The Mock LISA Data Challenges: from Challenge 1B to Challenge 3

TL;DR

The paper reviews progress in the Mock LISA Data Challenges, highlighting advances in data analysis techniques for gravitational wave sources and introducing the next challenge with more realistic data and new source classes.

Contribution

It provides a critical analysis of Challenge 1B entries and introduces Challenge 3 with enhanced data realism and additional source types.

Findings

Confirmation of data-analysis techniques for various binary sources

First convincing detection of extreme-mass-ratio inspirals

Progress in parameter estimation accuracy

Abstract

The Mock LISA Data Challenges are a programme to demonstrate and encourage the development of LISA data-analysis capabilities, tools and techniques. At the time of this workshop, three rounds of challenges had been completed, and the next was about to start. In this article we provide a critical analysis of entries to the latest completed round, Challenge 1B. The entries confirm the consolidation of a range of data-analysis techniques for Galactic and massive--black-hole binaries, and they include the first convincing examples of detection and parameter estimation of extreme--mass-ratio inspiral sources. In this article we also introduce the next round, Challenge 3. Its data sets feature more realistic waveform models (e.g., Galactic binaries may now chirp, and massive--black-hole binaries may precess due to spin interactions), as well as new source classes (bursts from cosmic strings, isotropic stochastic backgrounds) and more complicated nonsymmetric instrument noise.