eLISA (or NGO): the New LISA

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eLISA (or NGO)the New LISA

• Gijs Nelemans
• Radboud University Nijmegen

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Some history on GW detector in space

• Low-frequency gravitational wave mission first
  proposed in '80s (LAGOS)
• '90s LISA as joint NASA/ESA mission
• In the end LISA became (1 of 3) L1 candidate for
  ESA Cosmic Vision program (decision foreseen in
  2011)
• Early 2011, NASA no money to contribute to any
  ESA L1 mission......
• Rapid definition teams for all L1 candidates to
  ESA-led mission. New mission (eLISA/NGO)
  developed, significant cost reduction, science
  still strong
• Next step April 2012, ESA will select 1 of 3 L1
  candidates for launch 2020

LISA
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eLISA

• Affordable mission smaller arms, closer to Earth
  (save on launcher)
• Mother-daughter system (i.e. 4
  links only)
• Reuse much of LISA Pathfinder components
• Pay-load simpler and cheaper, telescopes smaller
• Member state contribution pay load (as in all
  candidate L1 missions)
• Consortium to be formed (NL role?)

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What is different from LISA?

• eLISA
• 1 million km arms
• 4 laser links
• Smaller distance to Earth
• 2 Soyuz launch
• Member state contributions

• LISA
• 5 million km arms
• 6 laser links
• Larger distance to Earth
• Ariane 5 launch
• No member state contribution

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Overview eLISA science

• Precision test of strong-field gravity
• Detect SMBH mergers at high redshift
• Trace merger history of BHs over large redshift
  and mass range
• Characterise environment of galaxy central
  objects and test if are GR Kerr BH
• Measure spectrum or set limits on backgrounds
  (probe inflation)
• Detect thousands of Galactic binaries (tests
  binary evolution, type Ia supernovae, tides,
  mass transfer, Galactic structure)
• http//arxiv.org/abs/1201.3621

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Overview eLISA science

• Precision test of strong-field gravity
• Detect SMBH mergers at high redshift
• Trace merger history of BHs over large redshift
  and mass range
• Characterise environment of galaxy central
  objects and test if are GR Kerr BH
• Measure spectrum or set limits on backgrounds
  (probe inflation)
• Detect thousands of Galactic binaries (tests
  binary evolution, type Ia supernovae, tides, mass
  transfer, Galactic structure)

EMRI max redshift
Some reasonable inflation spectra
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Dutch role/interest in eLISA

• Work on LISA Pathfinder by SRON in past
• Interest in Galactic compact binaries since '90s
  (UU then RU)
• Interest in EMRIs at Nikhef
• Increase in astronomy research related to eLISA
  science (Leiden, Groningen)
• Poll showed interest also from other people,
  including theoretical physics
• TNO interested in eLISA hardware (presentation
  later today)
• Maybe enough interest to join member state
  contribution consortium (data access, funding
  opportunities)

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Galactic binaries
Galactic binaries - Verification - Simulated pop.
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Super-massive black hole mergers
SMBH signal-to-noise ratio as function redshift
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Trace structure formation
SNR of simulated merger tries. Can distinguish
different models (seed mass, time first BH
formation)
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Extreme mass-ratio inspirals (trace BH, test GR)
Maximum redshift for different models (template,
SMBH spin)
SNR as function of redshift
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(Strategic) plans

• (Adv)Virgo/LIGO (Nikhef, RU)
• FOM programma, Nikhef, NWO-G proposal (Nikhef)
• Proposal dedicated optical follow-up telescope
  triggering (RU)
• NS studies (UvA, GRAPPA), AARTFARC, LOFAR
  (ASTRON)
• Pulsar Timing Arrays (ASTRON)
• EPTA, LEAP
• Plans for SKA
• ELISA
• (Astro)physics (RU, Leiden, Nikhef, Groningen),
  small scale
• Hardware? Join pay-load consortium (TNO)
• Minigrail
• SRON? Other parties?
• New strategic plan astroparticle physics
• Astroparticle program NWO? National coordination?