Conference support: DAWN-IV - Dawn of Gravitational Wave Astronomy and Astrophysics meeting

This award supports the attendance of US scientists to the fourth workshop in the DAWN series, DAWN IV - Global Strategies for Gravitational Wave Astronomy - which will take place in Amsterdam, Netherlands, during August 30-31, 2018. The meeting is hosted by NIKHEF, affiliated to the Virgo project, with an international committee in charge of the scientific organization of the workshop. The main goal of the meeting is to discuss the science and R&D requirements for the next generation of ground-based gravitational wave (GW) detectors and the different options for the governance of a global detector network. Dozens of US scientists are now involved in a study commissioned by the Gravitational Wave International Committee (GWIC) to assess the scientific merit of building detectors on the ground that are 10 to 30 times more sensitive than advanced detectors. DAWN IV is a critical meeting for people involved in this study.

LIGO and Virgo discoveries of binary black hole and binary neutron star mergers in the past three years have already begun to make a huge impact in our understanding of fundamental physics, astrophysics and cosmology. Merging binary black holes are test beds of strong field gravity; they are the only way to understand dynamical horizons around black holes. In contrast, observation of coalescing neutron stars has confirmed that they are the progenitors of short, hard, gamma-ray bursts and sites where heavy elements are formed. Simultaneous observation of GW170817 across the entire electromagnetic band and the GW window has ushered in a new era in multi-messenger astrophysics and cosmology, enabling the first ever measurement of the Hubble constant. This workshop will accomplish three main objectives: (i) identify the broader community of physicists and astrophysicists to facilitate infusion of new ideas in GW experiments, (ii) discuss steps that are necessary to increase participation of minority groups and hence enhance the diversity within the GW science, and (iii) determine strategies for interfacing with funding agencies and governments, and public engagements. The workshop will assure leadership of NSF-funded US scientists in the emerging area of GW astronomy.

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.