Project acronym ARIADNE
Project ARgon ImAging DetectioN chambEr
Researcher (PI) Konstantinos Mavrokoridis
Host Institution (HI) THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2015-STG
Summary This proposal outlines a plan to combine Charge Couple Device (CCD) camera technologies with two-phase Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LAr TPCs) utilising THick Gas Electron Multipliers (THGEMs) to evolve a next generation neutrino detector. This will be an entirely new readout option, and will open the prospect of revolutionary discoveries in fundamental particle physics. Furthermore, the Compton imaging power of this technology will be developed, which will have diverse applications in novel medical imaging techniques and detection of concealed nuclear materials.
Colossal LAr TPCs are the future for long-baseline-neutrino-oscillation physics around which the international neutrino community is rallying, with the common goal of discovering new physics beyond the Standard Model, which holds the key to our understanding of phenomena such as dark matter and the matter-antimatter asymmetry.
I have successfully provided a first demonstration of photographic capturing of muon tracks and single gammas interacting in the Liverpool 40 l LAr TPC using a CCD camera and THGEM. I propose an ambitious project of extensive research to mature this innovative LAr optical readout technology. I will construct a 650 l LAr TPC with integrated CCD/THGEM readout, capable of containing sufficient tracking information for full development and characterisation of this novel detector, with the goal of realising this game-changing technology in the planned future giant LAr TPCs. Camera readout can replace the current charge readout technology and associated scalability complications, and the excellent energy thresholds will enhance detector performance as well as extend research avenues to lower energy fundamental physics.
Also, I will explore the Compton imaging capability of LAr CCD/THGEM technology; the superiority of the energy threshold and spatial resolution of this system can offer significant advancement to medical imaging and the detection of concealed nuclear materials.
Summary
This proposal outlines a plan to combine Charge Couple Device (CCD) camera technologies with two-phase Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LAr TPCs) utilising THick Gas Electron Multipliers (THGEMs) to evolve a next generation neutrino detector. This will be an entirely new readout option, and will open the prospect of revolutionary discoveries in fundamental particle physics. Furthermore, the Compton imaging power of this technology will be developed, which will have diverse applications in novel medical imaging techniques and detection of concealed nuclear materials.
Colossal LAr TPCs are the future for long-baseline-neutrino-oscillation physics around which the international neutrino community is rallying, with the common goal of discovering new physics beyond the Standard Model, which holds the key to our understanding of phenomena such as dark matter and the matter-antimatter asymmetry.
I have successfully provided a first demonstration of photographic capturing of muon tracks and single gammas interacting in the Liverpool 40 l LAr TPC using a CCD camera and THGEM. I propose an ambitious project of extensive research to mature this innovative LAr optical readout technology. I will construct a 650 l LAr TPC with integrated CCD/THGEM readout, capable of containing sufficient tracking information for full development and characterisation of this novel detector, with the goal of realising this game-changing technology in the planned future giant LAr TPCs. Camera readout can replace the current charge readout technology and associated scalability complications, and the excellent energy thresholds will enhance detector performance as well as extend research avenues to lower energy fundamental physics.
Also, I will explore the Compton imaging capability of LAr CCD/THGEM technology; the superiority of the energy threshold and spatial resolution of this system can offer significant advancement to medical imaging and the detection of concealed nuclear materials.
Max ERC Funding
1 837 911 €
Duration
Start date: 2016-03-01, End date: 2021-02-28
Project acronym BCOOL
Project Barocaloric materials for energy-efficient solid-state cooling
Researcher (PI) Javier Eduardo Moya Raposo
Host Institution (HI) THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE8, ERC-2015-STG
Summary Cooling is essential for food and drinks, medicine, electronics and thermal comfort. Thermal changes due to pressure-driven phase transitions in fluids have long been used in vapour compression systems to achieve continuous refrigeration and air conditioning, but their energy efficiency is relatively low, and the working fluids that are employed harm the environment when released to the atmosphere. More recently, the discovery of large thermal changes due to pressure-driven phase transitions in magnetic solids has led to suggestions for environmentally friendly solid-state cooling applications. However, for this new cooling technology to succeed, it is still necessary to find suitable barocaloric (BC) materials that satisfy the demanding requirements set by applications, namely very large thermal changes in inexpensive materials that occur near room temperature in response to small applied pressures.
