On June 25 and 26, the National Laboratories of Frascati of the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) hosted the annual meeting of the Italian Einstein Telescope community. The event provided an important opportunity to discuss the status of the Italian candidacy to host the future gravitational-wave observatory and to review the achievements of ETIC (Einstein Telescope Infrastructure Consortium), the main project supporting the candidacy, funded with €50 million through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP).
Launched in 2023 and now reaching its conclusion, ETIC involved 14 Italian universities and research institutions, led by the INFN, with two main objectives: to carry out a feasibility study and site characterization of the proposed Sos Enattos site, in the Nuoro region, and to establish or strengthen a national network of research and development laboratories at INFN sites, universities, and research institutions participating in ET. These laboratories focus on the enabling technologies for the future interferometer, including seismic isolation and low-frequency control systems for the suspension of the optics, low-noise cryogenic systems to reduce thermal noise, and new technologies in photonics, optics, electronics, and mirror coatings for ET.
A significant part of the meeting was also devoted to discussing the synergies and future transition between the Virgo experiment – currently operating in Cascina, near Pisa – and ET, particularly in terms of research and development within the framework of the global network of gravitational-wave observatories.
«The ETIC project concludes with extremely positive results: the achievement of all 148 planned objectives and the expenditure of 99.9% of the allocated budget. In particular, more than €30 million was invested in the renovation or construction of 18 laboratories across Italy, and approximately €15 million was allocated to the pre-feasibility study for the characterization of the candidate site in Sardinia», emphasizes Monique Bossi, ETIC Infrastructure Manager. «These are tangible results that represent two fundamental elements for the Italian candidacy to host ET in the country. All of this was made possible thanks to the joint commitment of the 14 partners, whose synergistic collaboration proved to be a key factor in the overall success of ETIC. Our heartfelt thanks go to all the institutions, universities, and individuals involved, whose dedication and professionalism contributed both to the research activities and to project management, making the full achievement of the established objectives possible».