Project acronym ANTI-ATOM
Project Many-body theory of antimatter interactions with atoms, molecules and condensed matter
Researcher (PI) Dermot GREEN
Host Institution (HI) THE QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST
Country United Kingdom
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2018-STG
Summary The ability of positrons to annihilate with electrons, producing characteristic gamma rays, gives them important use in medicine via positron-emission tomography (PET), diagnostics of industrially-important materials, and in elucidating astrophysical phenomena. Moreover, the fundamental interactions of positrons and positronium (Ps) with atoms, molecules and condensed matter are currently under intensive study in numerous international laboratories, to illuminate collision phenomena and perform precision tests of fundamental laws.
Proper interpretation and development of these costly and difficult experiments requires accurate calculations of low-energy positron and Ps interactions with normal matter. These systems, however, involve strong correlations, e.g., polarisation of the atom and virtual-Ps formation (where an atomic electron tunnels to the positron): they significantly effect positron- and Ps-atom/molecule interactions, e.g., enhancing annihilation rates by many orders of magnitude, and making the accurate description of these systems a challenging many-body problem. Current theoretical capability lags severely behind that of experiment. Major theoretical and computational developments are required to bridge the gap.
One powerful method, which accounts for the correlations in a natural, transparent and systematic way, is many-body theory (MBT). Building on my expertise in the field, I propose to develop new MBT to deliver unique and unrivalled capability in theory and computation of low-energy positron and Ps interactions with atoms, molecules, and condensed matter. The ambitious programme will provide the basic understanding required to interpret and develop the fundamental experiments, antimatter-based materials science techniques, and wider technologies, e.g., (PET), and more broadly, potentially revolutionary and generally applicable computational methodologies that promise to define a new level of high-precision in atomic-MBT calculations.
Summary
The ability of positrons to annihilate with electrons, producing characteristic gamma rays, gives them important use in medicine via positron-emission tomography (PET), diagnostics of industrially-important materials, and in elucidating astrophysical phenomena. Moreover, the fundamental interactions of positrons and positronium (Ps) with atoms, molecules and condensed matter are currently under intensive study in numerous international laboratories, to illuminate collision phenomena and perform precision tests of fundamental laws.
Proper interpretation and development of these costly and difficult experiments requires accurate calculations of low-energy positron and Ps interactions with normal matter. These systems, however, involve strong correlations, e.g., polarisation of the atom and virtual-Ps formation (where an atomic electron tunnels to the positron): they significantly effect positron- and Ps-atom/molecule interactions, e.g., enhancing annihilation rates by many orders of magnitude, and making the accurate description of these systems a challenging many-body problem. Current theoretical capability lags severely behind that of experiment. Major theoretical and computational developments are required to bridge the gap.
One powerful method, which accounts for the correlations in a natural, transparent and systematic way, is many-body theory (MBT). Building on my expertise in the field, I propose to develop new MBT to deliver unique and unrivalled capability in theory and computation of low-energy positron and Ps interactions with atoms, molecules, and condensed matter. The ambitious programme will provide the basic understanding required to interpret and develop the fundamental experiments, antimatter-based materials science techniques, and wider technologies, e.g., (PET), and more broadly, potentially revolutionary and generally applicable computational methodologies that promise to define a new level of high-precision in atomic-MBT calculations.
Max ERC Funding
1 318 419 €
Duration
Start date: 2019-02-01, End date: 2024-01-31
Project acronym BEBOP
Project Binaries Escorted By Orbiting Planets
Researcher (PI) Amaury TRIAUD
Host Institution (HI) THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
Country United Kingdom
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE9, ERC-2018-STG
Summary Planets orbiting both stars of a binary system -circumbinary planets- are challenging our understanding about how planets assemble, and how their orbits subsequently evolve. Long confined to science-fiction, circumbinary planets were confirmed by the Kepler spacecraft, in one of its most spectacular, and impactful result. Despite Kepler’s insights, a lot remains unknown about these planets. Kepler also suffered from intractable biases that the BEBOP project will solve.
