PTPlot is a tool for exploring the gravitational wave power spectrum from first-order phase transitions, and evaluating the likelihood of detecting a signal with the LISA mission.

All output figures are Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) and can be downloaded and edited with free tools such as Inkscape. They are also easily converted to PDF or bitmapped formats by Inkscape or built-in OS tools, e.g.:

$inkscape input_snr_file.svg --export-pdf=outpout_snr_file.pdf Note that on Macos, Inkscape requires the full path to the source and destination files in order to work. ### Crediting PTPlot The results plotted by this tool are based on the papers arXiv:1704.05871, Shape of the acoustic gravitational wave power spectrum from a first order phase transition (note the erratum) and arXiv:1910.13125, Detecting gravitational waves from cosmological phase transitions with LISA: an update. You are welcome to include plots from PTPlot in your own work; if you do use PTPlot, please cite those papers. Figures without the LISACosWG watermark are available on request; please do not remove it without permission. ### Source The source for PTPlot is available at https://bitbucket.org/dweir/ptplot. Please do not, however, use this code in your own projects without permission. ### Feedback, issues Please get in touch with the author, David Weir [david.weir@helsinki.fi] or raise an issue on the issue tracker. ### Recent news • 5.3.2020 - version 1.0.1 • Can be installed with pip3 (for standalone use): pip3 install --upgrade --git+https://dweir@bitbucket.org/dweir/ptplot.git • Fixes a systematic error due to having logarithmically spaced data for the sensitivity curve, while eLISATools.py cannot cope with anything but evenly spaced points. Wrote a new replacement for the relevant commands that does numerical integration with an arbitrary interval. • Fixed the value of$\tilde{\Omega}_\text{gw}$from 0.12 to 0.012. This was due to a typo in arXiv:1704.05871 below Equation 45, which will be corrected in a forthcoming erratum. • Power spectra and sensitivity data can now be downloaded as a CSV from individual point pages. • Minor fixes due to changes in Django. • Some improvements to the benchmark point database. • 7.11.2019 - version 1.0.0 • Coincides with release of paper [arXiv:1910.13125]. • Source data for plots now included in repo. • Minor tick marks now shown. • In plotting power spectra, only the sound wave curve is now shown (other curves remain available in the source code). • Bugfixes, including: corrections to definition of$\kappa$and a missing factor of$h^2$in the sound wave GW power spectrum. • 25.6.2019 - version 0.9.5 • 3- and 7- year mission durations available. • Bugfixes to the "energy budget" calculation, which previously had some discrepancies at intermediate velocities. • Axis labels cleaned up. • "Theories" renamed to "Models" and another layer of granularity, "Scenarios", added to benchmark points. • More flexibility in terms of individual points and scenarios having their own$T_*$and$v_\mathrm{w}$. •$\beta/H$is now plotted (and used as a parameter) rather than$H/\beta\$.
• 21.12.2018 - version 0.9.2
• The SNR curves and power spectra now use a single merged PowerSpectrum() class.
• All plots use a conservative form of the sound wave source where it has lifetime set either by the shock formation time or the Hubble time, whichever is shorter.
• All plots have a date and timestep to assist with debugging.
• Power spectrum plots have the SNR (from sound waves only) overplotted, too.

### References

• arXiv:1512.06239 - Science with the space-based interferometer eLISA. II: Gravitational waves from cosmological phase transitions
• arXiv:1910.13125 - Detecting gravitational waves from cosmological phase transitions with LISA: an update