Developing the Preliminary Design for the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL)

由美国国家科学基金会资助的研究正在Homestake矿山进行，这是一座前金矿，位于南达科他州拉皮德城西北约45英里处，以更好地了解和确定在矿山建立世界级地下研究设施的范围、时间表和成本。拟建的深地下科学与工程实验室（DUSEL）将使用由Homestake矿业公司于2006年捐赠给南达科他州科学技术管理局（SDSTA）的土地、现有建筑和基础设施以及地下矿山。SDSTA是由南达科他州立法机构创建的，目的是接受Homestake的捐赠，重新开放Homestake矿山，并将矿山转变为一个专门的科学、工程和教育中心。该合同将在2年内提供2901.9万美元，用于支持正在进行的研究，目标是在2010年年底完成拟议DUSEL设施的初步设计报告。DUSEL初步设计预计将允许NSF适当考虑DUSEL的主要研究设备和设施建设（MREFC）资金。为DUSEL设想的高灵敏度实验需要在Homestake矿山提供大量覆盖层来屏蔽宇宙射线。为DUSEL设想的实验项目旨在回答一系列丰富的科学和工程问题，构成一个具有强大智力价值的项目。物理学和天体物理学的研究重点将探索暗物质的本质；促进对中微子的理解；研究物质-反物质的不对称性，今天相对于早期宇宙明显；通过质子衰变研究物质的基本稳定性；通过研究太阳中微子通量来研究宇宙是如何演化的；并追求其他根本感兴趣的话题。对在极端条件下进化的地下生命的研究也很有趣；研究岩石孔隙度、强度、应力、内部热流等特性；热、水文、化学、机械和生物耦合过程的现场研究，在大尺度上，在前所未有的深度，几乎没有人类学的干扰；以及在这些不同学科之间创造重要的新智力协同作用的机会。DUSEL计划开展一项教育和推广计划，以提高科学、技术、工程和数学研究和教育机会，惠及包括美国印第安人在内的弱势群体，以及当地公众和那些将被地下实验室吸引到该地区的人。将需要开展外联工作，使科学和技术领域历史上代表性不足的群体参与进来；开展全民科学教育；为学生和教师创造与dusel相关的研究机会；并寻求成为地区机构的伙伴。设想利用虚拟环境促进更广泛的智力和教育联系，在国内和国际范围内进行外联。

Studies funded by NSF are underway at the Homestake Mine, a former gold mine, located approximately 45 miles northwest of Rapid City, South Dakota, to better understand and define the scope, schedule and cost for establishing a world-class underground research facility in the mine. The proposed Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) would use land, existing buildings and infrastructure, and underground mine workings donated by the Homestake Mining Company to the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority (SDSTA) in 2006. The SDSTA was created by the South Dakota legislature to accept the Homestake donation, to re-open the Homestake Mine, and convert the mine to a dedicated center for science, engineering and education. This award provides $29.019 million over 2 years to support ongoing studies with the goal of completing a Preliminary Design Report for the proposed DUSEL facility by the end of calendar year 2010. The DUSEL Preliminary Design is expected to allow appropriately informed consideration by NSF of DUSEL for Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) funding. Highly sensitive experiments envisioned for DUSEL require the massive amounts of overburden available at the Homestake Mine to shield cosmic rays. The experimental programs envisioned for DUSEL are intended to answer a rich array of scientific and engineering questions, constituting a program of strong intellectual merit. Physics and astrophysical research thrusts will explore the nature of dark matter; advance the understanding of neutrinos; study matter-antimatter asymmetry evident today relative to the early universe; probe the fundamental stability of matter through study of proton decay; investigate how the universe evolved through studies of the solar neutrino flux; and pursue other topics of fundamental interest. Also of interest are studies of life underground that evolves in extreme conditions; studies of rock porosity, strength, stresses, internal heat flow and other characteristics; in situ studies of coupled thermal, hydrological, chemical, mechanical, and biological processes on a large dimensional scale, at unprecedented depth, and with little anthropological interferences; and the creation of opportunities for important new intellectual synergies across these various disciplines.An education and outreach program is planned for DUSEL to enhance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics research and education opportunities to under- represented persons, including American Indians, as well as to the local public and those who will be drawn to the area by the underground lab. Outreach efforts will be needed to engage historically underrepresented groups in areas of science and technology; to make science education available for the general public; to create DUSEL-related research opportunities for students and teachers; and seek to be partners with regional institutions. Outreach at national and international scales is envisioned using virtual environments to facilitate broader, intellectual and educational connections.