[Paper Review] Cosmic Explorer: The U.S. Contribution to Gravitational-Wave Astronomy beyond LIGO

D. H. Reitze, R. X. Adhikari+22 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jul 10, 2019

History and Developments in Astronomy510 citations

TL;DR

The paper outlines the U.S. plan and the ten-year R&D needed to realize Cosmic Explorer, a future third-generation gravitational-wave detector beyond LIGO.

ABSTRACT

This white paper describes the research and development needed over the next decade to realize "Cosmic Explorer," the U.S. node of a future third-generation detector network that will be capable of observing and characterizing compact gravitational-wave sources to cosmological redshifts.

Motivation & Objective

• Motivate the development of a third-generation gravitational-wave detector network beyond LIGO.
• Identify the key R&D areas and technology requirements for Cosmic Explorer over the coming decade.
• Characterize the scientific capabilities needed to observe and characterize compact sources to cosmological redshifts.
• Define the role of Cosmic Explorer in a global network for gravitational-wave astronomy.

Proposed method

• Describe the research and development needed over the next decade to realize Cosmic Explorer.
• Outline the technical challenges and technology development areas for a next-generation detector.
• Discuss how Cosmic Explorer would integrate into a broader detector network and science goals.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 What are the essential R&D areas required to achieve a third-generation gravitational-wave detector beyond LIGO?
• RQ2 What technical capabilities and innovations are needed to observe and characterize compact binary sources to cosmological redshifts?
• RQ3 How would Cosmic Explorer contribute to a global gravitational-wave astronomy network in the next decade?

Key findings

• Cosmic Explorer is envisioned as the U.S. node of a future third-generation detector network.
• The paper identifies the research and development needed over the next decade to realize Cosmic Explorer.
• The goals include observing and characterizing compact gravitational-wave sources at cosmological redshifts.