Figures of merit for a stochastic gravitational-wave background measurement by LISA: implications of LISA Pathfinder noise correlations

Understand

An important goal of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is to observe a stochastic gravitational-wave background (SGWB).

• A study of possible correlated noise in LISA is relevant to establish limits for this future measurement.
• To test noise investigation methods under somewhat realistic conditions, we use the data of LISA Pathfinder (LPF).
• We calculate the coherence between the LPF differential acceleration of the two test-masses with magnetic fields, temperature, and micronewton cold gas thruster activity in the spacecraft.