Space-Time Metrology for the LISA Gravitational Wave Observatory, and Its Demonstration on LISA Pathfinder

Details Space-Time Metrology for the LISA Gravitational Wave Observatory, and Its Demonstration on LISA Pathfinder Space-Time Metrology for the LISA Gravitational Wave Observatory, and Its Demonstration on LISA Pathfinder

Dec 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009ssrv..148..441v&link_type=abstract

Space Science Reviews, Volume 148, Issue 1-4, pp. 441-454

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

3

Gravitational Wave Astronomy, Space-Time Metrology

Scientific paper

The paper describes the key instrumental features of LISA, and discusses its limiting sources of uncertainty. It is shown how the basic element of LISA is a “Doppler link” where the frequency of a laser beam is compared by two far apart, free falling “observers”. These observers are two of the six LISA free falling test-masses. Each of the three LISA arms carries two such Doppler links, propagating along opposite directions. It is shown that a link like this acts as a time-delayed, differential accelerometer. Its performance is limited by three main sources of disturbance. Parasitic forces accelerate the test masses relative to their geodetic trajectories. Interferometry measurement noise is interpreted as relative motion of test-masses. Finally, because of intervening optical components fixed to spacecraft, the measurement is also corrupted by the relative acceleration of spacecraft and the test mass. We analyze these sources within a unifying picture, and show that LISA has a large “science margin”. Even with a sensitivity substantially poorer of what has been calculated, LISA remains a powerful astrophysics observatory.

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