eLISA (or NGO):the New LISA

Gijs NelemansRadboud University Nijmegen

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

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?)

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

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

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)

Galactic binaries

Galactic binaries- Verification- Simulated pop.

Super-massive black hole mergers

1020501003005001000

SMBH signal-to-noise ratio as function redshift

Trace structure formation

SNR of simulated merger tries.Can distinguish different models (seed mass, time first BH formation)

Extreme mass-ratio inspirals (trace BH, test GR)

Maximum redshift for differentmodels (template, SMBH spin) SNR as function of redshift

(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?