Detectability of Gravitational-Wave Memory with LISA: A Bayesian Approach

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Cogez, Adrien, Gasparotto, Silvia, Zosso, Jann, Inchauspé, Henri, Pitte, Chantal, Zertuche, Lorena Magaña, Petiteau, Antoine, Besancon, Marc
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Cogez, Adrien
Gasparotto, Silvia
Zosso, Jann
Inchauspé, Henri
Pitte, Chantal
Zertuche, Lorena Magaña
Petiteau, Antoine
Besancon, Marc
author_facet Cogez, Adrien
Gasparotto, Silvia
Zosso, Jann
Inchauspé, Henri
Pitte, Chantal
Zertuche, Lorena Magaña
Petiteau, Antoine
Besancon, Marc
contents Gravitational wave (GW) astronomy opens a new venue to explore the universe. Future observatories such as LISA, the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, are expected to observe previously undetectable fundamental physics effects in signals predicted by General Relativity (GR).One particularly interesting such signal is associated to the displacement memory effect, which corresponds to a permanent deformation of spacetime due to the passage of gravitational radiation. In this work, we explore the ability of LISA to observe and characterize this effect. In order to do this, we use state-of-the-art simulations of the LISA instrument, and we perform a Bayesian analysis to assess the detectability and establish general conditions to claim detection of the displacement memory effect from individual massive black hole binary (MBHB) merger events in LISA. We perform parameter estimation both to explore the impact of the displacement memory effect and to reconstruct its amplitude. We discuss the precision at which such a reconstruction can be obtained thus opening the way to tests of GR and alternative theories. To provide astrophysical context, we apply our analysis to black hole binary populations models and estimate the rates at which the displacement memory effect could be observed within the LISA planned lifetime.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_23230
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Detectability of Gravitational-Wave Memory with LISA: A Bayesian Approach
Cogez, Adrien
Gasparotto, Silvia
Zosso, Jann
Inchauspé, Henri
Pitte, Chantal
Zertuche, Lorena Magaña
Petiteau, Antoine
Besancon, Marc
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
Gravitational wave (GW) astronomy opens a new venue to explore the universe. Future observatories such as LISA, the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, are expected to observe previously undetectable fundamental physics effects in signals predicted by General Relativity (GR).One particularly interesting such signal is associated to the displacement memory effect, which corresponds to a permanent deformation of spacetime due to the passage of gravitational radiation. In this work, we explore the ability of LISA to observe and characterize this effect. In order to do this, we use state-of-the-art simulations of the LISA instrument, and we perform a Bayesian analysis to assess the detectability and establish general conditions to claim detection of the displacement memory effect from individual massive black hole binary (MBHB) merger events in LISA. We perform parameter estimation both to explore the impact of the displacement memory effect and to reconstruct its amplitude. We discuss the precision at which such a reconstruction can be obtained thus opening the way to tests of GR and alternative theories. To provide astrophysical context, we apply our analysis to black hole binary populations models and estimate the rates at which the displacement memory effect could be observed within the LISA planned lifetime.
title Detectability of Gravitational-Wave Memory with LISA: A Bayesian Approach
topic General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.23230