Vindicating Einstein
Studying gravity ripples
The proposed Einstein Telescope gravitational wave observatory
Scientists in Europe will unveil plans today for an ambitious new observatory to seek out gravitational waves tiny ripples in the fabric of space-time and potentially uncover secrets of the earliest moments of the universe. After three years of study, designs for the proposed Einstein Telescope (ET) at the European Gravitational Observatory site in Pisa, Italy during their May 19 meeting. The multi-year design study involved more than 200 scientists in Europe and around the world, and the advanced observatory is pegged as a next-generation gravitational wave detector that will be 100 times more sensitive than existing instruments. During today's unveiling, project scientists will outline the Einstein Telescope's scientific goals, as well as the detector's layout and technology, timescale and estimated costs. The current estimated price tag of the observatory is $1.42 billion (slightly less than 1 billion Euros). The Einstein Telescope is expected to be capable of making precise measurements of gravitational waves, which are predicted to emanate from cosmic catastrophes such as merging black holes, collapsing stars and supernova explosions. The sophisticated telescope also offers the potential to probe the nature of the early universe just after the Big Bang that set things in motion 13.7 billion years ago, according to a project description. To achieve such a high degree of sensitivity, the observatory will be built underground at a depth of about 330 to 650 feet (100 to 200 meters), which should reduce the interfering effects of residual seismic motion, researchers said. This should also enable the detector to sense the entire range of gravitational wave frequencies that can be measured on Earth, they added. "An observatory achieving that level of sensitivity will turn [gravitational wave] detection into a routine astronomical tool. ET will lead a scientific revolution," said Michele Punturo, scientific coordinator of the design study, in a statement.
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