Optimal Detection Bands for Intermediate-Mass Black Hole Binaries: Prospects for LISA and AMIGO in General Relativity and $f(R, T)$ Gravity

TL;DR

This paper forecasts the detection prospects of intermediate-mass black hole binaries with space-based detectors LISA and AMIGO, considering both general relativity and the modified gravity model f(R,T), and finds minimal impact of the latter on detection rates.

Contribution

It provides a semi-analytic prediction of IMBH binary detection rates for LISA and AMIGO, incorporating a modified gravity model to assess its effect on gravitational wave signals.

Findings

LISA expects about 10,000 mergers in four years.

AMIGO expects between 100 and 1,000 mergers in three years.

Modified gravity effects slightly alter detection rates, with less than 5% change for Solar System compatible couplings.

Abstract

We present a semi analytic forecast for the detection of intermediate mass black hole (IMBH) binaries with the space based detectors LISA (millihertz band) and AMIGO (deci hertz band). A redshift dependent population model is built from extrapolated black hole mass functions and realistic pairing and merger time scales. Folding this population through the instrument sensitivities yields event rates of about 1e4 mergers for LISA in four observing years and between 1e2 and 1e3 mergers for AMIGO in three years, with complementary optimal detection bands in total mass and redshift. We then incorporate the minimal matter coupled modified gravity model f(R,T) = R + 2 lambda T. In this scenario the strain amplitude is rescaled by (1 - lambda / 8 pi)^(5/6) while the waveform phasing is unchanged at leading order. For Solar System compatible couplings abs(lambda) <= 2 x 10^-3, the peak detection redshift shifts by less than one percent and the total number of events changes by less than five percent. Combined statistics from LISA and AMIGO therefore provide a consistency check on f(R,T) gravity without spoiling standard IMBH forecasts.