I aim to develop new BC materials by exploiting phase transitions in non-magnetic solids whose structural and thermal properties are strongly coupled, namely ferroelectric salts, molecular crystals and hybrid materials. These materials are normally made from cheap abundant elements, and display very large latent heats and volume changes at structural phase transitions, which make them ideal candidates to exhibit extremely large BC effects that outperform those observed in state-of-the-art BC magnetic materials, and that match applications.
My unique approach combines: i) materials science to identify materials with outstanding BC performance, ii) advanced experimental techniques to explore and exploit these novel materials, iii) materials engineering to create new composite materials with enhanced BC properties, and iv) fabrication of BC devices, using insight gained from modelling of materials and device parameters. If successful, my ambitious strategy will culminate in revolutionary solid-state cooling devices that are environmentally friendly and energy efficient.
Summary
Cooling is essential for food and drinks, medicine, electronics and thermal comfort. Thermal changes due to pressure-driven phase transitions in fluids have long been used in vapour compression systems to achieve continuous refrigeration and air conditioning, but their energy efficiency is relatively low, and the working fluids that are employed harm the environment when released to the atmosphere. More recently, the discovery of large thermal changes due to pressure-driven phase transitions in magnetic solids has led to suggestions for environmentally friendly solid-state cooling applications. However, for this new cooling technology to succeed, it is still necessary to find suitable barocaloric (BC) materials that satisfy the demanding requirements set by applications, namely very large thermal changes in inexpensive materials that occur near room temperature in response to small applied pressures.
I aim to develop new BC materials by exploiting phase transitions in non-magnetic solids whose structural and thermal properties are strongly coupled, namely ferroelectric salts, molecular crystals and hybrid materials. These materials are normally made from cheap abundant elements, and display very large latent heats and volume changes at structural phase transitions, which make them ideal candidates to exhibit extremely large BC effects that outperform those observed in state-of-the-art BC magnetic materials, and that match applications.
My unique approach combines: i) materials science to identify materials with outstanding BC performance, ii) advanced experimental techniques to explore and exploit these novel materials, iii) materials engineering to create new composite materials with enhanced BC properties, and iv) fabrication of BC devices, using insight gained from modelling of materials and device parameters. If successful, my ambitious strategy will culminate in revolutionary solid-state cooling devices that are environmentally friendly and energy efficient.
Max ERC Funding
1 467 521 €
Duration
Start date: 2016-04-01, End date: 2021-03-31
Project acronym BIAF
Project Bird Inspired Autonomous Flight
Researcher (PI) Shane Paul Windsor
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE8, ERC-2015-STG
Summary The agile and efficient flight of birds shows what flight performance is physically possible, and in theory could be achieved by unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) of the same size. The overall aim of this project is to enhance the performance of small scale UAVs by developing novel technologies inspired by understanding how birds are adapted to interact with airflows. Small UAVs have the potential to dramatically change current practices in many areas such as, search and rescue, surveillance, and environmental monitoring. Currently the utility of these systems is limited by their operational endurance and their inability to operate in strong turbulent winds, especially those that often occur in urban environments. Birds are adapted to be able to fly in these conditions and actually use them to their advantage to minimise their energy output.
This project is composed of three tracks which contain elements of technology development, as well as scientific investigation looking at bird flight behaviour and aerodynamics. The first track looks at developing path planning algorithms for UAVs in urban environments based on how birds fly in these areas, by using GPS tracking and computational fluid dynamics alongside trajectory optimization. The second track aims to develop artificial wings with improved gust tolerance inspired by the features of feathered wings. Here, high speed video measurements of birds flying through gusts will be used alongside wind tunnel testing of artificial wings to discover what features of a bird’s wing help to alleviate gusts. The third track develops novel force and flow sensor arrays for autonomous flight control based on the sensor arrays found in flying animals. These arrays will be used to make UAVs with increased agility and robustness. This unique bird inspired approach uses biology to show what is possible, and engineering to find the features that enable this performance and develop them into functional technologies.
