# Milky Way Satellites Shining Bright in Gravitational Waves

**Authors:** Elinore Roebber, Riccardo Buscicchio, Alberto Vecchio, Christopher J. Moore, Antoine Klein, Valeriya Korol, Silvia Toonen, Davide Gerosa, Janna Goldstein, Sebastian M. Gaebel, Tyrone E. Woods  
**arXiv:** [2002.10465](https://arxiv.org/abs/2002.10465)  
**Date:** 2020-02-24  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/paper/2002.10465v2/

## Key points

- Population of Milky Way satellite galaxies is of significant interest in cosmology, fundamental physics, and astrophysics
- Satellite galaxies are the faintest end of the galaxy luminosity function and have high dark matter content
- They contain some of the oldest and most metal-poor stellar populations
- Approximately 60 satellite galaxies around the Milky Way have been identified, but believed to be less than half of the total population
- Characterizing these systems is challenging due to their low luminosity
- LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) can be used to study these satellite galaxies by observing short-period double white dwarf populations
- LISA can observe the entire sky without limitations like dust extinction and selection effects
- LISA has the potential to discover hidden massive satellites behind the disk of our galaxy
- LISA complements optical surveys and overcomes observational challenges associated with low luminosity and dust extinction
- LISA presents a promising avenue for further exploration and characterization of Milky Way satellite galaxies

## Summary

The population of Milky Way satellite galaxies is a topic of significant interest in the fields of cosmology, fundamental physics, and astrophysics. These satellites represent the faintest end of the galaxy luminosity function and are characterized by their high dark matter content, making them the most dark-matter dominated objects in the local Universe. Additionally, they contain some of the oldest and most metal-poor stellar populations. Recent surveys have identified approximately 60 satellite galaxies around the Milky Way, but it is believed that this number may represent less than half of the total population. The challenge lies in characterizing these systems due to their low luminosity, which makes them difficult to observe using traditional optical surveys. However, there is an exciting opportunity to study these satellite galaxies using the gravitational wave observatory known as LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna). By observing their short-period double white dwarf populations, LISA has the potential to provide valuable insights into these systems. Unlike optical surveys that can be affected by dust extinction and selection effects, LISA will be able to observe the entire sky without such limitations. One particularly intriguing aspect is that LISA could potentially discover massive satellites that are hidden behind the disk of our galaxy. This would greatly expand our understanding of satellite galaxies and their role in galactic evolution. In conclusion, with its unique capabilities for studying double white dwarfs in satellite galaxies and its ability to overcome observational challenges associated with low luminosity and dust extinction makes it a valuable complement to optical surveys; LISA presents a promising avenue for further exploration and characterization of these fascinating objects. Through its observations, LISA has the potential to uncover new insights into the population and properties of Milky Way satellite galaxies.