News from ESA

1. News from ESA O. Jennrich LISA Project Scientist

2. LISA Programmatics @ ESA • ESA will issue a Announcement of Opportunity for missions in the time frame of 2015-2020 (in early June) • LISA and Solar Orbiter fall into this window • Advisory structure considers LISA and Solar Orbiter as approved part of the programme. • Earlier SSAC recommendations (at least once re-confirmed): • Development for existing mission must go on • Prioritisation between LISA and Solar Orbiter will take place in 2008 • Solar Orbiter required to stay within 200 M€ budget frame, recommended for international collaboration • LISA critically depends on LISA PF • No implementation without LPF results • Launch date 2015 (earliest) Journées LISA France, 15/16 Mai 2006, Meuron

3. LISA Programmatics @ NASA • US Budget for 2007 and operational plan for 2006 include drastic cuts in the budget for 2006 to 2008 • Immediate reduction of the US team • Concentration on core activities: • Thermal & mechanical modelling (GSFC) • Phasemeter development (JPL) • Mid-term planning in the US has a ‘shoot-out’ in the time frame 2008/2009 between LISA, Con-X and JDEM. • Until then, development work goes on and is funded • Implementation is postponed until after the decision • Decision will not mean cancellation, but only prioritisation (again!) Journées LISA France, 15/16 Mai 2006, Meuron

4. LISA Mission Formulation • LISA MF Mid-Term review on 24/25 April • Astrium presented baseline architecture • Some key features: • Proof mass out of plane • Cavity laser stabilization • Data transfer every two days, rotating schedule, Inter-satellite communication • Atlas V launcher • MF closeout by July • Derivation of requirements commences (formally) after July. • MF comes to an end (nominally) January 2007 • Some extension possible - TBD • Technology development in some areas will start 2006,lasting for two years (i.e. 2008) • Optical Bench, Telescope, Mechanisms • Laser to follow later Journées LISA France, 15/16 Mai 2006, Meuron

5. LISA Data Analysis • LISA is the first gravitational wave detector ever flown • Very little experience in data analysis for LISA • Experience with ground based detector might help, but LISA is signal dominated rather than noise dominated • Challenges: Separating the sources, parameter estimation, removal of strong sources, … • Retrievable scientific content depends on the ability to model the sources correctly – efforts in numerical relativity are needed to maximise the scientific return • LPF heritage will help in the commissioning and operations • Many instrument noise sources are similar • Extensive heritage in instrument simulators, commissioning procedures and operational concepts expected • LPF has no science data analysis relevant for LISA • LISA Data Analysis is akin to technology development Journées LISA France, 15/16 Mai 2006, Meuron

6. History • Scientific community authored a document listing open problems and proposed activities in LISA DA (September 05) • ESA invited the interested groups to comment on this document • Draft data analysis plan issued (November 05) • Groups were asked to commit to work packages as described in the plan • Development of algorithms for parameter extraction • Development of source and signal simulators • Investigating different potential architectures (distributed vs cluster) • Early warning systems • … • Data analysis plan issued (latest issue: March 06) • Most of the work packages covered • Coordination in some areas not yet optimised • Research groups are working, first “deliverables” are available Journées LISA France, 15/16 Mai 2006, Meuron

7. DAST and MLDC • ESA has set up a Data Analysis Steering Team (DAST) • Consists of coordinators for the national efforts • Charged with maintaining and executing the data analysis plan • Coordinate European efforts with the US efforts • Mock LISA Data Challenge • Initiative of the LIST, inspired by similar challenges in the data analysis for the ground based detectors. Task force created to organize the challenges • DAST decided to use the MLDC to support the implementation of the plan and to focus the work of the community • “Team Europe” is formed to participate in the MLDC • First challenge to be issued in June with follow on challenges issued every 6 months • Participation and feedback of the community is vital Journées LISA France, 15/16 Mai 2006, Meuron

8. Current status • Community as responded with enthusiasm to the LISA DA • More than 50 groups involved • More than 70 FTE “committed” tor the present LISA DA activities • Many groups from outside the GW community responded (HEP, Astronomy) • ESA funds some support for the coordination of all these activities through consultancy contracts (<200 k€ year) • All the scientific work is presently done on national funding • Many of the committed FTE are subject to funding • Activities in many of the areas are limited by the available man-power • Future activities require significantly more resources in man-power and infrastructure • Gaia as a potential rôle-model? Journées LISA France, 15/16 Mai 2006, Meuron

9. Current status • LISA DA effort is seen as a “formulation activity” to support the MF phase. • Will come to an end by 2008 (TBD) • Data Analysis report to be published • Further activities (2008 and beyond) • Implementation of a data analysis pipeline • Implementation of “science simulator” • … • Not in the current scope of activities, technology development approach questionable Journées LISA France, 15/16 Mai 2006, Meuron