Estimating the gravitational wave background anisotropy: a Bayesian approach boosted by cross-correlation angular power spectrum

Abstract We introduce a new method designed for Bayesian inference of the angular power spectrum of the Gravitational Wave Background (GWB) anisotropy. This scheme works with detector data and can optionally incorporate the cross-correlations between the GWB anisotropy and other cosmological tracers, enhancing the significance of Bayesian inference. We employ the realistic LISA response and noise model to demonstrate the validity of this approach. The findings indicate that, for the injected cosmological GWB signal, without considering any cross-correlations, the 4-year LISA data is insufficient to achieve a significant detection of multipoles. However, if the anisotropies in the GWB are strongly correlated with the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), the 4-year data can provide unbiased estimates of the quadrupole moment (ℓ = 2). This reconstruction process is generic and not restricted to any specific detector, offering a new framework for extracting anisotropies in the GWB data from various current and future gravitational wave observatories.