Summary
The agile and efficient flight of birds shows what flight performance is physically possible, and in theory could be achieved by unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) of the same size. The overall aim of this project is to enhance the performance of small scale UAVs by developing novel technologies inspired by understanding how birds are adapted to interact with airflows. Small UAVs have the potential to dramatically change current practices in many areas such as, search and rescue, surveillance, and environmental monitoring. Currently the utility of these systems is limited by their operational endurance and their inability to operate in strong turbulent winds, especially those that often occur in urban environments. Birds are adapted to be able to fly in these conditions and actually use them to their advantage to minimise their energy output.
This project is composed of three tracks which contain elements of technology development, as well as scientific investigation looking at bird flight behaviour and aerodynamics. The first track looks at developing path planning algorithms for UAVs in urban environments based on how birds fly in these areas, by using GPS tracking and computational fluid dynamics alongside trajectory optimization. The second track aims to develop artificial wings with improved gust tolerance inspired by the features of feathered wings. Here, high speed video measurements of birds flying through gusts will be used alongside wind tunnel testing of artificial wings to discover what features of a bird’s wing help to alleviate gusts. The third track develops novel force and flow sensor arrays for autonomous flight control based on the sensor arrays found in flying animals. These arrays will be used to make UAVs with increased agility and robustness. This unique bird inspired approach uses biology to show what is possible, and engineering to find the features that enable this performance and develop them into functional technologies.
Max ERC Funding
1 998 546 €
Duration
Start date: 2016-04-01, End date: 2021-03-31
Project acronym CHROMIUM
Project CHROMIUM
Researcher (PI) Jennifer THOMAS
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE2, ERC-2015-AdG
Summary Why the Universe is void of anti-matter is one of the remaining Big Questions in Science.One explanation is provided within the Standard Model by violation of Charge Parity (CP) symmetry, producing differences between the behavior of particles and their anti-particles.CP violation in the neutrino sector could allow a mechanism by which the matter-anti matter asymmetry arose.The objective of this proposal is to enable a step change in our sensitivity to CP violation in the neutrino sector. I have pioneered the concepts and led the deployment of a small prototype using a novel approach which could eventually lead to the construction of a revolutionary Mega-ton scale Water Cherenkov (WC) neutrino detector.The goal of my research program is to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach via the construction of an intermediate sized prototype with an expandable fiducial mass of up to 10-20kt. It will use a low-cost and lightweight structure, filled with purified water and submerged for mechanical strength and cosmic ray shielding in a 60m deep flooded mine pit in the path of Fermilab’s NuMI neutrino beam in N. Minnesota.The European contribution to this experiment will be profound and definitive.Applying the idea of fast timing and good position resolution of small photodetectors, already pioneered in Europe, in place of large-area photodetector, we will revolutionize WC design.The game-changing nature of this philosophy will be demonstrated via the proof of the detector construction and the observation of electron neutrino events form the NuMI beam.The successful completion of this R&D program will demonstrate a factor of up to 100 decrease in cost compared to conventional detectors and the proof that precision neutrino measurements could be made inside a few years rather than the presently needed decades.
The project describes a five year program of work amounting to a total funding request of €3.5M, including an extra €1M of equipment funds.
Summary
Why the Universe is void of anti-matter is one of the remaining Big Questions in Science.One explanation is provided within the Standard Model by violation of Charge Parity (CP) symmetry, producing differences between the behavior of particles and their anti-particles.CP violation in the neutrino sector could allow a mechanism by which the matter-anti matter asymmetry arose.The objective of this proposal is to enable a step change in our sensitivity to CP violation in the neutrino sector. I have pioneered the concepts and led the deployment of a small prototype using a novel approach which could eventually lead to the construction of a revolutionary Mega-ton scale Water Cherenkov (WC) neutrino detector.The goal of my research program is to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach via the construction of an intermediate sized prototype with an expandable fiducial mass of up to 10-20kt. It will use a low-cost and lightweight structure, filled with purified water and submerged for mechanical strength and cosmic ray shielding in a 60m deep flooded mine pit in the path of Fermilab’s NuMI neutrino beam in N. Minnesota.The European contribution to this experiment will be profound and definitive.Applying the idea of fast timing and good position resolution of small photodetectors, already pioneered in Europe, in place of large-area photodetector, we will revolutionize WC design.The game-changing nature of this philosophy will be demonstrated via the proof of the detector construction and the observation of electron neutrino events form the NuMI beam.The successful completion of this R&D program will demonstrate a factor of up to 100 decrease in cost compared to conventional detectors and the proof that precision neutrino measurements could be made inside a few years rather than the presently needed decades.
