Outline made by GN and Sterl Phyinney years ago for planned LRR

Galactic LISA science

  1. Abstract
  2. General properties of stellar binaries that make LISA sources
    1. orbital periods 3mins-hour. → not main sequence. Must involve spiral-in (in Galaxy) or capture (dense clusters)
    2. Ultra compact binaries: white dwarf, neutron star, black hole
  3. Verification binaries -guaranteed LISA calibration sources
    1. Known sources.
    2. Observational plans that could lead to more known sources.
  4. Order of magnitude estimates of disk/bulge populations, and identificationof what these are sensitive to:
    1. White dwarf binaries:
      1. double spiral-in, double-degenerate channel(cf central binaries in planetary nebulae, CVs as evidence for spiral-in). 1-2.5Msun progenitors, initial separation=red giant-AGB star radii.
      2. single-degenerate, `Tutukov/Podsiadlowski' channel
      3. Sensitivity to spiral-in physics/parameters. Observational and theoretical constraints.
      4. Detached and semi-detached (AM CVn) systems. -Sensitivity to tides/transfer stability.
    2. Neutron star binaries
      1. Double spiral-in. >10Msun progenitors.
      2. Sensitivity to spiral-in physics/parameters and NS natal kicks.
    3. Black hole binaries
    4. The universal dN/df ~ f^{-11/3} frequency spectrum for GW inspiral sources.
  5. LISA measurements/quick overview of data analysis
    1. Source f, fdot, fddot position determination precision
    2. Source confusion -3mHz and individual sources > vs background+spikes <
    3. Mock data challenge results demonstrating feasibility.
    4. What do GW add to EM observations
      1. Completeness -no extinction, no selection, whole galaxy. Populations!
      2. Polarisations → orbit inclinations (may check 1 or 2 nearby cases with SIM-like interferometers -otherwise big help on mass determinations for EM id's), position angles.
      3. If pure 2 point mass systems, f, fdot → chirp mass; fddot → mass ratio and hence M1, M2
    5. Joint EM-GW data
  6. Gravitational wave signal
    1. Pure 2 point mass GW (f, fdot → distance → galactic structure.
    2. vs tides (no distance
      1. Tidal effects on fdot, fddot.
      2. Tidal heating -electromagnetic consequences (deep-none; shallow-bright)
    3. mass transfer (no distance, but
      1. RXJ0806 wrong fdot sign… -confusion -can't tell pure 2 point mass from mass transfer from GW alone. Need GW+EM.
  7. Detailed population synthesis estimates and observational constraints for disk/bulge populations:
    1. White dwarf binaries I: double white dwarfs
      1. Formation, population estimates (obs. & theory)
      2. Uncertainties
      3. LISA science: foreground (#, masses) indiv. sources (#, parameters), distribution, tidal interaction
    2. White dwarfs binaries II: AM CVn stars
      1. Formation, population estimates (obs. & theory)
      2. Uncertainties
      3. LISA science: #, parameters, distribution, mass transfer stability
    3. Neutron star binaries (inc. UCXBs)
      1. Types, formation, population estimates (obs & theory)
      2. Uncertainties
      3. LISA science: #, eccentricities, kicks, progenitor masses?
    4. Black hole binaries
      1. Types, formation, population estimates (theory)
      2. Uncertainties
      3. LISA science: existence, numbers, kicks, progenitor masses?
    5. Others: CVs, WD+Mstar, W UMa's, sdB binaries
  8. Formation processes in dense stellar clusters
    1. Tidal capture (UCXBs)
    2. Exchange
    3. Other (collision, gw capture…)
    4. Galactic Center (brown dwarfs EMRIs -cf Freitag)
  9. Galactic sources that are not binaries
    1. Strongly magnetised rapidly spinning WDs
  10. Galactic structure
    1. Components: discs(s), spiral arms, bulge, Halo, Galactic center(?)
    2. LISA science: tracing mass distribution, (Halo) binary fraction, IMF and star formation history , globular clusters, open clusters(?)
  11. Extra-galactic sources
    1. Discrete sources (LMC, SMC, M31, M87…)
    2. Cosmological background
    3. LISA science…
    4. Connections to BBO/Decigo rates
  12. Connecting LISA and LIGO/VIRGO
    1. Possibilities, sources
    2. Combined science
  13. Summary for each source category, of
    1. unique LISA science (cf 5)
    2. convolved LISA science (e.g. populations+synthesis trace bulge/disk, binary fractions, IMF, star formation history)
    3. Joint EM-GW science (e.g. inclinations, tidal heating)
  14. Conclusions and outlook