LISA Canada Workshop

27 Apr 2021, 07:45 → 29 Apr 2021, 11:20 Canada/Pacific

Zoom

Daryl Haggard (McGill University), David Morrissey (TRIUMF), Djuna Croon (TRIUMF), Huan Yang (Uniersity of Guelph), Jess McIver (UBC), John Ruan (Bishop's University), Pasquale Bosso (U Lethbridge), Saeed Rastgoo (York University), Saurya Das (University of Lethbridge), Scott Oser (UBC), William East (Perimeter Institute)

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission is a space-based gravitational wave interferometer planned for launch in 2032. It promises major advances across a wide range of fields in physics and astronomy. Canadian researchers in particle physics, astronomy, gravity, instrumentation, spacecraft, computing, and other related fields are well poised to play an important role. With an expected mission launch a bit more than ten years away, now is a key time to develop the methods and infrastructure needed to fully unlock LISA’s scientific potential and train the next generation of LISA researchers.

This workshop will introduce attendees to the LISA mission and science goals, feature speakers from leading roles within the LISA Consortium and ESA, and highlight collaboration opportunities with Canadians contributing to LISA science. The workshop is particularly geared for researchers who may be interested in getting involved with LISA and would like to learn more about the mission and available opportunities. No previous experience with gravitational wave astronomy is assumed. More details about the LISA Consortium can be found here.

Confirmed speakers include John Baker, Robert Caldwell, Nelson Christensen, Martin Gehler,  Martin Hendry, Martin Hewitson, Thomas Hertog, Kelly Holley-Bockelmann, Nikolauos Karnesis, Shane Larson, Germano Nardini, Antoine Petiteau, Harald Pfeiffer, Sweta Shah, and Bill Weber.

All are welcome to attend - this workshop is intended to be accessible to researchers at every career level. Please register before April 26 to receive connection details. (The registration deadline is now passed.)  There is no fee for registration.

Note: all times in the schedule are listed in Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)!
PDT = EDT - 3 = CEST - 9 

LISA_Canada_White_Paper_2021_ circulation_v2.pdf

LISA_Canada_White_Paper_2021_circulation_v3.pdf

LISA_Canada_White_Paper_2021_circulation_v4.pdf

Participant List RegistrantsList.pdf

Tuesday, 27 April

Welcome

1 Welcome

Speaker: Prof. Jess McIver (UBC)

Slides LISA_Canada_2021_welcome_slides_v2.pdf

LISA Science Overview

2 LISA Science Overview

LISA is a joint ESA/NASA mission that will provide the first view of the milliHertz gravitational wave sky, a region of the gravitational wave spectrum that is known to be rich with astrophysical sources. LISA is poised to fundamentally change what we understand about massive black hole birth, growth, and co-evolution, binary stellar evolution, cosmology, gravity, and the list goes on. There’s just not enough time in 35 minutes to cover *all* of LISA's enormous discovery space, but we’ll touch on some of the highlights. Chair: Daryl Haggard (McGill U) Co-Chair: Scott Oser (UBC)

Speaker: Kelly Holley-Bockelmann (Vanderbilt U)

Slides LISAScience.KHB.pdf

LISA Detector Overview

In this talk we address the measurement concept and the main experimental challenges for creating LISA, the first orbiting gravitational wave observatory, focusing on the the mHz frequency band that is only accessible from space. The task of using laser interferometry to measure the gravitational wave tidal deformation of a constellation of free-falling test masses is discussed, both in the context of heritage from the single-spacecraft LISA Pathfinder ``Einstein geodesic explorer" mission and for the unique remaining challenges to be met by the full 3-spacecraft LISA observatory.