The project describes a five year program of work amounting to a total funding request of €3.5M, including an extra €1M of equipment funds.
Max ERC Funding
3 500 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2016-10-01, End date: 2021-09-30
Project acronym CORREL-CT
Project Correlative tomography
Researcher (PI) Philip Withers
Host Institution (HI) THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE8, ERC-2015-AdG
Summary Proposal summary (half page)
The vision is firstly, to develop correlative tomography to radically increase the nature and level of information (morphological, structural and chemical) that can be obtained for a 3D volume of interest (VoI) deep within a material or component by coupling non-destructive (3D+time) X-ray tomography with destructive (3D) electron tomography and, secondly to exploit this new approach to shed light on damage accumulation processes arising under demanding conditions. Successful completion of this project will provide new 3D & 4D insights across many areas and yield key experimental data for multiscale models.
Objective 1: To build the capability of correlative tomography
- To connect platforms across scales and modalities in order to track a VoI that may be located deep below the surface and to combine multiple techniques within a single platform.
- To add new facets to correlative tomography including
+ 3D chemical imaging
+ 3D crystal grain mapping
+ the local stress distribution
+ mechanical performance mapping at the VoI scale
Objective 2: To apply it to gain new insights into damage accumulation
Correlative tomography will provide a much richer multi-faceted hierarchical picture of materials behaviour from life science to food science from geology to cultural heritage. This project will focus specifically on identifying the nucleation, propagation and aggregation of damage processes in engineering materials.
- We will identify and track the mechanisms that control the progressive degradation of conventional bulk engineering materials operating under demanding conditions.
- We will examine the hierarchical strategies nature uses to control failure in natural materials through heterogeneous chemistry, morphology and properties. Alongside this we will examine the behaviour of man-made nano-structured analogues and whether we can exploit some of these strategies.
Summary
Proposal summary (half page)
The vision is firstly, to develop correlative tomography to radically increase the nature and level of information (morphological, structural and chemical) that can be obtained for a 3D volume of interest (VoI) deep within a material or component by coupling non-destructive (3D+time) X-ray tomography with destructive (3D) electron tomography and, secondly to exploit this new approach to shed light on damage accumulation processes arising under demanding conditions. Successful completion of this project will provide new 3D & 4D insights across many areas and yield key experimental data for multiscale models.
Objective 1: To build the capability of correlative tomography
- To connect platforms across scales and modalities in order to track a VoI that may be located deep below the surface and to combine multiple techniques within a single platform.
- To add new facets to correlative tomography including
+ 3D chemical imaging
+ 3D crystal grain mapping
+ the local stress distribution
+ mechanical performance mapping at the VoI scale
Objective 2: To apply it to gain new insights into damage accumulation
Correlative tomography will provide a much richer multi-faceted hierarchical picture of materials behaviour from life science to food science from geology to cultural heritage. This project will focus specifically on identifying the nucleation, propagation and aggregation of damage processes in engineering materials.
- We will identify and track the mechanisms that control the progressive degradation of conventional bulk engineering materials operating under demanding conditions.
- We will examine the hierarchical strategies nature uses to control failure in natural materials through heterogeneous chemistry, morphology and properties. Alongside this we will examine the behaviour of man-made nano-structured analogues and whether we can exploit some of these strategies.
