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Findings and Recommendations
Meters Water Equivalent:
Physicists have a scheme for comparing the depths of underground labs in terms of the cosmic-ray flux that penetrates to that depth. By expressing the depth in terms of the depth of water that would reduce the cosmic-ray flux by the same amount, one can readily compare one location with another. The water depth is known as the depth in "meters water equivalent (m.w.e.)" and it is 2.650 times larger than the amount of "standard" rock that would produce the same attenuation. Rock in fact varies significantly from standard density, and terrain can be flat or mountainous. Using "m.w.e" standardizes these inconsistencies.
Source: DUSEL S1 Study
Analysis of the opportunities and challenges for deep underground science leads to five findings and three recommendations.
Findings
Deep underground science is an essential component of research at the frontier. Underground experiments are critical to addressing some of the most compelling problems of modern science and engineering; and long-term access to dedicated deep underground facilities is essential.
Disciplines in transformation. Deep underground experiments have for some time constituted an important component of physics and astrophysics. Biologists, earth scientists and engineers have long made observations underground and have in recent years also recognized the extraordinary potential of deep long-term underground experiments.
Benefits to society. Investment in deep underground experiments can yield important societal benefits. Underground construction, resource extraction, management of water resources, environmental stewardship, mine safety and national security are prominent examples. By creating a unique multidisciplinary environment for scientific discovery and technological development, a deep underground laboratory will inspire and educate the nation's next generation of scientists and engineers.
Worldwide need for underground space. The rising interest in deep underground science; the diversification of underground disciplines; the increase in the number of underground researchers; and the increased size, complexity and duration of experiments all point to a rapidly rising demand for underground laboratory space worldwide. The opening of numerous facilities outside the U.S. attests to the gap between supply and demand, especially at very great depth.
Need for a U.S. world-class deep multidisciplinary facility. The U.S. is among the very few developed countries without a deep underground facility (≥ 3000 m.w.e). In an international environment where deep underground space is at a premium, a U.S. Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory would provide critical discovery opportunities to U.S. and foreign scientists, place the U.S. in a stronger strategic position in deep underground science, and maximize the benefits of underground research to the nation.
Recommendations
Strong support for deep underground science. The past decade has witnessed dramatic scientific returns from investments in physics and microbiology at great depths. Underground research is emerging as a unique and irreplaceable component of science, not only in physics and astrophysics, but also in biology, earth sciences and many disciplines of engineering. We recommend that the U.S. strengthen its research programs in subsurface sciences to become a world leader in the multidisciplinary exploration of this important new frontier.
A cross-agency Deep Science Initiative. In order to broaden underground research and maximize its scientific impact, we recommend that the U.S. science agencies collaborate to launch a multidisciplinary Deep Science Initiative. This initiative would allow the nation to focus the whole range of underground expertise on the most important scientific problems. It would aim at optimizing the use of existing or new underground facilities and at exploiting the complementary aspects of a variety of rock formations. The Deep Science Initiative should be coordinated with other national initiatives and take full advantage of international collaboration opportunities.
A Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory. The U.S. should complement the nation's existing assets with a flagship world-class underground laboratory providing access to very great depth (approximately 2200 meters, or 6000 meters water equivalent) and ample facilities at intermediate depths (approxi- mately 1100 meters or 3000 meters water equivalent) currently not available in the U.S. Such a Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) should be designed to allow evolution and expansion over the next 30 to 50 years. Because of this long lifetime, the initial investment must be balanced with the operating costs. For maximum impact, the construction of DUSEL should begin as soon as possible.
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