BEBOP will revolutionise how we detect and study circumbinary planets. Conducting a Doppler survey, we will vastly improve the efficiency of circumbinary planet detection, and remove Kepler’s biases. BEBOP will construct a clearer picture of the circumbinary planet population, and free us from the inherent vagaries, and important costs of space-funding. Thanks to the Doppler method we will study dynamical effects unique to circumbinary planets, estimate their multiplicity, and compute their true occurrence rate.
Circumbinary planets are essential objects. Binaries disturbe planet formation. Any similarity, and any difference between the population of circumbinary planets and planets orbiting single stars, will bring novel information about how planets are produced. In addition, circumbinary planets have unique orbital properties that boost their probability to experience transits. BEBOP’s detections will open the door to atmospheric studies of colder worlds than presently available.
Based on already discovered systems, and on two successful proofs-of-concept, the BEBOP team will detect 15 circumbinary gas-giants, three times more than Kepler. BEBOP will provide an unambiguous measure of the efficiency of gas-giant formation in circumbinary environments. In addition the BEBOP project comes with an ambitious programme to combine three detection methods (Doppler, transits, and astrometry) in a holistic approach that will bolster investigations into circumbinary planets, and create a lasting legacy.
Summary
Planets orbiting both stars of a binary system -circumbinary planets- are challenging our understanding about how planets assemble, and how their orbits subsequently evolve. Long confined to science-fiction, circumbinary planets were confirmed by the Kepler spacecraft, in one of its most spectacular, and impactful result. Despite Kepler’s insights, a lot remains unknown about these planets. Kepler also suffered from intractable biases that the BEBOP project will solve.
BEBOP will revolutionise how we detect and study circumbinary planets. Conducting a Doppler survey, we will vastly improve the efficiency of circumbinary planet detection, and remove Kepler’s biases. BEBOP will construct a clearer picture of the circumbinary planet population, and free us from the inherent vagaries, and important costs of space-funding. Thanks to the Doppler method we will study dynamical effects unique to circumbinary planets, estimate their multiplicity, and compute their true occurrence rate.
Circumbinary planets are essential objects. Binaries disturbe planet formation. Any similarity, and any difference between the population of circumbinary planets and planets orbiting single stars, will bring novel information about how planets are produced. In addition, circumbinary planets have unique orbital properties that boost their probability to experience transits. BEBOP’s detections will open the door to atmospheric studies of colder worlds than presently available.
Based on already discovered systems, and on two successful proofs-of-concept, the BEBOP team will detect 15 circumbinary gas-giants, three times more than Kepler. BEBOP will provide an unambiguous measure of the efficiency of gas-giant formation in circumbinary environments. In addition the BEBOP project comes with an ambitious programme to combine three detection methods (Doppler, transits, and astrometry) in a holistic approach that will bolster investigations into circumbinary planets, and create a lasting legacy.
Max ERC Funding
1 186 313 €
Duration
Start date: 2018-11-01, End date: 2023-10-31
Project acronym CapBed
Project Engineered Capillary Beds for Successful Prevascularization of Tissue Engineering Constructs
Researcher (PI) Rogerio Pedro Lemos de Sousa Pirraco
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSIDADE DO MINHO
Country Portugal
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE8, ERC-2018-STG
Summary The demand for donated organs vastly outnumbers the supply, leading each year to the death of thousands of people and the suffering of millions more. Engineered tissues and organs following Tissue Engineering approaches are a possible solution to this problem. However, a prevascularization solution to irrigate complex engineered tissues and assure their survival after transplantation is currently elusive. In the human body, complex organs and tissues irrigation is achieved by a network of blood vessels termed capillary bed which suggests such a structure is needed in engineered tissues. Previous approaches to engineer capillary beds reached different levels of success but none yielded a fully functional one due to the inability in simultaneously addressing key elements such as correct angiogenic cell populations, a suitable matrix and dynamic conditions that mimic blood flow.
