Directional pre-sensitivity of the laser interferometer space antenna


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Date

2024-09

Publication Type

Journal Article

ETH Bibliography

yes

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Data

Abstract

The space-based Laser Interferometry Space Antenna (LISA) is a gravitational waves observatory currently under development. It comprises three spacecraft, each traveling in a heliocentric orbit that is weakly eccentric and inclined. Gravitational waves comprise two polarization components. They will be detected by conducting interferometric Doppler measurements between the LISA spacecraft. Among other factors, the signal strength of the Doppler measurements will depend on the location of the GW source, the GW polarization angle, and the orbits of the spacecraft. Thus, the signal strength of the Doppler measurements will vary over time. For given spacecraft orbits, we derive bounds on the signal strength that are functions of the source location. These bounds are simple, explicit expressions, and we refer to them as the directional pre-sensitivity. Using the directional pre-sensitivity, we construct a metric for the relative change in the signal strength depending on the source location and the spacecraft orbits. We illustrate how this formalism can be used to assess the signal strength for several examples of chosen orbits.

Publication status

published

Editor

Book title

Volume

99 (9)

Pages / Article No.

95007

Publisher

IOP Publishing

Event

Edition / version

Methods

Software

Geographic location

Date collected

Date created

Subject

LISA; Gravitational waves; orbits; signal strength

Organisational unit

03953 - Robertsson, Johan / Robertsson, Johan check_circle

Notes

Funding

185051 - Development and Application of Seismological Techniques for the Analysis of Gravitational Waves Signals in LISA (SNF)

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