Simulations and Parameter Estimation for Extreme-Mass-Ratio Inspirals

Abstract

Extreme mass-ratio inspirals (EMRIs) are considered to be among the most promising sources of low-frequency gravitational waves for the future space-based detector LISA. In this project, the EMRI waveforms are simulated using the analytic kludge approach, which is based on post-Newtonian approximations. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is then computed for various scenarios. To assess the ability to extract physical parameters from the observed signals, a Fisher matrix analysis is performed to estimate the precision of parameters such as mass, spin, eccentricity and luminosity distance. The present study explores how the numerical derivative step size, the compact object mass, and the integration time affect parameter estimation accuracy. Our findings quantify that extending the observation time and considering more massive compact objects lead to substantial enhancements in parameter estimation precision, underscoring their critical importance for future LISA data analysis emphasising the significance of these factors in the analysis of LISA data.