Black hole quasinormal mode spectroscopy with LISA

Abstract

The signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) for black hole quasinormal mode sources of low-frequency gravitational waves is estimated using a Monte Carlo approach that replaces the all-sky average approximation. We consider an 11-dimensional parameter space that includes both source and detector parameters. We find that in the black hole mass range M 4-7 × 106 M ⊙ the S/N is significantly higher than the S/N for the all-sky average case, as a result of the variation of the spin parameter of the sources. This increased S/N may translate to a higher event rate for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). We also study the directional dependence of the S/N, show at which directions in the sky LISA will have greater response, and identify the LISA blind spots. © 2009. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.