Einstein Telescope, the pioneer project for a third-generation GW observatory in Europe: science, technologies and perspectives

Abstract

Einstein Telescope (ET) is the pioneer project aiming to the realisation of a 3rd generation Gravitational Wave Observatory in Europe. Benefiting of the momentum given by the scientific successes of the LIGO and Virgo detectors, the ET project had, in the last few years, an important boost toward its realisation, entering in many of the national and international roadmaps. ET will be simultaneously a new discovery and a precision measurement observatory; it has a rich variety of scientific and multidisciplinary targets in astrophysics, nuclear physics, fundamental physics and cosmology. ET will be also a technological challenge: in order to achieve the expected sensitivity a new underground research infrastructure will be realised, a multi-interferometer per detector design will be implemented hosting new or updated technologies studied to reduce the noises limiting the current detectors. An overview of the science targets, of the observatory design, of the needed technologies and of the ET project organisation will be presented.