Space Based Gravitational Wave Astronomy Beyond LISA

Abstract

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will open three decades of gravitational wave (GW) spectrum between 0.1 and 100 mHz, the mHz band. This band is expected to be the richest part of the GW spectrum, in types of sources, numbers of sources, signal-to-noise ratios and discovery potential. When LISA opens the low-frequency window of the gravitational wave spectrum, around 2034, the surge of gravitational-wave astronomy will strongly compel a subsequent mission to further explore the frequency bands of the GW spectrum that can only be accessed from space. The 2020s is the time to start developing technology and studying mission concepts for a large-scale mission to be launched in the 2040s. The mission concept would then be proposed to Astro2030. Only space based missions can access the GW spectrum between 10 nHz and 1 Hz because of the Earths seismic noise. This white paper surveys the science in this band and mission concepts that could accomplish that science. The proposed small scale activity is a technology development program that would support a range of concepts and a mission concept study to choose a specific mission concept for Astro2030. In this white paper, we will refer to a generic GW mission beyond LISA as bLISA.

Astro2020 APC White Paper Primary Thematic Science Area: Multi-Messenger Astronomy and Astrophysics Secondary Areas: Cosmology and Fundamental Physics, Galaxy Evolution, Formation and Evolution of Compact Objects

References in corpus (6)

• The International Pulsar Timing Array: First Data Release
• Experimental results from the ST7 mission on LISA Pathfinder
• LISA Pathfinder Platform Stability and Drag-free Performance
• Precision Charge Control for Isolated Free-Falling Test Masses: LISA Pathfinder Results
• Temperature stability in the sub-milliHertz band with LISA Pathfinder
• Coherent observations of gravitational radiation with LISA and gLISA

Cited by in corpus (6)

• PBHs and secondary GWs from ultra slow roll and punctuated inflation
• Complementarity of the future $e^{+}{e}^{-}$ colliders and gravitational waves in the probe of complex singlet extension to the Standard Model
• Identifying and Addressing Nonstationary LISA Noise
• Defining the (Black Hole)-Spheroid Connection with the Discovery of Morphology-Dependent Substructure in the $M_{\mathrm{BH}}$--${\mathrm{n}}_{\mathrm{sph}}$ and $M_{\mathrm{BH}}$--${\mathrm{R}}_{\mathrm{e},\mathrm{sph}}$ Diagrams: New Tests for Advanced Theories and Realistic Simulations
• Unveiling the Gravitational Universe at μ-Hz Frequencies
• Model-independent constraints on inflation and reheating