Einstein telescope

The Einstein Telescope ( English Einstein Telescope ) is a concept for a future gravitational wave detector . The structure should resemble existing detectors such as LIGO , but the Einstein telescope, as the third generation of gravitational wave detectors, should be much more accurate. The detector can find many sources of gravitational waves as well as more precisely measure general relativity in systems with strong gravitational fields.

The concept was mainly examined within the framework of the European Commission's seventh research framework program .

Comparison with other detectors

Gravitational waves were first detected by Advanced LIGO in 2015 . Together with Advanced Virgo and KAGRA, aLIGO belongs to the second generation of gravitational wave detectors - sensitive enough to see the strongest signals, but not yet sensitive enough for precision measurements. The accuracy is mainly limited by noise , seismic noise and thermal movement of the optical elements. The laser power also limits the accuracy. The Einstein telescope is said to be better than its predecessor in all of these areas.

draft

The Einstein telescope is to be built underground, with three 10 km long arms in a triangle, the same geometry as LISA . Two arms together are used for two interferometers, making a total of six detectors. Three of them are optimized for the measurement of lower frequencies (2 to 40 Hertz ), three for higher frequencies.

The seismic noise is lower underground than on the surface. To reduce thermal noise, the optical elements of the interferometer are cooled to 10 Kelvin for low frequencies  . The high-frequency part of the Einstein telescope is said to have a significantly higher laser power than its predecessor.

Planned locations

The location is the Euregio: Belgium The Netherlands, in discussion, as well as other locations, including Sardinia and Hungary, are being considered.

Attendees

Within the European Framework Program (FP7) the leading 8 European institutes of gravitational wave research, coordinated by the European Gravitational Observatory, take part:

•  European Union European Gravitational Observatory
•  Italy Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
•  Germany Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics
•  France Center national de la recherche scientifique
•  United Kingdom University of Birmingham
•  United Kingdom University of Glasgow
•  Netherlands NIKHEF
•  Netherlands Maastricht University
•  United Kingdom Cardiff University

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Stefan Hild et al .: Pushing towards the ET sensitivity using 'conventional' technology . November 24, 2008, arxiv : 0810.0604 , bibcode : 2008arXiv0810.0604H .
2. ↑ Einstein Telescope. Albert Einstein Institute Hannover, accessed on June 11, 2016
3. ↑ Einstein gravitational wave Telescope conceptual design study  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
4. ↑ Lena Orban: Einstein Telescope: Scientists want to measure gravitational waves in the region .
5. ^ ET Design Study Participants ( Memento from August 15, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) October 10, 2008.