The Science of the Einstein Telescope

Abac A, Abramo R, Albanesi S, Albertini A, Agapito A, Agathos M, Albertus C, Andersson N, Andrade T, Andreoni I, Angeloni F, Antonelli M, Antoniadis J, Antonini F, Sedda MA, Celeste Artale M, Ascenzi S, Auclair P, Bachetti M, Badger C, Banerjee B, Barba-González D, Barta D, Bartolo N, Bauswein A, Begnoni A, Beirnaert F, Bejger M, Belgacem E, Bellomo N, Bernard L, Bernardini MG, Bernuzzi S, Berry CP, Berti E, Bertone G, Bettoni D, Bezares M, Bhagwat S, Bisero S, Bizouard MA, Blanco-Pillado JJ, Blasi S, Bonino A, Borghese A, Borghi N, Borhanian S, Bortolas E, Botticella MT, Branchesi M, Breschi M, Brito R, Brocato E, Broekgaarden FS, Bulik T, Buonanno A, Burgio F, Burrows A, Calcagni G, Canevarolo S, Cappellaro E, Capurri G, Carbone C, Casadio R, Cayuso R, Cerdá-Durán P, Char P, Chaty S, Chiarusi T, Chruslinska M, Cireddu F, Cole P, Colombo A, Colpi M, Compère G, Contaldi C, Corman M, Crescimbeni F, Cristallo S, Cuoco E, Cusin G, Canton TD, Dálya G, D'Avanzo P, Davari N, Luca VD, Renzis VD, Valle MD, Pozzo WD, Santi FD, Santis ALD, Dietrich T, Dimastrogiovanni E, Domenech G, Doneva D, Drago M, Dupletsa U, Duval H, Dvorkin I, Elias-Rosa N, Fairhurst S, Fantina AF, Fasiello M, Fays M, Fender R, Fischer T, Foucart F, Fragos T, Foffa S, Franciolini G, Fumagalli J, Gair J, Gamba R, Garcia-Bellido J, García-Quirós C, Gergely LÁ, Ghirlanda G, Ghosh A, Giacomazzo B, Gittins F, Giudice IF, Goncharov B, Gonzalez A, Goriély S, Graziani L, Greco G, Gualtieri L, Guidi GM, Gupta I, Haney M, Hannam M, Harms J, Harutyunyan A, Haskell B, Haungs A, Hazra N, Hemming G, Heng IS, Hinderer T, van der Horst A, Hu Q, Husa S, Iacovelli F, Illuminati G, Inguglia G, Villalba DI, Janquart J, Janssens K, Jenkins AC, Jones I, Kacskovics B, Klessen RS, Kokkotas K, Kuan HJ, Kumar S, Kuroyanagi S, Laghi D, Lamberts A, Lambiase G, Larrouturou F, Leaci P, Lenzi M, Levan A, Li T, Li Y, Liang D, Limongi M, Liu B, Llanes-Estrada FJ, Loffredo E, Long O, Lope-Oter E, Lukes-Gerakopoulos G, Maggio E, Maggiore M, Mancarella M, Mapelli M, Marchant P, Margiotta A, Mariotti A, Marriott-Best A, Marsat S, Martínez-Pinedo G, Maselli A, Mastrogiovanni S, Matos I, Melandri A, Mendes RF, de Souza JMS, Mentasti G, Mezcua M, Mösta P, Mondal C, Moresco M, Mukherjee T, Muttoni N, Nagar A, Narola H, Nava L, Moreno PN, Nelemans G, Nielsen AB, Nissanke S, Obergaulinger M, Oertel M, Oganesyan G, Onori F, Pacilio C, Pagliaroli G, Palomba C, Pang PT, Pani P, Papalini L, Patricelli B, Patruno A, Pedrotti A, Perego A, Pérez-García MA, Périgois C, Perna G, Péroux C, Perret J, Perrodin D, Pesci A, Pfeiffer HP, Piccinni OJ, Pieroni M, Piranomonte S, Pompili L, Porter E, Porto RA, Pound A, Powell J, Puech M, Pratten G, Puecher A, Pujolas O, Quartin M, Raduta AR, Ramos-Buades A, Rase A, Razzano M, Rea N, Regimbau T, Renzini