Spotlight: Dutch southern province bidding to host new gravitational waves detector

The Dutch southernmost province of Limburg is bidding to host a 1.1-billion-euro European new generation gravitational waves detector in an effort to highlight the Netherlands on the global map of fundamental science research and boost economy in the Dutch-German-Belgian crossborder region.

"The project will put the Netherlands and our region in particular on the world scientific map and contribute significantly to the local economy," Martijn Rumpen, project strategist at the Limburg province told reporters.

Named after Albert Einstein, the detector will help scientists probe the nature of the early universe. Last February, with the LIGO detector located in the United States, scientists observed for the first time ripples in the fabric of spacetime called gravitational waves, arriving at the earth from a cataclysmic event in the distant universe. This confirms a major prediction of Einstein's 1915 general theory of relativity and opens an unprecedented new window onto the cosmos.

"There is an urgency to start creating new generation detectors," said Rumpen, referring to the rapid development worldwide in the area of gravitational waves science following the landmark discovery by the LIGO detector.

Einstein Telescope as one of Europe's major scientific investments has gone through a multi-year design study which involved more than 200 scientists in Europe and around the world. The study received a 3-million-euro financing from the European Commission.

To have the telescope, the hosting country must be supported by at least two other states. Possible partners for the Netherlands are Germany and Belgium as Limburg shares common borders with both countries.

A total of 1.1 billion euros are needed for the construction. Countries involved would need to show serious financial commitment to the project, a crucial aspect to gain approval and additional financing by the European Union. A good indication could be a commitment of around one third of the total cost and additional financial support is expected to be provided by all states involved in the project, according to Rumpen.

If Limburg wins its bid, economic benefits would include annual investments of 30 million euros for the operation and maintenance of the telescope. Spin-off effects are also expected including the arrival of top scientists in the area and the creation of 1,000 jobs, according to officials from the provincial government.

In this effort, the provincial government of Limburg has joint forces with the Dutch Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) to campaign for the project.

"Limburg provides the ideal geology for this highly sensitive detector and at the same time it is situated in close proximity to top European knowledge institutions stretching across three countries Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands," argued Rumpen.

Scientists from Germany and the Netherlands have already started working closely to develop this European project following the cooperation agreement signed by the Dutch National Institute for Subatomic Physics (Nikhef) and the German Albert Einstein Institute (AEI) in April, he added.

Joint research into a possible location by looking at sites in the Dutch-German border area in south Limburg and the German region of North Rhine Westphalia will form a key part of the cooperation. These studies are scheduled to start in next spring.

The Einstein Telescope is expected to be capable of making precise measurements of gravitational waves and be 100 times more sensitive than existing instruments. It will be a triangular one instead of in "L" shape with three arms through which the laser clusters pass measuring ten kilometers, longer than LIGO's four-km arms.

Moreover, it will be built 100 to 200 meters underground, which enable it to better suppress background noise. The unique geology in the area of Limburg makes it a good option to locate this mega observatory, said Rumpen. Above the hard bedrock, the region has a soft top layer which is believed to be perfect for the insulation of waves.

Italian island Sardinia and Hungary are also considering joining the competition to host the Einstein Telescope. Candidate sites suitable to locate this mega telescope are the Matra mine in Hungary and the Sos Ennatos mine in Sardinia. Endit