Workshop on Large Ultrahigh-Vacuum Systems for Frontier Scientific Research Instrumentation

目前计划用于物理学和天文学前沿研究的主要新科学仪器将需要非常大的超高真空设施。在某些领域，如下一代激光干涉仪引力波观测站，真空系统预计将成为主要的建设成本。真空系统预计也将成为目前正在开发的先进等离子体聚变和粒子加速器概念的主要成本驱动因素。本次研讨会旨在比较这些未来研究设施的真空需求，并探讨最新进展，新见解和新概念，这些新概念可以在实现过程中节省大量成本。这样做将有助于确保在探索我们的物质宇宙和教育、启发和告知公众方面继续发挥领导作用，同时尽量减少未来对公共资金的负担。 LIGO实验室将于2019年在LIGO利文斯顿或LIGO汉福德天文台举办研讨会。大约21名公认的真空专家将被邀请代表美国和国际领先的研究机构和关键的支持行业，参与将大规模真空系统技术应用于基础研究。他们将加入LIGO实验室的教职员工，为期3个工作日，包括演讲和小组讨论。预期成果包括不同领域和项目之间的技术范式的交叉授粉，以及为未来发展可能合成全新的建筑和制造概念。 研讨会结束后，组委会将发布一份公开的概要，突出这些发现，并为未来的追求方向提出建议。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Major new scientific instruments now planned for forefront research in physics and astronomy will require very large ultrahigh-vacuum facilities. In some areas, such as the next generation of laser interferometer gravitational wave observatories, the vacuum system is expected to form the dominant construction cost. Vacuum systems are also expected to be major cost drivers for advanced plasma fusion and particle accelerator concepts now under development. This workshop aims to compare vacuum needs of these future research facilities and to explore recent advances, new insights, and novel concepts that could render major cost savings in their realization. Doing so will help assure continued leadership in exploring our physical universe and in educating, enlightening and informing the public, with minimal future burden on public funds. LIGO Laboratory will host the workshop at the LIGO Livingston or LIGO Hanford observatory site in calendar 2019. Approximately 21 recognized vacuum experts will be invited to represent leading US and international research facilities and key supporting industries involved in applying large-scale vacuum system technology to fundamental research. They will join LIGO Laboratory faculty and staff for 3 working days with a mixture of presentations and panel-mediated discussions. Expected outcomes include the cross-pollination of technology paradigms between disparate fields and projects, and possible synthesis of entirely novel construction and fabrication concepts for future development. Upon conclusion of the Workshop, the Organizing Committee will publish a publicly accessible synopsis highlighting these findings and recommending directions for future pursuit.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.