CapBed aims at proposing a new technology to fabricate in vitro capillary beds that include a vascular axis that can be anastomosed with a patient circulation. Such capillary beds could be used as prime tools to prevascularize in vitro engineered tissues and provide fast perfusion of those after transplantation to a patient. Cutting edge techniques will be for the first time integrated in a disruptive approach to address the requirements listed above. Angiogenic cell sheets of human Adipose-derived Stromal Vascular fraction cells will provide the cell populations that integrate the capillaries and manage its intricate formation, as well as the collagen required to build the matrix that will hold the capillary beds. Innovative fabrication technologies such as 3D printing and laser photoablation will be used for the fabrication of the micropatterned matrix that will allow fluid flow through microfluidics. The resulting functional capillary beds can be used with virtually every tissue engineering strategy rendering the proposed strategy with massive economical, scientific and medical potential
Summary
The demand for donated organs vastly outnumbers the supply, leading each year to the death of thousands of people and the suffering of millions more. Engineered tissues and organs following Tissue Engineering approaches are a possible solution to this problem. However, a prevascularization solution to irrigate complex engineered tissues and assure their survival after transplantation is currently elusive. In the human body, complex organs and tissues irrigation is achieved by a network of blood vessels termed capillary bed which suggests such a structure is needed in engineered tissues. Previous approaches to engineer capillary beds reached different levels of success but none yielded a fully functional one due to the inability in simultaneously addressing key elements such as correct angiogenic cell populations, a suitable matrix and dynamic conditions that mimic blood flow.
CapBed aims at proposing a new technology to fabricate in vitro capillary beds that include a vascular axis that can be anastomosed with a patient circulation. Such capillary beds could be used as prime tools to prevascularize in vitro engineered tissues and provide fast perfusion of those after transplantation to a patient. Cutting edge techniques will be for the first time integrated in a disruptive approach to address the requirements listed above. Angiogenic cell sheets of human Adipose-derived Stromal Vascular fraction cells will provide the cell populations that integrate the capillaries and manage its intricate formation, as well as the collagen required to build the matrix that will hold the capillary beds. Innovative fabrication technologies such as 3D printing and laser photoablation will be used for the fabrication of the micropatterned matrix that will allow fluid flow through microfluidics. The resulting functional capillary beds can be used with virtually every tissue engineering strategy rendering the proposed strategy with massive economical, scientific and medical potential
Max ERC Funding
1 499 940 €
Duration
Start date: 2018-11-01, End date: 2024-04-30
Project acronym CartographY
Project Mapping Stellar Helium
Researcher (PI) Guy DAVIES
Host Institution (HI) THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
Country United Kingdom
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE9, ERC-2018-STG
Summary In the epoch of Gaia, fundamental stellar properties will be made widely available for large numbers of stars. These properties are expected to unleash a new wave of discovery in the field of astrophysics. But while many properties of stars are measurable, meaningful Helium abundances (Y) remain elusive and as a result fundamental properties are not accurate.
Helium enrichment laws, which underpin most stellar properties, link initial Y to initial metallicity, but these relations are very uncertain with gradients (dY/dZ) spanning the range 1 to 3. This uncertainty is the initial Y problem and this is a bottleneck that must be overcome to unleash the true potential of Gaia.
Without measurements of initial Y for all stars we need to find alternative observables that trace out the evolution of initial Y. We will search for better tracers using the power of asteroseismology as a calibrator.
Asteroseismic measures of Helium will be used to construct a map from observable properties (fundamental, chemical or even dynamical) back to initial Helium. This is a challenge that can only be solved through the use of the latest asteroseismic techniques coupled to a rigorous yet flexible statistical scheme. I am uniquely qualified in the cutting edge methods of asteroseismology and the application of advanced multi-level statistical models. The intersection of these two skill sets will allow me to solve the initial Helium problem.
The motivation for a timely solution to this problem could not be stronger. We have just entered an age of large asteroseismic datasets, vast spectroscopic surveys, and the billion star program of Gaia. The next wave of scientific breakthroughs in stellar physics, exoplanetary science, and Galactic archeology will be held back unless accurate fundamental stellar properties are available. We can only produce these accurate properties with a reliable map of stellar Helium.
Summary
In the epoch of Gaia, fundamental stellar properties will be made widely available for large numbers of stars. These properties are expected to unleash a new wave of discovery in the field of astrophysics. But while many properties of stars are measurable, meaningful Helium abundances (Y) remain elusive and as a result fundamental properties are not accurate.
Helium enrichment laws, which underpin most stellar properties, link initial Y to initial metallicity, but these relations are very uncertain with gradients (dY/dZ) spanning the range 1 to 3. This uncertainty is the initial Y problem and this is a bottleneck that must be overcome to unleash the true potential of Gaia.
