Constraints and detection capabilities of GW polarizations with space-based detectors in different TDI combinations

TL;DR

This study evaluates how different TDI combinations in space-based GW detectors like LISA, Taiji, and TianQin affect the detection of various GW polarizations, highlighting the importance of optimal TDI choices for probing fundamental physics.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive simulation-based analysis of second-generation TDI combinations' effectiveness in detecting GW polarizations across multiple detectors and source types.

Findings

The A and E channels are best for massive BBHs in LISA and Taiji.

The X channel in TianQin is most effective for detecting additional polarizations.

The X channel is most robust for TianQin in polarization tests, unlike LISA and Taiji.

Abstract

TDI is essential in space-based GW detectors, effectively reducing laser noise and improving detection precision. Space-based GW detectors provide a unique opportunity to probe GW polarizations, including possible additional modes that may signal deviations from general relativity and alternative gravity theories. In this study, we examine the impacts of second-generation TDI combinations on GW polarization detection by simulating LISA, Taiji, and TianQin, including realistic orbital effects such as link length and angle variations. Detector performance is assessed using sensitivity and power-law integrated curves, as well as the SNR of BBHs and phase transitions (PTs). For massive BBHs, the A and E channels typically offer the best sensitivity, while the X channel in TianQin is most effective for detecting additional polarizations. For stellar-mass BBHs, the $\alpha$ channel provides the highest SNR for vector modes in LISA and Taiji specifically for lower-mass systems, while the A and E channels are optimal for higher masses or other polarizations. For PT signals, the X channel generally delivers the optimal performance, except in the low-peak-frequency regime below 1 mHz, where the U channel in TianQin becomes more sensitive. When considering additional polarizations, the X channel emerges as the most robust choice for TianQin, in contrast to LISA and Taiji, where the A and E channels provide strong capabilities for GW polarization tests. This distinction between LISA, Taiji, and TianQin represents a key result of the present work and has not been explicitly emphasized in previous studies. Our findings emphasize the importance of selecting high-sensitivity TDI combinations to enhance detection capabilities across different polarizations, deepening our insight into GW sources and the fundamental nature of spacetime.