3 LISA Detector Overview

In this talk we address the measurement concept and the main experimental challenges for creating LISA, the first orbiting gravitational wave observatory, focusing on the the mHz frequency band that is only accessible from space. The task of using laser interferometry to measure the gravitational wave tidal deformation of a constellation of free-falling test masses is discussed, both in the context of heritage from the single-spacecraft LISA Pathfinder ``Einstein geodesic explorer" mission and for the unique remaining challenges to be met by the full 3-spacecraft LISA observatory. Chair: Daryl Haggard (McGill U) Co-Chair: Scott Oser (UBC)

Speakers: Linda Mondin (ESA), William Joseph Weber (University of Trento)

Slides weber_lisa_instrument_canada_wkshp_20210427.pdf

09:30 Break

Panel: LISA in Canada

4 Panel: LISA in Canada

In this panel discussion, Nora Lützgendorf (ESA) and Martin Hewitson (AEI MPG) will be joined by Jess McIver (UBC), John Ruan (Bishop's U), and Huan Yang (U Guelph/Perimeter) as panelist to discuss paths for Canadian involvement in LISA, and exciting ways LISA science intersects with other physics and astro interests in Canada. Moderator: Daryl Haggard (McGill U) Chair: Will East (Perimeter) Co-Chair: Saurya Das (U Lethbridge)

Speakers: Dr Huan Yang (Uniersity of Guelph), Prof. Jess McIver (UBC), Prof. John Ruan (Bishop's University), Dr Martin Hewitson (AEI MPG), Dr Nora Lützgendorf (ESA/STScI)

Astrophysics Working Group

5 Astrophysics Working Group

We'll introduce the idea of the Working Group structure in the LISA Consortium, and discuss our activities, and ways that we try to build opportunities for the LISA community to collaborate and work together. I'll try to make my comments brief, and would like to leave as much time as possible for discussion and questions. Chair: Will East (Perimeter) Co-Chair: Saurya Das (U Lethbridge)

Speaker: Shane Larson (Northwestern U)

Slides larson_astroWG_lisaCanada.pdf

Cosmology Working Group

6 Cosmology Working Group

The goal of the LISA Cosmology Working Group is to support and extend LISA cosmological science; to facilitate investigations of cosmological models that can be tested by LISA, and to develop methods of analysis to reveal or constrain these models. The main activities of the working group, to date, have been to organize projects and to hold workshops. Several of these investigation or methods projects have been adopted by the LISA Science Group as work packages, as “official LISA science”. A current project is a research white paper summarizing the state of the art in LISA cosmology. In this brief presentation, we will give an overview of the activities and science of the cosmology working group. Chair: Will East (Perimeter) Co-Chair: Saurya Das (U Lethbridge)

Speakers: Germano Nardini (Stavanger U), Robert Caldwell (Dartmouth U)

Slides LISACanadaCosWGCaldwell.pdf

Wednesday, 28 April

Data Processing Working Group

7 Data Processing Working Group

The LISA Data Processing Group (LDPG) is in charge of the Science Ground Segment (SGS) contribution from the LISA Consortium. It is conducting a number of short and long term activities: Distributed Data Processing Center definition and organisation, data analysis logic, prototyping, collaborative tools, Initial Noise Reduction Pipeline and Simulation. In this talk, we will first present the scope of the LDPG and an overview of its activities. Then we will discuss possible contributions to the LISA SGS for new participants. Chair: Huan Yang (U Guelph/Perimeter) Co-Chair: David Morrissey

Speakers: Antoine Petiteau (APC Paris), John Baker (NASA Goddard)

Slides LDPG_LISACanada_210429_v3_r.pdf

Data Challenge Working Group

8 Data Challenge Working Group

In this talk, I will give an overview of the new LISA Data Challenges Group. The role of the group within the LISA Consortium, and its importance for the mission are going to be presented. At the same time, the current status and future planning, as well as a few highlights from the past, are going to be discussed. Chair: Huan Yang (U Guelph/Perimeter) Co-Chair: David Morrissey (TRIUMF)

Speaker: Nikolaos Karnesis (APC Paris/Aristotle U of Thessaloniki,)