Without measurements of initial Y for all stars we need to find alternative observables that trace out the evolution of initial Y. We will search for better tracers using the power of asteroseismology as a calibrator.
Asteroseismic measures of Helium will be used to construct a map from observable properties (fundamental, chemical or even dynamical) back to initial Helium. This is a challenge that can only be solved through the use of the latest asteroseismic techniques coupled to a rigorous yet flexible statistical scheme. I am uniquely qualified in the cutting edge methods of asteroseismology and the application of advanced multi-level statistical models. The intersection of these two skill sets will allow me to solve the initial Helium problem.
The motivation for a timely solution to this problem could not be stronger. We have just entered an age of large asteroseismic datasets, vast spectroscopic surveys, and the billion star program of Gaia. The next wave of scientific breakthroughs in stellar physics, exoplanetary science, and Galactic archeology will be held back unless accurate fundamental stellar properties are available. We can only produce these accurate properties with a reliable map of stellar Helium.
Max ERC Funding
1 496 203 €
Duration
Start date: 2019-04-01, End date: 2024-03-31
Project acronym CHAPARDYN
Project Chaos in Parabolic Dynamics: Mixing, Rigidity, Spectra
Researcher (PI) Corinna Ulcigrai
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL
Country United Kingdom
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE1, ERC-2013-StG
Summary "The theme of the proposal is the mathematical investigation of chaos (in particular ergodic and spectral properties) in parabolic dynamics, via analytic, geometric and probabilistic techniques. Parabolic dynamical systems are mathematical models of the many phenomena which display a ""slow"" form of chaotic evolution, in the sense that nearby trajectories diverge polynomially in time. In contrast with the hyperbolic case and with the elliptic case, there is no general theory which describes parabolic dynamical systems. Only few classical examples are well understood.
The research plan aims at bridging this gap, by studying new classes of parabolic systems and unexplored properties of classical ones. More precisely, I propose to study parabolic flows beyond the algebraic set-up and infinite measure-preserving parabolic systems, both of which are very virgin fields of research, and to attack open conjectures and questions on fine chaotic properties, such as spectra and rigidity, for area-preserving flows. Moreover, connections between parabolic dynamics and respectively number theory, mathematical physics and probability will be explored. g New techniques, stemming from some recent breakthroughs in Teichmueller dynamics, spectral theory and infinite ergodic theory, will be developed.
The proposed research will bring our knowledge significantly beyond the current state-of-the art, both in breadth and depth and will identify common features and mechanisms for chaos in parabolic systems. Understanding similar features and common geometric mechanisms responsible for mixing, rigidity and spectral properties of parabolic systems will provide important insight towards an universal theory of parabolic dynamics."
Summary
"The theme of the proposal is the mathematical investigation of chaos (in particular ergodic and spectral properties) in parabolic dynamics, via analytic, geometric and probabilistic techniques. Parabolic dynamical systems are mathematical models of the many phenomena which display a ""slow"" form of chaotic evolution, in the sense that nearby trajectories diverge polynomially in time. In contrast with the hyperbolic case and with the elliptic case, there is no general theory which describes parabolic dynamical systems. Only few classical examples are well understood.
The research plan aims at bridging this gap, by studying new classes of parabolic systems and unexplored properties of classical ones. More precisely, I propose to study parabolic flows beyond the algebraic set-up and infinite measure-preserving parabolic systems, both of which are very virgin fields of research, and to attack open conjectures and questions on fine chaotic properties, such as spectra and rigidity, for area-preserving flows. Moreover, connections between parabolic dynamics and respectively number theory, mathematical physics and probability will be explored. g New techniques, stemming from some recent breakthroughs in Teichmueller dynamics, spectral theory and infinite ergodic theory, will be developed.
The proposed research will bring our knowledge significantly beyond the current state-of-the art, both in breadth and depth and will identify common features and mechanisms for chaos in parabolic systems. Understanding similar features and common geometric mechanisms responsible for mixing, rigidity and spectral properties of parabolic systems will provide important insight towards an universal theory of parabolic dynamics."
