Collaborative Research: Identifying and Evaluating Sites for Cosmic Explorer

合作研究：识别和评估宇宙探索者的地点

• 批准号: 2308985
• 负责人: Joshua Smith
• 金额: $ 90.47万
• 依托单位: CSU Fullerton Auxiliary Services Corporation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-08-15 至 2026-07-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2308985&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Identifying; Evaluating; Sites

A century after Einstein predicted gravitational waves, the NSF Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), followed by the Virgo Observatory, ignited the era of gravitational-wave astronomy with the first direct observations of gravitational waves from merging black holes and the observation of a binary neutron star merger, prompting subsequent observations in every band of the electromagnetic spectrum—a watershed event in the history of astronomy. Cosmic Explorer (CE), a concept for a next-generation gravitational-wave observatory in the United States, will push the reach of gravitational-wave astronomy to the edge of the observable universe, by using proven LIGO technology in a facility ten times larger than each LIGO observatory. CE will enable transformative discoveries across physics, astronomy, and cosmology, by observing black holes and neutron stars across cosmic time, probing the nature of the most extreme matter in the universe, and exploring questions in the nature of gravity and fundamental physics. This award supports research to identify and evaluate potential sites for CE, each necessarily substantially larger than LIGO’s sites. CE will do this while working in mutually beneficial, culturally supported partnerships with Indigenous and other local communities.This award supports the identification and evaluation of the most promising locations for CE observatories while developing protocols and best practices for large-scale projects to be in partnership with local and Indigenous communities. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and public data will be used to identify and vet locations and then establish partnerships through the Indigenous Partnership Program (IPP). At locations that are physically viable and where community permission is granted, an initial assessment will be conducted; this and continued community consultation will inform a down-selection of locations for in-depth reference assessment. CE has knowledge of and access to LIGO Hanford Observatory (LHO), where there are established protocols for partnering with local and Indigenous communities. The (broader) Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford area, on which LHO is located, will be the first location where the entire assessment process — from start to a thorough reference assessment — may be implemented. The combined location search and evaluation will constitute a prototype for the full approach, which can be used to continuously add promising CE locations in Phase 2 of conceptual design. These activities will implement an integrated, respectful framework for location evaluation, community consultation, and combined data- and community-driven understandings of facilities construction priorities. CE will enhance US scientific infrastructure, ensuring the US continues its leading role in gravitational-wave science while connecting science with society, especially in the context of Indigenous communities. These activities will create innovative, culturally supported pathways into STEM, support retention of members of historically excluded groups, prioritize the interests of Indigenous and local communities, and empower future leaders of a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

在爱因斯坦预言引力波一个世纪后，美国国家科学基金会激光干涉仪引力波天文台（LIGO）以及随后的处女座天文台，首次直接观测到来自合并黑洞的引力波，并观测到了引力波，从而点燃了引力波天文学的时代。双中子星合并，促使随后对电磁波谱的每个波段进行观测——这是天文学史上的一个分水岭事件。宇宙探索者 (CE) 是美国下一代引力波天文台的概念，将通过在十倍大的设施中使用经过验证的 LIGO 技术，将引力波天文学的研究范围推向可观测宇宙的边缘CE 将通过跨宇宙时间观测黑洞和中子星，探索最极端物质的本质，实现物理学、天文学和宇宙学领域的变革性发现。该奖项支持研究以确定和评估 CE 的潜在地点，每个地点都必须比 LIGO 的地点大得多，CE 将在互惠互利、文化支持的伙伴关系中开展这项工作。与土著和其他当地社区合作。该奖项支持确定和评估最有前途的 CE 观测站地点，同时制定与当地和土著社区合作的大型项目的协议和最佳实践。公共数据将用于确定并审查地点，然后通过原住民伙伴关系计划 (IPP) 建立伙伴关系。在实际可行且获得社区许可的地点，将进行初步评估，并持续进行社区咨询，以告知地点的选择。 CE 了解并可访问 LIGO 汉福德天文台 (LHO)，该天文台制定了与当地和原住民社区合作的协议 (更广泛的) 能源部 (DOE) 汉福德地区。位于，将是第一个可以实施整个评估过程（从开始到彻底的参考评估）的地点。位置搜索和评估相结合将构成完整方法的原型，可用于在第二阶段不断添加有希望的 CE 地点。这些活动将实施一个综合的、相互尊重的框架，用于位置评估、社区咨询以及对设施建设优先事项的数据和社区驱动的综合理解，将增强美国的科学基础设施，确保美国继续在重力领域发挥主导作用。 -浪潮科学，同时将科学与社会联系起来，特别是在这些活动将创造创新的、文化支持的 STEM 途径，支持保留历史上被排除在外的群体成员，优先考虑原住民和当地社区的利益，并赋予多元化、具有全球竞争力的 STEM 劳动力的未来领导者权力。授予 NSF 的法定使命，并通过评估反映使用基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准，被认为值得支持。