Collaborative Research: Identifying and Evaluating Sites for Cosmic Explorer

在爱因斯坦预言引力波一个世纪之后，美国国家科学基金会的激光干涉仪引力波天文台（LIGO），以及处女座天文台（Virgo Observatory），首次直接观测到黑洞并合产生的引力波，并观测到双中子星并合，从而点燃了引力波天文学的时代，推动了随后对电磁波谱各个波段的观测——这是天文学历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一个概念，将把引力波天文学的范围推向可观测宇宙的边缘，通过在一个比每个LIGO天文台大10倍的设施中使用经过验证的LIGO技术。CE将通过观察跨越宇宙时间的黑洞和中子星，探索宇宙中最极端物质的本质，以及探索重力和基础物理的本质问题，实现物理学、天文学和宇宙学领域的革命性发现。该奖项支持确定和评估CE潜在站点的研究，每个站点都必须比LIGO的站点大得多。在实现这一目标的同时，行政长官将与土著和其他地方社区建立互惠互利、文化支持的伙伴关系。该奖项支持确定和评估最有希望建立CE观测站的地点，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做法。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；这和持续的社区咨询将为深入参考评估的地点选择提供信息。CE拥有LIGO汉福德天文台（LHO）的知识和访问权，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，可用于在概念设计的第二阶段不断增加有前途的CE位置。这些活动将实施一个综合的、相互尊重的框架，用于地点评估、社区咨询，并结合数据和社区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、文化支持的进入STEM的途径，支持保留历史上被排斥的群体的成员，优先考虑土著和当地社区的利益，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。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。

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.