Gravitational Wave Spin Memory Effect and Detectability with LISA

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is a space-based gravitational wave observatory currently projected to launch in the 2030s. Its frequency range will be lower and broader than LIGO’s, allowing it the capability to observe mergers and events we have still been unable to detect. Its increased sensitivity also allows for the potential to observe other effects of gravitational waves, such as gravitational wave memory. The memory effect we are focused on in this project is called the spin memory effect, which arises from the flux of the angular momentum per solid angle of the gravitational wave. This paper discusses gravitational wave memory and its derivation, the noise curve model for LISA, and the computation of the signal-to-noise ratios of detections. Our results for the spin memory (l = 3, m = 0) mode are not yet ready for publication, however the preliminary results for the pre- translation l = 2, m = 2 mode have been included.