for binaries with total mass greater than $\sim 3\times 10^3$ $ M_{\odot}$ up to redshif…
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) guarantees the detection of gravitational waves by monitoring a handful of known nearby galactic binary systems, the so-called ``verification binaries''. We consider the most updated information on the source parameters for the thirty more promising verification binaries. We investigate which of them are indeed guaranteed sources for LISA and estimate the accuracy of the additional information that can be extracted during the mission. Our analysis considers the two independent Michelson outputs that can be synthesised from the LISA constellation, a…
We investigate the ability of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) to detect a stochastic gravitational-wave background (GWB) produced by cosmic strings, and to subsequently estimate the string tension $Gμ$ in the presence of instrument noise, an astrophysical background from compact binaries, and the galactic foreground from white dwarf binaries. Fisher Information and Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods provide estimates of the LISA noise and the parameters for the different signal sources. We demonstrate the ability of LISA to simultaneously estimate the galactic foreground, as well a…
The Galaxy is suspected to contain hundreds of millions of binary white dwarf systems, a large fraction of which will have sufficiently small orbital period to emit gravitational radiation in band for space-based gravitational wave detectors such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). LISA's main science goal is the detection of cosmological events (supermassive black hole mergers, etc.) however the gravitational signal from the galaxy will be the dominant contribution to the data -- including instrumental noise -- over approximately two decades in frequency. The catalogue of detect…
We estimate the rate at which the proposed space gravitational-wave interferometer LISA could detect intermediate-mass black-hole binaries, that is, binaries containing a black hole in the mass range 10 -- 100 Msun orbiting a black hole in the mass range 100 -- 1000 Msun. For one-year integrations leading up to the innermost stable orbit, and a signal-to-noise ratio of 10, we estimate a detection rate of only 1 per million years for 10 Msun/100 Msun binaries. The estimate uses the method of parameter estimation via matched filtering, incorporates a noise curve for LISA established by the LISA …
The primary scientific results of the future space-based gravitational wave interferometer LISA will come from the parameter inference of a large variety of gravitational wave sources. However, the presence of calibration errors could potentially degrade the measurement precision of the system parameters. Here, we assess the impact of calibration uncertainties on parameter estimation for individual sources, focusing on massive black holes, extreme-mass-ratio inspirals (EMRIs), galactic binaries, and stellar origin black hole binaries. Using a Fisher matrix formalism, we investigate how the mea…
We investigate the ability of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) to measure the center of mass acceleration of stellar-origin black hole binaries emitting gravitational waves. Our analysis is based on the idea that the acceleration of the center of mass induces a time variation in the redshift of the gravitational wave, which in turn modifies its waveform. We confirm that while the cosmological acceleration is too small to leave a detectable imprint on the gravitational waveforms observable by LISA, larger peculiar accelerations may be measurable for sufficiently long lived sources.…
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is slated for launch in the early 2030s. A main target of the mission is massive black hole binaries that have an expected detection rate of $\sim20$ yr$^{-1}$. We present a parameter estimation analysis for a variety of massive black hole binaries. This analysis is performed with a graphics processing unit (GPU) implementation comprising the phenomhm waveform with higher-order harmonic modes and aligned spins; a fast frequency-domain LISA detector response function; and a GPU-native likelihood computation. The computational performance achieved wi…
In this work we use genetic algorithm to search for the gravitational wave signal from the inspiralling massive Black Hole binaries in the simulated LISA data. We consider a single signal in the Gaussian instrumental noise. This is a first step in preparation for analysis of the third round of the mock LISA data challenge. We have extended a genetic algorithm utilizing the properties of the signal and the detector response function. The performance of this method is comparable, if not better, to already existing algorithms.
We calculate the effect of the Earth-Moon (EM) system on the free-fall motion of LISA test masses. We show that the periodic gravitational pulling of the EM system induces a resonance with fundamental frequency 1 yr^-1 and a series of periodic perturbations with frequencies equal to integer harmonics of the synodic month (9.92 10^-7 Hz). We then evaluate the effects of these perturbations (up to the 6th harmonics) on the relative motions between each test masses couple, finding that they range between 3mm and 10pm for the 2nd and 6th harmonic, respectively. If we take the LISA sensitivity curv…
In this work we focus on the search and detection of Massive black hole binary (MBHB) systems, including systems at high redshift. As well as expanding on previous works where we used a variant of Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC), called Metropolis-Hastings Monte Carlo, with simulated annealing, we introduce a new search method based on frequency annealing which leads to a more rapid and robust detection. We compare the two search methods on systems where we do and do not see the merger of the black holes. In the non-merger case, we also examine the posterior distribution exploration using a 7-…
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), which is currently under construction, is designed to measure gravitational wave signals in the milli-Hertz frequency band. It is expected that tens of millions of Galactic binaries will be the dominant sources of observed gravitational waves. The Galactic binaries producing signals at mHz frequency range emit quasi monochromatic gravitational waves, which will be constantly measured by LISA. To resolve as many Galactic binaries as possible is a central challenge of the upcoming LISA data set analysis. Although it is estimated that tens of thousan…
Assessing signal cross talk between extreme-mass-ratio inspirals and Galactic binaries in LISA data
Argelander Institut für Astronomie, Universität Bonn（波恩大学阿根兰德天文研究所）；Astroparticule et Cosmologie, CNRS, Université Paris Cité（巴黎 Cité 大学国家科学研究中心天体粒子与宇宙学）
The coalescence of massive black hole (BH) binaries due to galaxy mergers provides a primary source of low-frequency gravitational radiation detectable by pulsar timing measurements and by the proposed LISA (Laser Interferometry Space Antenna) observatory. We compute the expected gravitational radiation signal from sources at all redshifts by combining the predicted merger rate of galactic halos with recent measurements of the relation between BH mass, M_bh, and the velocity dispersion of its host galaxy, sigma. Our main findings are as follows: (i) the nHz frequency background is dominated by…
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission, scheduled for launch in the early 2030s, is a gravitational wave observatory in space designed to detect sources emitting in the milli-Hertz band. In contrast to the present ground based detectors, the LISA data are expected to be a signaldominated, with strong and weak gravitational wave signals overlapping in time and in frequency. Astrophysical population models predict a sufficient number of signals in the LISA band to blend together and form an irresolvable foreground noise. In this work, we present a generic method for characterizing…
In its observation band, the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will simultaneously observe stochastic gravitational-wave background (SGWB) signals of different origins; orbitally modulated waveforms from galactic white dwarf binaries, a binary black hole produced background, and possibly a cosmologically produced SGWB. We simulate the emission of gravitational waves from galactic white dwarf binaries based on the Lamberts \cite{Lamberts} distributions and determine a complex waveform from the galactic foreground. We generate the modulated galactic signal detected by LISA due to its orb…
Gravitational radiation from the Galactic population of close white dwarf binaries (CWDBs) is expected to produce a confusion-limited signal at the lower end of the sensitivity band of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). The canonical scale height of the disk population has been taken to be 90 pc for most studies of the nature of this confusion-limited signal. This estimate is probably too low, and the consequences of a more realistic scale height are investigated with a model of the LISA signal due to populations of close white dwarf binaries with different scale heights. If the lo…
