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DATA Analysis [DATA-hero-sl]
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Data Analysis

During the course of its mission, LISA will produce vast amounts of data. Storing, collating and analyzing this data is a task which will require the development of new data analysis pipelines and the construction of new data processing centres (DPC).

The DPC Masterpiece
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LISA Data Challenges
LTPDA MATLAB© toolbox
Indestructible Pipelines
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What is data analysis?

Definition, appearance, historical background, origins, first measurements and a classification in our universe today …


Data Processing Centres

Definition, appearance, historical background, origins, first measurements and a classification in our universe today …


Experts’ toolbox

So what are the various sources and types of gravitational waves? Where are the differences and can LISA detect them all?


Ask the data analysts

The new page “Questions about LISA” provides answers to FAQ’s about the Gravitational Universe etc. Get the TOP3 in SCIENCE.

Slide INTRO [DATA-section-intro-sl01]

Data Analysis: An essential aspect of the LISA mission

LISA leads to new methods and tools in data analysis.

In preparing LISA data analysis experts met two central challenges:
On one hand they had to ensure that the LISA instrument will be able to deliver data relevant for scientific questions. On the other hand, they had to implement new techniques and concepts for extracting source parameters from the data streams.

Key components in this context

are the ability of creating high-fidelity waveforms for gravitational wave sources, having a well-understood signal simulator for the mission, and being able to extract the source parameters from the simulated signals.

In LISA Data Challenges (LDC) scientists have already demonstrated the feasibility of LISA data analysis.

LDCs are based on blind challenges of increasing complexity – from a few sources in the first challenge to the full combination of all likely sources in the data stream in the most recent fourth challenge. Scientific research groups from all over the world developed, tested and implemented a wide variety of techniques. As a result, a proof-of-concept for LISA data analysis is strongly tested and ready to go.

Mind-boggling Precision [TECH-section-info-sl01]

DPC Data Processing Centres

During the five years of the survey, LISA will collect and process terabytes of data using thousands of CPUs. The DPCs (Data Processing Centre) will provide the hardware and software infrastructure and means to store and process those data. In strong interaction with the Data Analysis Groups (DAGs), the DPC will implement, execute and control the data analysis pipelines and deliver the scientific products (such as catalogs of identified gravitational waves) to the consortium.

During the five years of the survey, LISA will collect and process terabytes of data using thousands of CPUs. The DPCs (Data Processing Centre) will provide the hardware and software infrastructure and means to store and process those data. In strong interaction with the Data Analysis Groups (DAGs), the DPC will implement, execute and control the data analysis pipelines and deliver the scientific products (such as catalogs of identified gravitational waves) to the consortium.

During the five years of the survey, LISA will collect and process terabytes of data using thousands of CPUs. The DPCs (Data Processing Centre) will provide the hardware and software infrastructure and means to store and process those data. In strong interaction with the Data Analysis Groups (DAGs), the DPC will implement, execute and control the data analysis pipelines and deliver the scientific products (such as catalogs of identified gravitational waves) to the consortium.

The main focus will be on developing tools to support:

The main focus will be on developing tools to support:

The main focus will be on developing tools to support:

+ software development, test and validation
+ pipeline integration and deployment on computing infrastructures
+ data management, tracing and archiving
+ simulation activities

+ software development, test and validation
+ pipeline integration and deployment on computing infrastructures
+ data management, tracing and archiving
+ simulation activities

+ software development, test and validation
+ pipeline integration and deployment on computing infrastructures
+ data management, tracing and archiving
+ simulation activities

You are familiar with the answers here … but not all of them? Go ahead for the rest.

You are familiar with the answers here … but not all of them?
Then go ahead and look at the rest of the list .

You are familiar with the answers here … but not all of them? Then go ahead and look at the rest of the list .

Ask LISA’s Data Analysts

Ask LISA’s Data Analysts

General questions about the theory and science behind this project? From a more comprehensive list, here are the top 3 FAQ entries:

Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of space-time generated by some of the most powerful astrophysical events – such as exploding stars and collisions of two black holes at the centres of galaxies. Gravitational waves travel at the speed of light through the universe, unhindered by intervening mass – to gravitational waves the universe is transparent. That is why gravitational waves are the cosmic messengers that allow us to explore the so far dark side of the universe.

