Metrics for next-generation gravitational-wave detectors

Understand

Gravitational-wave astrophysics has the potential to be transformed by a global network of longer, colder, and thus more sensitive detectors.

• This network must be constructed to address a wide range of science goals, involving binary coalescence signals as well as signals from other, potentially unknown, sources.
• It is crucial to understand which network configurations---the number, type, and location of the detectors in the network---can best achieve these goals.
• In this work we examine a large number of possible three-detector networks, variously composed of Voyager, Einstein Telescope, and Cosmic Explorer detectors, and evaluate their performance against a number of figures of merit meant to capture a variety of future science goals.