Max ERC Funding
1 193 534 €
Duration
Start date: 2014-01-01, End date: 2019-08-31
Project acronym CHASM
Project Convective Heat Transport and Stellar Magnetism
Researcher (PI) Matthew Keith Morris Browning
Host Institution (HI) THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
Country United Kingdom
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE9, ERC-2013-StG
Summary "Magnetism plays a profound role in stars and planets. In the Sun, magnetic fields are ultimately responsible for solar flares and coronal mass ejections that can impact our technological society. Earth's own magnetic field partly shields us from these events, but solar storms can still interrupt satellite communications, disrupt power grids, and pose a danger to astronauts on spacewalks. More generally, magnetic fields partly control the rotational evolution of stars, likely impact the habitability of extrasolar planets, and may modify the sizes and internal structures of
low-mass stars and gaseous planets. In all cases, the magnetism is generally thought to arise from a convective dynamo -- but a detailed theoretical understanding of this process, and its influence on the overall evolution of stars and planets, has remained elusive. Particularly fascinating observational puzzles have recently come from the study of low-mass M-dwarf stars: the most numerous type of stars in our galaxy and perhaps the most likely to host habitable planets.
We therefore propose to study how stars and sub-stellar objects build magnetic fields using 3-D magnetohydrodynamic simulations, and to quantify the effects of those fields on stellar structure and evolution. Using the Anelastic Spherical Harmonic (ASH) and Compressible Spherical Segment (CSS) codes, we will examine (a) how global magnetic field generation in these stars depends upon parameters like stellar mass, rotation rate, and the presence of a stable core, and (b) how the deep convection and magnetism imprints through (and is shaped by) the near-surface layers of these objects. We will (c) determine the impact of the resulting fields on the convective transport of heat and angular momentum, incorporate our results into state of the art 1-D evolutionary models of stars, and explore the consequences for stellar evolution. Separately, we will (d) develop and maintain a public database of 3-D convective dynamo models."
Summary
"Magnetism plays a profound role in stars and planets. In the Sun, magnetic fields are ultimately responsible for solar flares and coronal mass ejections that can impact our technological society. Earth's own magnetic field partly shields us from these events, but solar storms can still interrupt satellite communications, disrupt power grids, and pose a danger to astronauts on spacewalks. More generally, magnetic fields partly control the rotational evolution of stars, likely impact the habitability of extrasolar planets, and may modify the sizes and internal structures of
low-mass stars and gaseous planets. In all cases, the magnetism is generally thought to arise from a convective dynamo -- but a detailed theoretical understanding of this process, and its influence on the overall evolution of stars and planets, has remained elusive. Particularly fascinating observational puzzles have recently come from the study of low-mass M-dwarf stars: the most numerous type of stars in our galaxy and perhaps the most likely to host habitable planets.
We therefore propose to study how stars and sub-stellar objects build magnetic fields using 3-D magnetohydrodynamic simulations, and to quantify the effects of those fields on stellar structure and evolution. Using the Anelastic Spherical Harmonic (ASH) and Compressible Spherical Segment (CSS) codes, we will examine (a) how global magnetic field generation in these stars depends upon parameters like stellar mass, rotation rate, and the presence of a stable core, and (b) how the deep convection and magnetism imprints through (and is shaped by) the near-surface layers of these objects. We will (c) determine the impact of the resulting fields on the convective transport of heat and angular momentum, incorporate our results into state of the art 1-D evolutionary models of stars, and explore the consequences for stellar evolution. Separately, we will (d) develop and maintain a public database of 3-D convective dynamo models."