Max ERC Funding
2 926 425 €
Duration
Start date: 2016-11-01, End date: 2021-10-31
Project acronym DoRES
Project Direct measurements of key nuclear Reactions for the creation of Elements in Stars
Researcher (PI) Claudia Lederer
Host Institution (HI) THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2015-STG
Summary The evolution of the universe has left an imprint in the form of the chemical elements. Understanding the cosmic origins of the elements remains a major challenge for science. The abundances of elements we see in our solar system, distant stars, meteorites, and in stellar explosions provide us with clues about how the elements came to be produced in a variety of different processes and stellar environments. To unravel these mysteries we need to understand the nuclear reactions producing and destroying the elements. New generation accelerator facilities and instrumentation are being developed in Europe which will enable many of these reactions to be measured directly for the first time, and with high precision. This offers the prospect of a major step forward in the field in the next few years. Many of the key reactions involve unstable nuclei, studied experimentally either by using radioactive beams or targets. These unstable nuclei play a critical role in high temperature stellar environments, most notably stellar explosions. Reactions can occur on the unstable nucleus before it has decayed thereby strongly altering the path of subsequent element synthesis. The proposal is sub-divided into 5 themes, concerning production of the heavy elements in neutron capture reactions, destruction of the cosmic gamma-ray emitter 26Al in core collapse supernovae, neutron source reactions in stars, the puzzle of high abundances of proton-rich heavy isotopes, and the origin of nature’s least abundant isotope 180mTa. Experiments will initially be performed using neutron beams from the upgraded n_TOF facility at CERN including the high flux EAR-2 beam line, and using radioactive beams from the upgraded HIE-ISOLDE facility at CERN. In the later phase of the proposal experiments will also be performed using the new ultra-high intensity neutron beam facility FRANZ at Frankfurt, and with radioactive beams injected into heavy ion storage rings to be installed at GSI and CERN.
Summary
The evolution of the universe has left an imprint in the form of the chemical elements. Understanding the cosmic origins of the elements remains a major challenge for science. The abundances of elements we see in our solar system, distant stars, meteorites, and in stellar explosions provide us with clues about how the elements came to be produced in a variety of different processes and stellar environments. To unravel these mysteries we need to understand the nuclear reactions producing and destroying the elements. New generation accelerator facilities and instrumentation are being developed in Europe which will enable many of these reactions to be measured directly for the first time, and with high precision. This offers the prospect of a major step forward in the field in the next few years. Many of the key reactions involve unstable nuclei, studied experimentally either by using radioactive beams or targets. These unstable nuclei play a critical role in high temperature stellar environments, most notably stellar explosions. Reactions can occur on the unstable nucleus before it has decayed thereby strongly altering the path of subsequent element synthesis. The proposal is sub-divided into 5 themes, concerning production of the heavy elements in neutron capture reactions, destruction of the cosmic gamma-ray emitter 26Al in core collapse supernovae, neutron source reactions in stars, the puzzle of high abundances of proton-rich heavy isotopes, and the origin of nature’s least abundant isotope 180mTa. Experiments will initially be performed using neutron beams from the upgraded n_TOF facility at CERN including the high flux EAR-2 beam line, and using radioactive beams from the upgraded HIE-ISOLDE facility at CERN. In the later phase of the proposal experiments will also be performed using the new ultra-high intensity neutron beam facility FRANZ at Frankfurt, and with radioactive beams injected into heavy ion storage rings to be installed at GSI and CERN.
Max ERC Funding
1 495 479 €
Duration
Start date: 2016-06-01, End date: 2021-05-31
Project acronym EPITOOLS
Project Chemical biology approaches to unraveling the histone code
Researcher (PI) Akane Kawamura
Host Institution (HI) THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), LS9, ERC-2015-STG
Summary Posttranslational modifications on histones play crucial roles in the epigenetic regulation of eukaryotic gene expression. Chemical modifications that occur on histone tails include acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and SUMOylation. This chemical diversity together with the positions and combinations of these modifications give rise to complex networks of highly controlled gene expression programs. The identification and characterisation of chromatin-associated proteins (or epigenetic regulators) in recent years has advanced our understanding of the significance of these histone modifications and the regulatory outcomes in development and in disease.
The project aims to generate new classes of highly selective and potent chemical probes for epigenetic regulators, focusing on enzymes and proteins associated with methyl-lysine marks. A novel modified peptide-based discovery platform, which combines molecular, chemical, biophysical and cellular techniques, will be developed and applied. These chemical probes will be useful for biological and biomedical research, and will serve as potential starting points for therapeutic epigenetic intervention.
