This substantial EUR 10 million award supports the establishment of a pioneering network of high-frequency gravitational wave detectors, with around EUR 2.1 million directed specifically to JGU. The ERC Synergy Grants program promotes collaborative projects that bring together scientists from diverse backgrounds to address complex research challenges.
Building a High-Frequency Detector Network
The GravNet project, formally titled "A Global Network for the Search for High Frequency Gravitational Waves," aims to integrate particle physics with gravitational wave research by establishing a dedicated global detector network. This network aspires to unravel fundamental questions in physics, particularly the enigma of dark matter.
"High-frequency gravitational waves could emerge from events like the merging of primordial black holes, which could potentially be dark matter candidates. These signals would be observable with our global detector network," stated GravNet's spokesperson, Prof. Dr. Matthias Schott of the University of Bonn's Physics Institute. "Such black holes are prime candidates for dark matter."
In this ERC-funded project, the team's initial phase will focus on designing and constructing the detectors, which will later be deployed at key locations in Bonn, Mainz, and Frascati. "Our detectors, which use cavity resonators in high magnetic fields, can detect incredibly faint electrical signals produced by high-frequency gravitational waves," Prof. Schott explained.
"Detecting such weak signals demands cutting-edge quantum technologies." Professor Schott's key collaborators include Professor Dr. Dmitry Budker of JGU, Professor Diego Blas of IFAE, and Dr.
Claudio Gatti of INFN-LNF. "The most thrilling aspect of this project is the prospect of exploring the universe through high-frequency gravitational waves, providing an entirely new observational perspective," Professor Budker added. "Historically, every major leap in observational technology since Galileo has led to remarkable and unanticipated discoveries."
The GravNet project exemplifies the kind of collaboration fostered by the ERC Synergy Grant program, which enables up to four principal investigators to pool specialized expertise and resources to tackle fundamental scientific questions.
"Realizing GravNet requires a range of facilities and skills, including cryogenic and magnetic technologies, quantum sensing, theoretical physics, advanced data analysis, and ultra-low noise electronics," Prof. Schott noted.
Related Links
Budker Lab
The Physics of Time and Space
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