A, Rettegno P, Ricciardone A, Riotto A, Romero-Rodriguez A, Ronchini S, Rosinska D, Rossi A, Roy S, Rubiera-Garcia D, Rubio J, Ruiz-Lapuente P, Sagun V, Sakellariadou M, Salafia OS, Samajdar A, Sanchis-Gual N, Sanna A, Santoliquido F, Sathyaprakash B, Schmidt P, Schmidt S, Schneider FR, Schneider R, Sedrakian A, Servant G, Sevrin A, Shao L, Silva HO, Simakachorn P, Smartt S, Sotiriou TP, Spera M, Stamerra A, Steer DA, Steinhoff J, Stergioulas N, Sturani R, Suárez D, Suresh J, Swain S, Tagliazucchi M, Tamanini N, Tasinato G, Tauris TM, Tissino J, Tomaselli GM, Toonen S, Torres-Forné A, Turski C, Ugolini C, Vagenas EC, Dall’Armi LV, Valenti E, Valiante R, Broeck CVD, van de Meent M, van Son LA, Vanvlasselaer M, Vaglio M, Varma V, Veitch J, Vaskonen V, Vergani SD, Wils M, Witek H, Wong IC, Yazadjiev S, Yim G, Acernese F, Ahn H, Allocca A, Amato A, Andrés-Carcasona M, Avallone G, Bachlechner M, Baer P, Bagnasco S, Balbi G, Barone F, Benedetti E, Benning C, Bini S, Salcedo JLB, Bozza V, Bruno M, Butz T, Califano M, Calloni E, Carapella G, Cardini A, Subrahmanya SC, Chiadini F, Chiummo A, Cianetti S, Ciani G, Coccia E, Contu A, Cornelissen R, Cozzumbo A, Croney L, Crosta M, D'Agostino R, Danilishin S, D'Antonio S, Bolle JD, Degallaix J, Laurentis MD, della Monica R, Marco FD, de Martino I, Rosa RD, Salvo RD, Simone RD, Detavernier C, Diaferia G, Cesare MD, Fiore LD, Giovanni MD, Pace SD, Docherty J, D'Urso D, Mecherfi OE, Errico L, Fabrizi F, Fafone V, Fanti V, Fittipaldi R, Fiumara V, Freise A, Funk S, Gaedtke M, Garufi F, Gerberding O, Giangrandi E, Giunchi C, Graham V, Granata M, Granata V, Green A, Haughian K, Heisenberg L, Hennig M, Hild S, Hoang VL, Holland N, Iannone G, Isleif KS, Joppe R, Kim CH, Kim C, Kim K, Korb E, Korobko M, Kranzhoff L, Kuhlbusch T, Lacaille G, Lartaux-Vollard A, Lavezzi L, Laycock P, Lee S, Lee S, Lee S, Losurdo G, Lucchesi L, Lück H, Macquet A, Majorana E, Mangano V, Martelli F, Martin I, Martinez M, Masoni A, Massaro L, Melini D, Mercurio A, Mereni L, Miller AL, Mirasola L, Mitchell A, Molinari I, Montani M, Mow-Lowry C, Murgia R, Murray PG, Muscas G, Naticchioni L, Nela A, Nery M, Niggemann T, Nippe N, Novak J, Numic A, Olivieri M, Orsini M, Park JG, Pascucci D, Perreca A, Piergiovanni F, Pierro V, Pinard L, Pinto I, Punturo M, Puppo P, Quochi F, Rading RO, Rapagnani P, Ricci M, Rodrigues D, Romano R, Rozza D, Saffarieh P, Santucci F, Schramm S, Schwab B, Sequino V, Neto LS, Silenzi L, Sintes AM, Sopuerta CF, Spencer A, Stahl A, Steinlechner J, Steinlechner S, Szabó R, Thümmler T, Tofani E, Torniamenti S, Travaglini R, Trozzo L, Paola Vaccaro M, Valentini M, Ván P, van Dongen J, van Heijningen J, van Ranst Z, Vardaro M, Verdier P, Vernieri D, Wagner N, Woehler J, Wolf J, Zavattini G, Zink A, Zmija A (2026)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2026