Slides 20210428_lisacanada.pdf https://filesender.geant.org/?s=download&token=08eec850-5262-4c18-b46a-d34c9c3b5851

Highlights of Canadian Research Related to LISA

9 Highlights of Canadian research relevant to LISA - Parallel A

Miriam Cabero Müller (UBC): GWSkyNet for multi-messenger astronomy; Kristen Dage (McGill U): The hunt for ultra-compact X-ray binaries in extragalactic globular clusters: lessons for LISA; Evan Goetz (UBC): Applying LIGO-Virgo continuous gravitational wave analysis methods to LISA data; Laura Sberna: Matter and third body effects in LISA binaries; Nicholas Viera (McGill U): Canadian Multi-messenger Astronomy: a CFHT + GW190814 Case Study Chair: John Ruan (Bishop's U) Co-Chair: Jess McIver (UBC)

Speakers: Evan Goetz (UBC), Kristen Dage (McGill U), Laura Sberna (AEI MPG), Miriam Cabero Müller (UBC), Nicholas Viera (McGill U)

Slides

• cabero-gwskynet.pdf
• dage-ucxb.pdf
• goetz-ligolisa.pdf
• parallel-A.pdf
• sberna-lisa.pdf
• viera-mmess.pdf

10 Highlights of Canadian research relevant to LISA - Parallel B

Maxence Corman (Perimeter): Constraining higher dimensions with MBHB merger events; Anna Heffernan (AEI MPG/Guelph): Regularised self-force towards EMRIs; Zhen Pan (Perimeter): EMRI formation in active galactic nuclei; David Racco (Perimeter/Stanford): Cosmological GW backgrounds: from PBH to phase transitions; Vasil Todorinov (U Lethbridge): Quantum Gravity effects on Gravity Wave detection Chair: Huan Yang (U Guelph/Perimeter) Co-Chair: Saeed Rastgoo (York U)

Speakers: Anna Heffernan (U Guelph/U C Dublin), Davide Racco (Perimeter/Stanford), Maxence Corman (Perimeter Institute), Vasil Todorinov (U Lethbridge), Zhen Pan (Perimeter Institute)

Slides parallel-b.pdf

09:25 Break

Simulation Working Group

11 Simulation Working Group

The space based GW detector `Laser Interferometer Space Antenna' (LISA) will probe the low-frequency GW sources such as mergers between massive Black holes and compact binaries amongst others. To achieve its science goals instrumentation the interferometry that will measure the distance variations between freely falling test-masses is required to achieve picometer sensitivity in the given frequency range. The presentation covers an overview of the simulation of the main noises in the interferometry chain and first leg of the data processing to mitigate them. Chair: Saeed Rastgoo (York U) Co-Chair: Djuna Croon (TRIUMF/IPPP Durham)

Speaker: Sweta Shah (MPI AEI)

Slides Sim_Inrep_Shah.pdf

Fundamental Physics Working Group

12 Fundamental Physics Working Group

I will first situate the role and workings of the LISA Fundamental Physics Working Group in the LISA Consortium. Then I will give an overview of its activities, both past, current and planned, and indicate how I think its scope will evolve in the coming years. Chair: Saeed Rastgoo (York U) Co-Chair: Djuna Croon (TRIUMF/IPPP Durham)

Speaker: Thomas Hertog (KU Leuven)

Waveform Working Group

13 Waveform Working Group

The waveform working group and work-package group host activities to provide waveform models that will underpin LISA's science goals. The scope includes diverse astrophysical sources, among them supermassive black holes, extreme-mass-ratio inspirals and white dwarf binaries, and a variety of computational approaches from analytical calculations to numerical relativity. A particular concern is that waveform models must be accurate enough for the high-precision science of LISA, and fast enough to be usable in practice. Chair: Saeed Rastgoo (York U) Co-Chair: Djuna Croon (TRIUMF/IPPP Durham)

Speaker: Harald Pfeiffer (AEI MPG)