Max ERC Funding
1 469 070 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-12-01, End date: 2018-11-30
Project acronym CLAPO
Project The Coevolution of Life and Arsenic in Precambrian Oceans
Researcher (PI) Ernest Chi Fru
Host Institution (HI) CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
Country United Kingdom
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE10, ERC-2013-StG
Summary The ubiquity of arsenic resistant genes across all of life’s variety suggests a close intimacy between arsenic biogeochemistry and evolution, over geological time scales. However, the behaviour of arsenic in past environments where life originated and its impact on our evolution is essentially unknown. Arsenic is of particular importance because of its toxic properties, prevalence in tight association with ubiquitous iron and sulfide minerals and as a major component of sulfide-rich waters, all common features of Precambrian oceans. Arsenic obstructs the synthesis of the building blocks of life, exhibiting both chronic and acute toxicity at very low concentrations. These properties make arsenic an agent capable of exerting strong selective pressure on the distribution, success and diversity of life. This is exemplified by when the release of arsenic into groundwater following rock-weathering processes results in widespread poisoning. Using the state of the art stable isotopes tools, coupled to biomass production, bacterial iron, arsenic and sulfur cycling under ancient oceanic conditions, this project will open a new discussion on the much debated relationship between ocean chemistry and evolution, by introducing a new arsenic framework. This will be achieved under three majors themes: 1) Does there exist a biogeochemical connection between arsenic and the timing and transition from the iron-rich to the hypothesized sulfide-rich oceans that are linked to the rise of atmospheric oxygen? 2) Does arsenic and sulfide show concomitant cyclicity during the Precambrian? 3) Could arsenic thus serve as a proxy for the calibration of key transitional steps in the timing of biological innovation?
Summary
The ubiquity of arsenic resistant genes across all of life’s variety suggests a close intimacy between arsenic biogeochemistry and evolution, over geological time scales. However, the behaviour of arsenic in past environments where life originated and its impact on our evolution is essentially unknown. Arsenic is of particular importance because of its toxic properties, prevalence in tight association with ubiquitous iron and sulfide minerals and as a major component of sulfide-rich waters, all common features of Precambrian oceans. Arsenic obstructs the synthesis of the building blocks of life, exhibiting both chronic and acute toxicity at very low concentrations. These properties make arsenic an agent capable of exerting strong selective pressure on the distribution, success and diversity of life. This is exemplified by when the release of arsenic into groundwater following rock-weathering processes results in widespread poisoning. Using the state of the art stable isotopes tools, coupled to biomass production, bacterial iron, arsenic and sulfur cycling under ancient oceanic conditions, this project will open a new discussion on the much debated relationship between ocean chemistry and evolution, by introducing a new arsenic framework. This will be achieved under three majors themes: 1) Does there exist a biogeochemical connection between arsenic and the timing and transition from the iron-rich to the hypothesized sulfide-rich oceans that are linked to the rise of atmospheric oxygen? 2) Does arsenic and sulfide show concomitant cyclicity during the Precambrian? 3) Could arsenic thus serve as a proxy for the calibration of key transitional steps in the timing of biological innovation?
Max ERC Funding
1 486 374 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-09-01, End date: 2018-08-31
Project acronym CLUSTERS
Project Galaxy formation through the eyes of globular clusters
Researcher (PI) Mark Gieles
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITY OF SURREY
Country United Kingdom
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE9, ERC-2013-StG
Summary "Globular clusters (GCs) are among the first baryonic structures to form at a redshift of 10 and they witnessed the earliest phases of galaxy formation. Despite their ubiquity and importance for our understanding of the stellar initial mass function, star formation and chemical evolution in the early Universe, their origin is shrouded in mystery. They could have formed in gas rich discs, similarly to young massive clusters (YMCs) that we see forming today in starburst environments; or they could require a more exotic environment such as the centre of dark matter ``mini-haloes"".
The Milky Way GCs are resolved into their constituent stellar population making them the obvious place to look for clues. Their pristine properties are, however, affected by a Hubble time of dynamical evolution within an evolving Milky Way. In this proposal I present three projects to determine the initial properties of GCs, allowing them to be used as robust probes of early star formation, stellar evolution and cosmology. Specifically, I will: (1) dynamically evolve YMCs on a star-by-star basis and achieve a complete census of the fate of the clusters and their debris (``cold"" streams) within the framework of the hierarchical assembly of the Milky Way; (2) I will develop an extremely fast cluster evolution algorithm to do population synthesis of (globular) star clusters which will uniquely establish their initial masses, densities and the corresponding distributions; and (3) I will break the degeneracy of a dark matter halo, tidal heating and alternative gravity laws on the kinematics of GCs and determine whether Milky Way GCs contain dark matter, or not.
Galactic archaeology is entering a Golden Age. ALMA is operational and already putting constraints on the formation of YMCs and Gaia is due to fly next year. The three novel projects presented here will pave the way and prepare for the wealth of unprecedented data."
