Project Grant 2308990

This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Physics, under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049), provides $477,375 to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) to identify and evaluate potential sites for the Cosmic Explorer (CE), a next-generation gravitational-wave observatory. The award supports research to locate and assess viable locations for the CE facility, which will be substantially larger than the existing LIGO observatories. The work will involve using geographic information systems and public data to identify promising sites, while also developing protocols for partnering with local and indigenous communities. The activities will create a prototype for the full site selection and evaluation approach that can be applied to additional CE locations in the future. This award aims to enhance U.S. scientific infrastructure and ensure the country maintains a leading role in gravitational-wave astronomy, while also fostering connections between science and local communities, especially indigenous populations.