Collaborative Research: Identifying and Evaluating Sites for Cosmic Explorer

在爱因斯坦预测引力波后的世纪，NSF激光干涉引力波天文台（LIGO），以及随后的Virgo天文台，首次直接观测到黑洞合并产生的引力波，并观测到双中子星星合并，开启了引力波天文学的时代，这促使人们对电磁波谱的每一个波段都进行了后续观测，这是天文学史上的一个分水岭。宇宙探索者（CE）是美国下一代引力波天文台的概念，将通过在比每个LIGO天文台大十倍的设施中使用经过验证的LIGO技术，将引力波天文学的范围推向可观测宇宙的边缘。CE将通过观察宇宙时间内的黑洞和中子星，探索宇宙中最极端物质的性质，并探索引力和基础物理学性质的问题，实现物理学，天文学和宇宙学的变革性发现。该奖项支持研究，以确定和评估CE的潜在网站，每个都必须大大大于LIGO的网站。CE将在与土著和其他当地社区建立互惠互利、文化支持的伙伴关系的同时做到这一点。该奖项支持确定和评估CE观测站最有前途的地点，同时为与当地和土著社区合作的大型项目制定协议和最佳实践。地理信息系统（GIS）和公共数据将用于确定和审查地点，然后通过土著伙伴关系计划（IPP）建立伙伴关系。在实际可行并获得社区许可的地点，将进行初步评估;这一评估和持续的社区协商将为深入参考评估的地点的选择提供信息。CE了解并可以访问LIGO汉福德天文台（LHO），那里有与当地和土著社区合作的既定协议。LHO所在的（更广泛的）能源部（DOE）汉福德地区将是整个评估过程（从开始到彻底的参考评估）可能实施的第一个地点。结合位置搜索和评估将构成完整方法的原型，该方法可用于在概念设计的第2阶段中不断添加有希望的CE位置。这些活动将实施一个综合的、相互尊重的框架，以进行地点评估、社区协商，并结合数据和社区驱动的对设施建设优先事项的理解。CE将加强美国的科学基础设施，确保美国继续在引力波科学方面发挥领导作用，同时将科学与社会联系起来，特别是在土著社区的背景下。这些活动将创造创新的，文化支持的途径进入STEM，支持历史上被排斥的群体的成员保留，优先考虑土著和当地社区的利益，并赋予未来的领导者一个多样化的，具有全球竞争力的STEM劳动力。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响力审查标准进行评估的支持。

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.