Slides 21Apr_Waveforms_at_LISA_Canada.pdf

Thursday, 29 April

Overview of the LISA Consortium

14 Overview of the LISA Consortium

Presented will be an overview of the LISA Consortium. The different governing committees and scientific groups will be summarized. Information on membership and responsibilities for the LISA Consortium will be discussed. Chair: Scott Oser (UBC) Co-Chair: Pasquale Bosso (U Lethbridge)

Speaker: Nelson Christensen (ARTEMIS/Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur)

Slides NC_LISA_Canada.pdf

LISA Hardware and Opportunities for New Contributions

15 LISA Hardware and Opportunities for New Contributions

In the session "LISA Hardware and Opportunities for New Contributions”, Martin Hewitson will review the current Consortium hardware responsibilities, pointing out areas of uncertainty in the overall architecture, both in terms of mission architecture, technology development and responsibility. A discussion will follow. Chair: Scott Oser (UBC) Co-Chair: Pasquale Bosso (U Lethbridge)

Speakers: Martin Gehler (ESA), Martin Hewitson (AEI MPG)

Slides 2021-04-29_LISAHardwareOpportunities.pdf

09:30 Break

Parallel session discussion: Meet the LISA Leadership

16 Meet the LISA Leadership Room #1: Prospects for Canadian Contributions to LISA Hardware

Breakout session with Hardware WG chair Nora Lützgendorf (ESA). Chair: Jess McIver (UBC) Co-chair: Daryl Haggard (McGill U)

17 Meet the LISA Leadership Room #2: Fundamental Physics and Cosmology

Breakout session with Fundamental Physics WG chairs Nico Yunes (UIUC) and Philippe Jetzer, and Cosmology WG chairs Germano Nardini and Robert Caldwell (Dartmouth). Chair: Saeed Rastgoo (York U) Co-Chair: Djuna Croon (TRIUMF/IPPP Durham)

18 Meet the LISA Leadership Room #3: Waveforms and Astrophysics

Breakout session with Waveform WG chairs Helvi Witek (UIUC) and Deirdre Shoemaker (UT Austin), and Astrophysiccs WG chair Shane Larson (Northwestern) Chair: Will East (Perimeter) Co-Chair: David Morrissey (TRIUMF)

19 Meet the LISA Leadership Room #4: LISA Data Challenge and Simulation

Breakout session with data challenge and Simulation WG chairs Michele Vallisneri (JPL/Caltech), Luigi Ferraioli (ETH Zürich), and Sweta Shah (AEI MPG) Chair: Scott Oser (UBC) Co-Chair: Huan Yang (U Guelph/Perimeter)

20 Meet the LISA Leadership Room #5: Data Processing and Advocacy/Outreach

Breakout session with Data Processing WG chairs John Baker (NASA) and Antoine Petiteau (data processing), Advoreach WG chairs Martin Hendry (Glasgow) and Kelly Holley-Bockelmann (Vanderbilt). Chair: Saurya Das (U Lethbridge)

Advocacy and Outreach Working Group

21 Advocacy and Outreach Working Group

The LISA Consortium Advocacy and Outreach Group (“AdvoReach” for short) supports and coordinates communications and advocacy about LISA amongst four main groups: (1) the Consortium itself, promoting regular exchange of information between the different science teams; (2) the gravitational-wave community, cooperating with scientists working on projects that span the gravitational-wave spectrum; (3) the wider astronomical community, particularly in areas of common, complementary science; (4) the non-scientific community, raising awareness of LISA amongst journalists, politicians and decision-makers, educators, students and the general public. In this overview talk I will briefly highlight some of the many projects through which AdvoReach interacts with the above audiences (both face-to-face and via online engagement) and the many ways in which you can get involved in our AdvoReach activities. Chair: Saurya Das (U Lethbridge) Co-Chair: Jess McIver (UBC)

Speaker: Martin Hendry (U Glasgow)

Slides LISA_Canada_AdvoReach.pdf

Closeout

22 Closeout