The Gravitational Universe will open a new window in astronomy using powerful sources of gravitational waves to probe a universe that cannot be probed by other means. Significant advances were made, by using our first sense for observing the universe, electromagnetic radiation. But most of the universe remains electromagnetically dark because on astronomical scales gravitation is the real engine of the universe. LISA will provide us with a new sense for observing the so far dark universe. It will let us listen to gravity and thus let us go further than any alternative.

Key components of LISA´s data analysis are high-fidelity waveforms for gravitational wave sources. They are being developed by a signal simulator for the mission. The simulator contains all current information about the gravitational wave sources LISA is expected to observe. So, LISA-scientists are able to extract the source parameters from simulated signals. In so-called Mock LISA Data Challenges (MLDC) they already demonstrated the feasibility of LISA data analysis.

Ask LISA’s Data Analysts

Ask LISA’s Data Analysts

General questions about the theory and science behind this project? From a more comprehensive list, here are the top 3 FAQ entries:

A data pipeline is a set of actions that ingest raw data from disparate sources and move the data to a destination for storage and analysis. A pipeline also may include filtering and features that provide resiliency against failure. There are essentially three major types of pipelines along the transportation route: gathering systems, transmission systems, and distribution systems.

Ask LISA’s Data Analysts

Ask LISA’s Data Analysts

General questions about the theory and science behind this project? From a more comprehensive list, here are the top 3 FAQ entries:

Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of space-time generated by some of the most powerful astrophysical events – such as exploding stars and collisions of two black holes at the centres of galaxies. Gravitational waves travel at the speed of light through the universe, unhindered by intervening mass – to gravitational waves the universe is transparent. That is why gravitational waves are the cosmic messengers that allow us to explore the so far dark side of the universe.

In strong interaction with the Data Analysis Groups of the LISA Consortium, the DPC will implement, execute and control the data analysis pipelines and deliver the scientific products – such as catalogues of identified gravitational waves – to the consortium for further investigation and interpretation. Therefore, the DPC´s is mainly focussed on developing tools for support: software development, test and validation; pipeline integration and deployment on computing infrastructures; data management, tracing and archiving; simulation activities.

Ask LISA’s Data Analysts

Ask LISA’s Data Analysts

General questions about the theory and science behind this project? From a more comprehensive list, here are the top 3 FAQ entries:

Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of space-time generated by some of the most powerful astrophysical events – such as exploding stars and collisions of two black holes at the centres of galaxies. Gravitational waves travel at the speed of light through the universe, unhindered by intervening mass – to gravitational waves the universe is transparent. That is why gravitational waves are the cosmic messengers that allow us to explore the so far dark side of the universe.

The Gravitational Universe will open a new window in astronomy using powerful sources of gravitational waves to probe a universe that cannot be probed by other means. Significant advances were made, by using our first sense for observing the universe, electromagnetic radiation. But most of the universe remains electromagnetically dark because on astronomical scales gravitation is the real engine of the universe. LISA will provide us with a new sense for observing the so far dark universe. It will let us listen to gravity and thus let us go further than any alternative.

LDCs are used to analyse data of a simulated data stream. They are based on blind challenges of increasing complexity – from a few sources in the first challenge to the full combination of all likely sources in the data stream of the most advanced challenge. Scientific research groups from all over the world developed, tested and implemented a wide variety of the required techniques. As a result, a proof-of-concept for LISA data analysis is strongly tested and ready to go.

Ask LISA’s Data Analysts

Ask LISA’s Data Analysts

General questions about the theory and science behind this project? From a more comprehensive list, here are the top 3 FAQ entries:

Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of space-time generated by some of the most powerful astrophysical events – such as exploding stars and collisions of two black holes at the centres of galaxies. Gravitational waves travel at the speed of light through the universe, unhindered by intervening mass – to gravitational waves the universe is transparent. That is why gravitational waves are the cosmic messengers that allow us to explore the so far dark side of the universe.

The Gravitational Universe will open a new window in astronomy using powerful sources of gravitational waves to probe a universe that cannot be probed by other means. Significant advances were made, by using our first sense for observing the universe, electromagnetic radiation. But most of the universe remains electromagnetically dark because on astronomical scales gravitation is the real engine of the universe. LISA will provide us with a new sense for observing the so far dark universe. It will let us listen to gravity and thus let us go further than any alternative.

LISA´s data will be publicly available after a short period in the form of a catalogue. The catalogue will include the identified sources and their parameters as well as the basic strain measurements and the software tools to analyse those data streams. During the time between data ingestion and catalogue production the quality of the data will be ensured and the parameters of sources will be extracted to a suitable precision. In the meantime, the data will be accessible to the Science Team members.