About

The LISA Science Team makes sure that the LISA mission stays focused on its main scientific goals and gets the best possible scientific results. They help plan how to build, operate, and calibrate the instruments so they can detect and study gravitational waves accurately. They oversee how data will be collected, processed, and shared with scientists around the world, and they guide how discoveries are turned into catalogues of cosmic sources. They also connect the wider scientific community to the mission, advise project managers, and help promote LISA to the public. In short, they’re the group that keeps LISA scientifically on track from start to finish.

 

 

For a more detailed description, see the Science Management Plan:

"The LISA Science Team monitors the correct implementation of the scientific objectives of the mission and maximises its scientific return. The LST acts as a focus for the interest of the scientific community in LISA. Its recommendations to the PSs are geared toward:

  • maximising the scientific return of LISA within programmatic constraints, while ensuring that the development and operations of the mission remain compatible with its main scientific objectives;
  • optimising the scientific performance of the instrument and spacecraft;
  • formulating, optimising, and maintaining the gravitational wave calibration strategy;
  • optimising access to the data via the mission archive(s);
  • optimising the analysis and utilisation of LISA data;
  • overseeing the generation of the Level-3 source catalogue from Level-2 data products;
  • authorising the release of scientific data products to the community;
  • establishing, when necessary, Working Groups to provide expertise to support the LST in providing scientific advice to the Project and Mission Managers;
  • establishing and managing the Science Topical Panels (STPs) of the Early Release Science Time;
  • promoting public awareness and appreciation of the LISA mission, and supporting ESA and its partners in their outreach efforts.

In general, members of the LST are expected to monitor the development and operations of the mission and give advice on all aspects that affect its scientific performance. They perform specific scientific tasks as required to discharge their responsibilities during development and operation.

The LST is formed after the adoption of the mission and remains in place until the end of the post-operations phase. In addition to the ESA Project Scientist who chairs it, and the NASA Project Scientist who co-Chairs it, the LST comprises the following members:

  • A representative nominated by the LISA Consortium
  • Up to 17 members covering the instrumentation, performance and operations, data processing and scientific objectives of the mission. These members will be selected through a coordinated open call issued by ESA and NASA;
  • Up to two “Complementary Scientists”, who are experts in fields relevant for complementary science (e.g., Multi-messenger astronomy), selected through an open call issued by ESA.

A commensurate number of members of the LST will be selected from U.S. institutions.

With the exception of members from U.S. institutions, all LST members are appointed by the ESA Director of Science. All LST members will be appointed for a period of three years, renewable. In the event that an LST member is to be replaced, his/her successor is selected through a similar call issued at the appropriate time, or if the LISA Consortium representative is to be replaced, their replacement will be nominated by the appropriate body.

The ESA Project Manager, NASA Project Manager and the ESA Mission Manager (after commissioning) have a standing invitation to attend LST meetings.

To discharge its responsibilities, the LST relies mainly on technical information provided by the ESA Project. However, if deemed necessary, the co-Chairs may request external scientific consultant(s) to conduct an independent review of any of the activities which fall under the responsibility of the LST."