Gravitational-wave confusion background from cosmological compact
  binaries: Implications for future terrestrial detectors
  Increasing the sensitivity of a gravitational-wave (GW) detector improves our
ability to measure the characteristics of detected sources. It also increases
the number of weak signals that contribute to the data. Because GW detectors
have nearly all-sky sensitivity, they can be subject to a confusion limit: Many
sources which cannot be distinguished may be measured simultaneously, defining
a stochastic noise floor to the sensitivity. For GW detectors operating at
present and for their planned upgrades, the projected event rate is
sufficiently low that we are far from the confusion-limited regime. However,
some detectors currently under discussion may have large enough reach to binary
inspiral that they enter the confusion-limited regime. In this paper, we
examine the binary inspiral confusion limit for terrestrial detectors. We
consider a broad range of inspiral rates in the literature, several planned
advanced gravitational-wave detectors, and the highly advanced "Einstein
Telescope" design. Though most advanced detectors will not be impacted by this
limit, the Einstein Telescope with a very low frequency "seismic wall" may be
subject to confusion noise. At a minimum, careful data analysis will be require
to separate signals which will appear confused. This result should be borne in
mind when designing highly advanced future instruments.