Summary
"Globular clusters (GCs) are among the first baryonic structures to form at a redshift of 10 and they witnessed the earliest phases of galaxy formation. Despite their ubiquity and importance for our understanding of the stellar initial mass function, star formation and chemical evolution in the early Universe, their origin is shrouded in mystery. They could have formed in gas rich discs, similarly to young massive clusters (YMCs) that we see forming today in starburst environments; or they could require a more exotic environment such as the centre of dark matter ``mini-haloes"".
The Milky Way GCs are resolved into their constituent stellar population making them the obvious place to look for clues. Their pristine properties are, however, affected by a Hubble time of dynamical evolution within an evolving Milky Way. In this proposal I present three projects to determine the initial properties of GCs, allowing them to be used as robust probes of early star formation, stellar evolution and cosmology. Specifically, I will: (1) dynamically evolve YMCs on a star-by-star basis and achieve a complete census of the fate of the clusters and their debris (``cold"" streams) within the framework of the hierarchical assembly of the Milky Way; (2) I will develop an extremely fast cluster evolution algorithm to do population synthesis of (globular) star clusters which will uniquely establish their initial masses, densities and the corresponding distributions; and (3) I will break the degeneracy of a dark matter halo, tidal heating and alternative gravity laws on the kinematics of GCs and determine whether Milky Way GCs contain dark matter, or not.
Galactic archaeology is entering a Golden Age. ALMA is operational and already putting constraints on the formation of YMCs and Gaia is due to fly next year. The three novel projects presented here will pave the way and prepare for the wealth of unprecedented data."
Max ERC Funding
1 499 863 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-11-01, End date: 2018-10-31
Project acronym COLORTTH
Project The Higgs: A colored View from the Top at ATLAS
Researcher (PI) Reinhild Fatima Yvonne Peters
Host Institution (HI) THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER
Country United Kingdom
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2013-StG
Summary "With the ground-breaking discovery of a new, Higgs-like boson on July 4th, 2012, by the CMS and ATLAS collaborations at CERN, a new era of particle physics has begun. The discovery is the first step in answering an unsolved problem in particle physics, the question how fundamental bosons and fermions acquire their mass. One of the major goals in collider physics in the next few years will be the deeper insight into the nature of the new particle, its connection to the known fundamental particles and possible extensions beyond the standard model (SM) of particle physics.
My project aims at a particular interesting field to study, the relation of the new particle with the heaviest known elementary particle, the top quark. I aim to develop new, innovative techniques and beyond state-of-the-art methods to extract the Yukawa coupling between the top quark and the Higgs boson, which is expected to be of the order of one - much higher than that of any other quark. I will analyse the only process where the top-Higgs Yukawa coupling can be measured, in associated production of top quark pairs and a Higgs boson. The Higgs boson mainly decays into a pair of b-quarks. This is one of the most challenging channels at the LHC, as huge background processes from gluon splitting contribute. In particular, I will develop and study color flow variables, which provide a unique, powerful technique to distinguish color singlet Higgs bosons from the main background, color octet gluons.
The ultimate goal of the project is the first measurement of the top-Higgs Yukawa coupling and its confrontation with SM and beyond SM Higgs boson models, resulting in an unprecedented insight into the fundamental laws of nature.
The LHC will soon reach a new energy frontier of 13 TeV starting in 2014. This new environment will provide never seen opportunities to study hints of new physics and precisely measure properties of the newly found particle. This sets the stage for the project."
Summary
"With the ground-breaking discovery of a new, Higgs-like boson on July 4th, 2012, by the CMS and ATLAS collaborations at CERN, a new era of particle physics has begun. The discovery is the first step in answering an unsolved problem in particle physics, the question how fundamental bosons and fermions acquire their mass. One of the major goals in collider physics in the next few years will be the deeper insight into the nature of the new particle, its connection to the known fundamental particles and possible extensions beyond the standard model (SM) of particle physics.
My project aims at a particular interesting field to study, the relation of the new particle with the heaviest known elementary particle, the top quark. I aim to develop new, innovative techniques and beyond state-of-the-art methods to extract the Yukawa coupling between the top quark and the Higgs boson, which is expected to be of the order of one - much higher than that of any other quark. I will analyse the only process where the top-Higgs Yukawa coupling can be measured, in associated production of top quark pairs and a Higgs boson. The Higgs boson mainly decays into a pair of b-quarks. This is one of the most challenging channels at the LHC, as huge background processes from gluon splitting contribute. In particular, I will develop and study color flow variables, which provide a unique, powerful technique to distinguish color singlet Higgs bosons from the main background, color octet gluons.
