Pre-Phase A Report - Lisa - Nasa

Contents
Foreword iii
Executive Summary 1
Thenatureofgravitationalwaves ......................... 1
Sourcesofgravitationalwaves ........................... 2
Complementarity with ground-based observations ................. 3
The LISA mission .................................. 3
Mission Summary Table 5
1 Scientific Objectives 7
1.1Theoryofgravitationalradiation ...................... 8
1.1.1Generalrelativity........................... 8
1.1.2Thenatureofgravitationalwavesingeneralrelativity....... 12
1.1.3Generationofgravitationalwaves.................. 15
1.1.4Othertheoriesofgravity....................... 18
1.2Low-frequencysourcesofgravitationalradiation.............. 19
1.2.1Galacticbinarysystems ....................... 23
1.2.2Massiveblackholesindistantgalaxies ............... 28
1.2.3Primordialgravitationalwaves.................... 34
2 Different Ways of Detecting Gravitational Waves 37
2.1Detectiononthegroundandinspace.................... 37
2.2 Ground-based detectors ........................... 39
2.2.1Resonant-massdetectors....................... 39
2.2.2LaserInterferometers......................... 39
2.3Pulsartiming ................................. 42
2.4 Spacecraft tracking .............................. 43
2.5Spaceinterferometer ............................. 43
2.6Earlyconceptsforalaserinterferometerinspace ............. 43
2.7Heliocentricversusgeocentricoptions.................... 45
Corrected version 2.08 vii 3-3-1999 9:33