ET – Einstein Telescope (Sardinia)

Preliminary study for the development of the technical and economic feasibility project

GDP-GEOMIN, in collaboration with a consortium of companies led by Rocksoil S.p.A., has been awarded the study for the realization of the Einstein Telescope (ET), the future third-generation European gravitational wave detector.
Italy is a candidate to host this large underground infrastructure in Sardinia, in Nuoro area, a geologically stable region.
The study considered two possible configurations: an L-shape, with two tunnels of approximately 16 km each, and a T-shape, with three tunnels of about 10.6 km arranged in an equilateral triangle. The ET will be constructed at a depth of 100 to 500 meters, in large caverns connected by underground tunnels, allowing it to operate under conditions of absolute seismic quiet and away from any sources of noise.
The Einstein Telescope represents one of Europe’s major research projects with a worldwide scientific impact.