{"id":440522,"date":"2023-03-25T08:10:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-25T07:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innovationorigins.com\/?p=440522"},"modified":"2023-03-25T08:10:00","modified_gmt":"2023-03-25T07:10:00","slug":"triangle-or-double-l-the-einstein-telescope-might-be-split-into-two-parts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/triangle-or-double-l-the-einstein-telescope-might-be-split-into-two-parts\/","title":{"rendered":"Triangle or Double L? The Einstein Telescope might be split into two parts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Einstein Telescope (ET<\/a>) project might be split into two parts, one built in the south of the Netherlands and one in Sardinia, Italy. As researchers are primarily focusing on constructing a single site, they are also considering dividing the project into two equal parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ET is a proposed advanced gravitational waves observatory to study the universe and events connected to it. It will be able to detect up to a thousand more sources of gravitational waves than existing infrastructure – such as Virgo<\/a>, the European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) located near Pisa, Italy. Differently from a conventional space telescope, measurements must happen around 200 to 300 meters underground. Gravitational waves go through the earth; we can only listen to them below the surface. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the detection of gravitational waves in 2015 – with the EGO playing a crucial role – a consortium of EU countries proposed to the European Commission to include the observatory in the list of research infrastructures. Member states can submit their bids to host the structure, as a decision will be made by 2024. Currently, two proposals have been officially filed. One is by a consortium from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, which chose the Euregio Meuse-Rhine (EMR) region, and the other by Italy, which found a suitable area in Sardinia. Both candidates are conducting further research to assess the infrastructure’s feasibility and inform the international panel\u2019s final decision. <\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>
<\/div><\/div>
Searching for cracks in relativity theory with the Einstein Telescope<\/div>
The Netherlands is allocating 42 million euros from the National Growth Fund for the Einstein Telescope. <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

The triangle layout is riskier  <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although the original project for the ET envisioned a triangle conformation \u2013 with three 10 kilometers-long corridors \u2013 the deciding commission might opt for splitting this layout into two parts. Therefore, there would be two L-shaped telescopes instead of one. The Virgo observatory itself has an L-shape and has been contributing to the study of gravitational waves since its opening. Having two telescopes would provide further data and shreds of evidence. Yet, the triangle-shaped option has the potential to detect waves more accurately, thus fast-tracking research. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe triangle option is more innovative but comes with a high-risk factor,\u201d explains Marco Pallavicini, vice president of the Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN<\/a>). \u201cNobody has done it before, and whereas we know that the L-shaped one works, we can\u2019t be sure about the functioning of the triangle-shaped observatory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scientific risks can become economic if proper functioning is not guaranteed, not even after billions of euros of investment. Whereas building the telescope on one site would cost less than splitting it into two parts, spending years and money to get the triangle-shaped structure up and running would be cost-wise inefficient. \u201cIt isn\u2019t a remote possibility,\u201d Pallavicini stresses. \u201cThe tools are highly refined and extremely delicate to external factors; we don\u2019t take for granted its immediate functioning,\u201d the physicist adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two sites <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To be an eligible site to build the telescope in, the area must have some crucial parameters. First, the telescope has to be constructed in a location with low chances of earthquakes. Second, the observatory needs the site to be extremely quiet \u2013 meaning that the soil can absorb the noise from human activity. At the same time, the ground has to be strong enough to construct the tunnels. Third, the observatory must be placed in an area with low groundwater presence, as this can generate noise and avoid any seepage possibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To this extent, the EMR soil proved stable enough to accommodate the infrastructure. The analysis conducted in 2019 demonstrated that the rocky ground in the relatively sparsely populated area guarantees sufficient damping of the vibrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The decommissioned mine of Sos Enattos is the site chosen by Italy. Part of the municipality of Lula \u2013 a village of less than 1400 inhabitants located northeast of Sardinia \u2013 the former extraction site has already been used for previous experiments, which showed the area\u2019s potential for listening to gravitational waves. In addition, the Corsica Sardinia\u2019s bloc is one of the most stable areas in the Mediterranean basin, having a low seismic hazard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Einstein
The entrance to the INFN lab in the Sos Enattos site. – \u00a9 INFN<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Joint effort for the Einstein Telescope <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe know that if the final choice were to be taken on a mere scientific standpoint, Sardinia would be a better location to build the telescope in,\u201d says Pallavicini. \u201cHowever, in such a complex project, not only scientific elements have to be considered. We are cooperating with the other research institutes, but we are quite sure about the qualities of the Sos Enattos site,\u201d the scientist adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Our baseline for ET remains the single site and a triangle shape. During the current preparatory phase, we are working towards technical documents to describe the scientific potential, risks, and costs of ET and its implementation at the proposed sites. As part of this effort, we will also compare this to the alternative option of ET as 2 L-shaped detectors,” said Andreas Freise, member of Nikhef<\/a> and project director of the ET initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the involved research centers are working together to find the best solution: the triangle or the double site. Meanwhile, further bids may arrive. For now, it is all about finding the best possible solution to prove – or not – Einstein\u2019s gravitational theory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the main picture: a representation of the Einstein telescope<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Einstein Telescope (ET) project might be split into two parts, one built in the south of the Netherlands and one in Sardinia, Italy. As researchers are primarily focusing on constructing a single site, they are also considering dividing the project into two equal parts. The ET is a proposed advanced gravitational waves observatory to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2084,"featured_media":492822,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[76370,42],"tags":[60038,36810],"location":[70256],"article_type":[36684],"serie":[],"archives":[],"internal_archives":[],"reboot-archive":[],"class_list":["post-440522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science","category-sustainability-nl","tag-einstein-telescope","tag-gravitational-waves","location-eu","article_type-news"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":{"subtitle":"Parallel to constructing a single site, scientists are considering dividing the project into two parts. ","text_display_homepage":false},"author_meta":{"display_name":"Mauro Mereu","author_link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/author\/mauro-mereu\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ET_pictoria-ESFRI.jpg","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["Science<\/a>","Sustainability<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Science<\/span>","Sustainability<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["Einstein telescope<\/a>","gravitational waves<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Einstein telescope<\/span>","gravitational waves<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 3 years ago","modified":"Updated 3 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on March 25, 2023","modified":"Updated on March 25, 2023"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on March 25, 2023 8:10 am","modified":"Updated on March 25, 2023 8:10 am"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/440522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2084"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=440522"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/440522\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/492822"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=440522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=440522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=440522"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=440522"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=440522"},{"taxonomy":"serie","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/serie?post=440522"},{"taxonomy":"archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/archives?post=440522"},{"taxonomy":"internal_archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal_archives?post=440522"},{"taxonomy":"reboot-archive","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reboot-archive?post=440522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}