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Detecting white dwarf binary mergers with gravitational waves

Giona Sala1,*, Chiara Brandenstein2,†, Sebastian Baum1,3, and Peter W. Graham2,4

  • *Contact author: gsala@physik.rwth-aachen.de
  • †Contact author: chiaramb@stanford.edu
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Phys. Rev. D 113, 123022 – Published 9 June, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/dbbd-7v7s

Abstract

Mergers of white dwarf binaries are a possible progenitor channel for Type Ia supernovae. While white dwarfs are abundant in the Universe and relatively well understood, their gravitational wave signals have not yet been directly observed. In order to detect gravitational waves from merging white dwarf binaries, a detector in the mid-band between LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA and LISA appears necessary. In this paper, we compute and discuss the gravitational waves emitted by inspiraling and merging white dwarf binaries, and assess their detectability with proposed space-based atom-interferometer detectors such as MAGIS Space and AEDGE. Gravitational waves from massive white dwarf binaries can be observed for many years before merger, offering a unique early warning of their final explosion. Our projections suggest that MAGIS Space could detect signals from Type Ia supernova progenitors at least once every four years, while AEDGE could observe at least a few hundred such events annually. The prolonged gravitational wave emission captured by atom interferometers provides precise sky localization and can allow observation of the final explosion with electromagnetic telescopes. The combined observation with electromagnetic radiation from the white dwarf binary coalescence could open a new pathway for multimessenger astronomy involving some of the brightest transient events in the Universe.

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Phys. Rev. D 113, 123022– Published 9 June, 2026
  • Received 14 November 2025
  • Accepted 23 April 2026
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