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

由NSF资助的研究正在位于南达科他州拉皮德市西北约45英里的Homestake矿进行，该矿以前是一座金矿，以更好地了解和确定在该矿建立世界级地下研究设施的范围、时间表和成本。拟建的深井地下科学和工程实验室(DUSEL)将使用Homestake矿业公司于2006年捐赠给南达科他州科学和技术局(SDSTA)的土地、现有建筑和基础设施以及地下采矿作业。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，并将该矿改造成专门的科学、工程和教育中心。这项奖励在两年内提供2901.9万美元，用于支持正在进行的研究，目标是在2010年底之前完成拟议的杜塞尔设施的初步设计报告。DUSEL初步设计预计将允许NSF在适当的知情情况下考虑DUSEL的重大研究设备和设施建设(MREFC)资金。设想在杜塞尔进行的高度敏感的实验需要霍姆斯塔克矿提供的大量覆盖层来屏蔽宇宙射线。为杜塞尔设想的实验计划旨在回答一系列丰富的科学和工程问题，构成一个具有很强智力价值的计划。物理学和天体物理学研究的推进将探索暗物质的本质；促进对中微子的理解；研究物质-反物质相对于早期宇宙的明显不对称性；通过研究质子衰变来探索物质的基本稳定性；通过研究太阳中微子通量来研究宇宙是如何演变的；以及追求其他基本感兴趣的课题。同样令人感兴趣的是对在极端条件下演化的地下生命的研究；对岩石孔隙度、强度、应力、内部热流和其他特征的研究；在大范围、前所未有的深度和几乎没有人类学干扰的情况下，对热、水文、化学、机械和生物过程的耦合进行现场研究；以及为这些不同学科之间重要的新的智力协同创造机会。杜塞尔计划开展一项教育和外联计划，以增加科学、技术、工程和数学研究和教育的机会，包括美国印第安人，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，使历来代表性不足的群体参与科学和技术领域；向公众提供科学教育；为学生和教师创造与杜塞尔有关的研究机会；并寻求与区域机构建立伙伴关系。利用虚拟环境促进更广泛的知识和教育联系，设想在国家和国际范围内开展外联活动。

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.