Journal

Book Volume: 2026

Article Number: 081

Journal Issue: 3

DOI: 10.1088/1475-7516/2026/03/081

Abstract

Einstein Telescope (ET) is the European project for a gravitational-wave (GW) observatory of third-generation. In this paper we present a comprehensive discussion of its science objectives, providing state-of-the-art predictions for the capabilities of ET in both geometries currently under consideration, a single-site triangular configuration or two L-shaped detectors. We discuss the impact that ET will have on domains as broad and diverse as fundamental physics, cosmology, early Universe, astrophysics of compact objects, physics of matter in extreme conditions, and dynamics of stellar collapse. We discuss how the study of extreme astrophysical events will be enhanced by multi-messenger observations. We highlight the ET synergies with ground-based and space-borne GW observatories, including multi-band investigations of the same sources, improved parameter estimation, and complementary information on astrophysical or cosmological mechanisms obtained combining observations from different frequency bands. We present advancements in waveform modeling dedicated to third-generation observatories, along with open tools developed within the ET Collaboration for assessing the scientific potentials of different detector configurations. We finally discuss the data analysis challenges posed by third-generation observatories, which will enable access to large populations of sources and provide unprecedented precision.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics / Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik (Albert-Einstein-Institut) Germany (DE) Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" / Софийски университет "Св. Климент Охридски" Bulgaria (BG) Kuwait University Kuwait (KW) University of Padua / Universita degli Studi di Padova Italy (IT) Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) Spain (ES) University of São Paulo / Universidade de São Paulo (USP) Brazil (BR) Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena Germany (DE) Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (ASCR) / Akademie věd České republiky (AVČR) Czech Republic (CZ) Università degli studi "La Sapienza" Italy (IT) University of Cambridge United Kingdom (GB) INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari Italy (IT) King’s College London United Kingdom (GB) Gran Sasso Science Institute Italy (IT) Universiteit Gent (UGent) / Ghent University Belgium (BE) National Institute for Nuclear Physics / Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Italy (IT) HUN-REN Wigner Research Centre for Physics / HUN-REN Wigner Fizikai Kutatóközpont Hungary (HU) GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH Germany (DE) National Institute for Astrophysics / Istituto Nazionale Astrofisica (INAF) Italy (IT) Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte / Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte Italy (IT) University of Pisa / Università di Pisa (UniPi) Italy (IT) University of Nottingham United Kingdom (GB) Cardiff University United Kingdom (GB) Princeton University United States (USA) (US) Institute for the Structure of Matter / Instituto de Estructura de la Materia (IEM) Spain (ES) Instituto Superior Técnico Portugal (PT) Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory / Վ․ Հ․ ՀԱՄԲԱՐՁՈՒՄՅԱՆԻ ԱՆՎԱՆ ԲՅՈՒՐԱԿԱՆԻ ԱՍՏՂԱԴԻՏԱՐԱՆ Armenia (AM) Universiteit Utrecht (UU) / Utrecht University Netherlands (NL) Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences Poland (PL) University of Bologna / Università di Bologna Italy (IT) Imperial College London / The Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine United Kingdom (GB) Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA) Italy (IT) University of València / Universitat de València Spain (ES) University of Salamanca / Universidad de Salamanca Spain (ES) Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Germany (DE) Université Paris Cité France (FR) European Southern Observatory (ESO) Germany (DE) University of Glasgow United Kingdom (GB) University of Geneva / Université de Genève (UNIGE) Switzerland (CH) Université Paris-Saclay France (FR) University of Milano-Bicocca / Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, UNIMIB Italy (IT) Universitat de les Illes Balears (IUB) Spain (ES) Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) Belgium (BE) Sorbonne Université France (FR) Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) / Free University of Brussels Belgium (BE) Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL) Belgium (BE) Laboratoire des 2 Infinis Toulouse (L2IT) France (FR) University of Antwerp / Universiteit Antwerpen Belgium (BE) Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) Spain (ES) University of Zurich / Universität Zürich (UZH) Switzerland (CH) University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) United States (USA) (US) University of Szeged / József Attila Tudományegyetem Szeged Hungary (HU) Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen Germany (DE) Centre de Physique Théorique France (FR) Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg Germany (DE) University of