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arXiv · 2607.09335

Clock-noise subtraction in geometric time-delay interferometry for space-based gravitational-wave parameter estimation

Rui Luo·Pan-Pan Wang·Zi-Jiang Yang·Wei-Liang Qian·Cheng-Gang Shao
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Abstract

Millihertz gravitational-wave observations with space-based interferometers require time-delay interferometry (TDI) observables whose residual instrumental noise is sufficiently controlled for both detection and parameter inference. Although TDI suppresses laser phase noise in unequal and time-dependent arms, clock jitter from onboard ultra-stable oscillators can remain above the secondary-noise floor and bias the effective noise weighting used in data analysis. We formulate a clock-noise subtraction scheme directly in the geometric-TDI framework. The construction introduces generalized clock-noise observables for the four space-time link structures that arise when both delay and time-advance operators are allowed. This makes the clock-noise residual algebraically parallel to the laser-noise residual and yields explicit subtraction terms for arbitrary two-path geometric TDI observables. We illustrate the method with representative first- and second-generation geometric TDI combinations, and test it with time-domain simulations using LISA-like orbits and noise levels. For a modified second-generation U-type observable, the subtraction suppresses the clock-noise residual below the signal region, restores the expected sensitivity to a monochromatic source, and improves the Fisher and Markov-chain Monte Carlo parameter constraints on the source amplitude, frequency and phase. These results show that clock-noise calibration is a necessary component of precision data analysis for future space-based gravitational-wave detectors.

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Rui Luo, Pan-Pan Wang, Zi-Jiang Yang, Wei-Liang Qian, Cheng-Gang Shao. 2026-07-10. Clock-noise subtraction in geometric time-delay interferometry for space-based gravitational-wave parameter estimation. https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.09335

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