The ultimate goal of the project is the first measurement of the top-Higgs Yukawa coupling and its confrontation with SM and beyond SM Higgs boson models, resulting in an unprecedented insight into the fundamental laws of nature.
The LHC will soon reach a new energy frontier of 13 TeV starting in 2014. This new environment will provide never seen opportunities to study hints of new physics and precisely measure properties of the newly found particle. This sets the stage for the project."
Max ERC Funding
1 163 755 €
Duration
Start date: 2014-02-01, End date: 2019-01-31
Project acronym CREATES
Project Classifying the Range of Exoplanetary Atmospheres using Transmission and Emission Spectroscopy
Researcher (PI) David Kent Sing
Host Institution (HI) THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
Country United Kingdom
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE9, ERC-2013-StG
Summary "Rarely in astrophysics are there opportunities to spectrally classify a completely new group of astrophysical objects. This is the challenge facing the exoplanets christened “hot Jupiters”. The detection and subsequent spectroscopic information now achievable for a large number of these exoplanets are now allowing for detailed comparative exoplanetology. This project uses a twofold approach to advance both the theory and observation of these exoplanets beyond their current limitations. Hot Jupiter atmospheric spectra are built from two large observational survey programmes headed by Dr. Sing to obtain a vast amount of high quality data on transmission spectra. One large programme uses the HST which alone will quadruple the number of broadband exoplanet transmission spectra. The Hubble survey will be augmented by a large programme on the GTC telescope, where we will put efforts into pioneering multi-object spectroscopy, capable of delivering space-like quality spectra. Both large programmes will be further complemented by followup observations, as well as existing near-IR spectroscopy. This project will combine this plethora of data in a coherent fashion, enabling studies of nearly the entire planetary atmosphere. Our observational efforts will be combined with a broad and inclusive theoretical modeling programme, where we will incorporate clouds and hazes, modelling the complete atmosphere in a self-consistent manner with a 3D global circulation model. Our library of transmission spectra across the hot-Jupiter class will be used to address long outstanding and complex issues. We will focus our efforts on two key areas, addressing why some hot Jupiters have hazes & clouds while others do not, and the outstanding issue on the presence or absence of stratospheres. For the first time a comprehensive set of high quality exoplanet spectra will be available with which to inter-compare using the required set of theoretical tools."
Summary
"Rarely in astrophysics are there opportunities to spectrally classify a completely new group of astrophysical objects. This is the challenge facing the exoplanets christened “hot Jupiters”. The detection and subsequent spectroscopic information now achievable for a large number of these exoplanets are now allowing for detailed comparative exoplanetology. This project uses a twofold approach to advance both the theory and observation of these exoplanets beyond their current limitations. Hot Jupiter atmospheric spectra are built from two large observational survey programmes headed by Dr. Sing to obtain a vast amount of high quality data on transmission spectra. One large programme uses the HST which alone will quadruple the number of broadband exoplanet transmission spectra. The Hubble survey will be augmented by a large programme on the GTC telescope, where we will put efforts into pioneering multi-object spectroscopy, capable of delivering space-like quality spectra. Both large programmes will be further complemented by followup observations, as well as existing near-IR spectroscopy. This project will combine this plethora of data in a coherent fashion, enabling studies of nearly the entire planetary atmosphere. Our observational efforts will be combined with a broad and inclusive theoretical modeling programme, where we will incorporate clouds and hazes, modelling the complete atmosphere in a self-consistent manner with a 3D global circulation model. Our library of transmission spectra across the hot-Jupiter class will be used to address long outstanding and complex issues. We will focus our efforts on two key areas, addressing why some hot Jupiters have hazes & clouds while others do not, and the outstanding issue on the presence or absence of stratospheres. For the first time a comprehensive set of high quality exoplanet spectra will be available with which to inter-compare using the required set of theoretical tools."
Max ERC Funding
1 495 824 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-11-01, End date: 2018-10-31