Groningen / Rijksuniversiteit Groningen Netherlands (NL) University of Côte d'Azur / Université Côte d'Azur France (FR) Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover Germany (DE) Swansea University United Kingdom (GB) ICTP-SAIFR South American Institute for Fundamental Research Brazil (BR) Grand Accélérateur National d'Ions Lourds ( GANIL) France (FR) Fluminense Federal University / Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) Brazil (BR) University of Liège (ULg) / Université de Liège Belgium (BE) University of Oxford United Kingdom (GB) Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) / Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Brazil (BR) University of Wroclaw / Uniwersytet Wrocławski Poland (PL) Institute of Space Sciences (IEEC-CSIC) Spain (ES) University of Savoy Mont Blanc / Université Savoie Mont Blanc France (FR) University of Basque Country / Universidad del Pais Vasco (UPV) / Euskal Herriko Unibersitatea (EHU) Spain (ES) Europäische Organisation für Kernforschung (CERN) Switzerland (CH) Universitat de Barcelona (UB) / University of Barcelona Spain (ES) Radboud University Nijmegen Netherlands (NL) University of Stavanger / Universitetet i Stavanger Norway (NO) University of Amsterdam Netherlands (NL) University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) United States (USA) (US) Laboratoire Univers et Théories (LUTH) / Laboratory of the Universe and Theories France (FR) Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) United States (USA) (US) University of Birmingham United Kingdom (GB) Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY Germany (DE) Peking University (PKU) / 北京大学 China (CN) Institut für Hochenergiephysik / Institute of High Energy Physics / HEPHY Austria (AT) Università degli Studi di Trento Italy (IT) University of Southampton United Kingdom (GB) University of Warsaw / Uniwersytet Warszawski Poland (PL) Università degli Studi di Salerno Italy (IT) Australian National University (ANU) Australia (AU) Swinburne University of Technology Australia (AU) Paris Observatory / Observatoire de Paris France (FR) Universität Potsdam Germany (DE) Institut de Fisica d'Altes Energies (IFAE) / The Institute for High Energy Physics Spain (ES) École Normale Supérieure - PSL (ENS) France (FR) Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Greece (GR) "Horia Hulubei" National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering IFIN-HH Romania (RO) Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL) / Catholic University of Leuven Belgium (BE) FOM Foundation Netherlands (NL) Università degli Studi di Cagliari Italy (IT) Beijing Normal University China (CN) Southern Medical University / 南方医科大学 China (CN) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign United States (USA) (US) Kyung Hee University Korea, Republic of (KR) Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Italy (IT) Universität Hamburg (UHH) Germany (DE) UMass University of Massachusetts Dartmouth United States (USA) (US) Fraunhofer-Institut für Lasertechnik (ILT) Germany (DE) Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen Germany (DE) Scuola Superiore Meridionale Italy (IT) Universidade de Coimbra Portugal (PT) Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) Italy (IT) Institute for Advanced Study United States (USA) (US) Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCB) France (FR) European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) Italy (IT) Technische Universität Braunschweig Germany (DE) Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) / University Amsterdam Netherlands (NL) Helmut-Schmidt-Universität - Universität der Bundeswehr Hamburg Germany (DE) Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) Korea, Republic of (KR) University of Urbino "Carlo Bo" / Università degli Studi di Urbino "Carlo Bo" (UNIURB) Italy (IT) Yonsei University Korea, Republic of (KR) Ewha Womans University / 이화여자대학교 Korea, Republic of (KR) Konkoly Observatory / Konkoly Obszervatórium Hungary (HU) Università degli Studi di Roma 'Tor Vergata' Italy (IT) Maastricht University Netherlands (NL) Federal University of Espírito Santo / Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES) Brazil (BR) Universidad Andrés Bello Chile (CL) George Washington University (GWU) United States (USA) (US) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill United States (USA) (US) Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Caen (LPC CAEN) France (FR) Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH) / Ίδρυμα Τεχνολογίας και Έρευνας Greece (GR) University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego, UCSD) United States (USA) (US) Johns Hopkins University (JHU) United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Abac, A., Abramo, R., Albanesi, S., Albertini, A., Agapito, A., Agathos, M.,... Zmija, A. (2026). The Science of the Einstein Telescope. Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2026(3). https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2026/03/081

MLA:

Abac, Adrian, et al. "The Science of the Einstein Telescope." Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics 2026.3 (2026).

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