Erlangen 2026 – scientific programme

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T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik

T 19: Gravitational Waves I

T 19.5: Talk

Monday, March 16, 2026, 17:15–17:30, KS 00.005

Investigating the Visibility of Newtonian Noise in the Einstein Telescope Null Stream — •Josie Altenhövel, Johannes Erdmann, and Patrick Schillings — III. Physikalisches Institut A, RWTH Aachen University

The Einstein Telescope (ET) is a planned third-generation gravitational-wave observatory designed to surpass the sensitivity of current detectors. Its triangular layout provides three interferometer signals with fixed geometric relations, enabling the construction of a null stream in which any gravitational-wave contribution is expected to cancel, while all non-gravitational disturbances are expected to remain with finite amplitude. Any event that appears in the null stream can therefore be identified as noise and is excluded from astrophysical interpretation. Among the relevant disturbances is Newtonian noise (NN), which originates from gravitational field fluctuations caused by seismic density variations in the surrounding rock and at surfaces. NN is expected to dominate the low-frequency regime that is critical for ET. To investigate its behavior, simulations are used to generate three-dimensional seismic fields and the corresponding NN forces acting on the ET test masses. A broad range of NN configurations is examined to determine under which conditions NN could produce signatures that disappear in the null-stream construction. The study thereby evaluates the diagnostic role of the ET null stream for an estimate of NN at future low-frequency gravitational-wave observatories.

Keywords: Einstein Telescope; Gravitational Waves; Newtonian Noise; Null Stream