Assessing the performance of future space-based detectors: Astrophysical foregrounds and individual sources
arXiv:2510.18695 · doi:10.1103/nvgj-8pmc
The paper evaluates the detection capabilities of three proposed post‑LISA space‑based gravitational‑wave missions (μAres, AMIGO, and the Decihertz Observatory) by modeling astrophysical foregrounds and estimating how many massive black‑hole binaries, extreme mass‑ratio inspirals, and compact binaries each detector could resolve after subtracting the unresolved background.
Abstract
The space mission LISA, scheduled for launch in 2035, aims to detect gravitational wave (GW) signals in the milli-Hz band. In the context of the ESA Voyage 2050 Call for new mission concepts, other frequency ranges are explored by the Gravitational-Wave Space 2050 Working Group to conceive new proposals for a post-LISA space-based detector. In this work, we give a preliminary estimate of the observational potential of three mission designs proposed in the literature, namely Ares, AMIGO and the Decihertz Observatory. The analysis framework includes astrophysical GW sources, such as massive black hole binaries and extreme mass-ratio inspirals, and compact binaries, such as stellar black holes and white dwarfs. For each detector, we first present a consistent computation of the unresolved gravitational wave background (GWB) produced by the sum of all anticipated astrophysical populations using an iterative subtraction algorithm. We then investigate which types of systems are the most appealing by measuring the number of GW signals detected and exploring the source properties.
20 pages, 17 figures, 3 tables; published in Phys. Rev. D