Chris Lukinbeal Awarded $655K NSF Grant for Siting Next-Gen Observatory Site Selection

TUCSON, Ariz. — University of Arizona researchers have received a $655,095 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to help select sites for Cosmic Explorer (CE), a proposed next-generation U.S. gravitational-wave observatory. Led by Principal Investigator Chris L. Lukinbeal, School of Geography Development and Environment and co-PI Joseph H. Hoover, Environmental Science, the two-year project runs through July 2028. MS-GIST Alumnus Warren Bristol and Oscar Romero both are employed on the project.

The work is part of a multi-institutional effort that includes Caltech, Syracuse University, and the University of Minnesota, California State Fullerton among others. Cosmic Explorer will feature two ground-based facilities in the continental U.S.—one with 40-kilometer (25-mile) arms and a second with 20-kilometer (12.4-mile) arms. 

Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis, the UArizona team will evaluate potential sites based on scientific needs, construction costs, workforce availability, and regional infrastructure. The primary goal is to trim the current candidate list of 20 prospective locations (10 for each facility size) down to six vetted short-listed sites per facility. Beyond technical requirements, the study factors in community quality of life, commute times for staff, and local partnerships especially with indigenous people and nations. The project will yield a comprehensive report to directly guide the NSF's final site selection.