From Detector Hardware to Astrophysics: An Open Control and Analysis Architecture for Cosmic Explorer

This award supports the design of an Open Control and Analysis Architecture for Cosmic Explorer, the concept for a next-generation gravitational-wave observatory in the U.S. Cosmic Explorer will push the reach of gravitational-wave astronomy to the edge of the observable universe, enabling transformative discoveries across physics, astronomy, and cosmology. The Open Control and Analysis Architecture is a critical system that sits between the hardware sensing gravitational waves and the scientific output of the detector. The design of Cosmic Explorer’s digital systems will drive advancements in technologies relevant to other fields of science and industry, including control systems for large-scale experiments; architectures for large-scale scientific computing; and investigation, adoption, and improvement of open-source and industrial hardware and software systems. This award will help recruit and train students and professionals who will become members of the U.S. STEM workforce. Cosmic Explorer will deliver new discoveries, dramatically increase the number of observations, and begin the era of precision gravitational-wave science. The Open Control and Analysis Architecture will be responsible for running the high-bandwidth, high-performance control loops that keep the detectors operating, synchronizing the detector as part of a global network with exquisite timing precision, translating the measured electrical signals into to various kinds of astrophysically relevant outputs, and allowing human insight and control into the detector’s operation and performance. Two key aspects of the proposed design are to make the architecture integrated so that astrophysics is integrated with the operation of the detector and open so that the scientific community can contribute to and extend Cosmic Explorer's science goals. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.