Summary
Posttranslational modifications on histones play crucial roles in the epigenetic regulation of eukaryotic gene expression. Chemical modifications that occur on histone tails include acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and SUMOylation. This chemical diversity together with the positions and combinations of these modifications give rise to complex networks of highly controlled gene expression programs. The identification and characterisation of chromatin-associated proteins (or epigenetic regulators) in recent years has advanced our understanding of the significance of these histone modifications and the regulatory outcomes in development and in disease.
The project aims to generate new classes of highly selective and potent chemical probes for epigenetic regulators, focusing on enzymes and proteins associated with methyl-lysine marks. A novel modified peptide-based discovery platform, which combines molecular, chemical, biophysical and cellular techniques, will be developed and applied. These chemical probes will be useful for biological and biomedical research, and will serve as potential starting points for therapeutic epigenetic intervention.
Max ERC Funding
1 758 846 €
Duration
Start date: 2016-04-01, End date: 2021-03-31
Project acronym ExtendGlass
Project Extending the range of the glassy state: Exploring structure and property limits in metallic glasses
Researcher (PI) Alan Lindsay GREER
Host Institution (HI) THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE8, ERC-2015-AdG
Summary Metallic glasses (MGs), among the most actively studied metallic materials, have attractive mechanical properties (high elastic limit) but show work-softening and lack ductility. Recent work suggests the as-cast state of MGs can be much altered by thermomechanical treatments: rejuvenation (to higher energy) offers improved plasticity (perhaps even desirable work-hardening); relaxation (to lower energy) offers access to ultrastable states. Work of the PI has just shown that even simple thermal cycling can induce rejuvenation comparable with that from heavy plastic deformation, while elastic stress cycling can accelerate annealing. The research aims to extend the range of glassy states and to explore the consequences of unusual states, particularly for mechanical properties and for phase stability/crystallization. One possible limit to rejuvenation is the onset of fast crystallization. This regime will be studied for its relevance to crystallization of melts of low glass-forming ability, of interest to fill a gap in existing crystal-growth theory and for application in phase-change memory. Nine work-packages address these and further issues: exploitation of inhomogeneity in MGs to improve properties and enable processing, e.g. to permit stress relief without accompanying undesirable embrittlement; probing the maximum extent of anisotropy in MGs and the links between anisotropic structure and flow. Complementing the many mechanical and structural studies, molecular-dynamics simulations will be used to identify local events relating to rejuvenation/relaxation, to characterize (at atomic level) the anisotropy induced by anelastic strain and viscoplastic flow, to characterize the processes at the solid/liquid interface in pure-metal systems to understand crystal-growth mechanisms, especially why growth of ccp metals is so fast (and glass-forming ability very low). From preliminary results, it is expected that properties can be widened much beyond those of as-cast MGs.
Summary
Metallic glasses (MGs), among the most actively studied metallic materials, have attractive mechanical properties (high elastic limit) but show work-softening and lack ductility. Recent work suggests the as-cast state of MGs can be much altered by thermomechanical treatments: rejuvenation (to higher energy) offers improved plasticity (perhaps even desirable work-hardening); relaxation (to lower energy) offers access to ultrastable states. Work of the PI has just shown that even simple thermal cycling can induce rejuvenation comparable with that from heavy plastic deformation, while elastic stress cycling can accelerate annealing. The research aims to extend the range of glassy states and to explore the consequences of unusual states, particularly for mechanical properties and for phase stability/crystallization. One possible limit to rejuvenation is the onset of fast crystallization. This regime will be studied for its relevance to crystallization of melts of low glass-forming ability, of interest to fill a gap in existing crystal-growth theory and for application in phase-change memory. Nine work-packages address these and further issues: exploitation of inhomogeneity in MGs to improve properties and enable processing, e.g. to permit stress relief without accompanying undesirable embrittlement; probing the maximum extent of anisotropy in MGs and the links between anisotropic structure and flow. Complementing the many mechanical and structural studies, molecular-dynamics simulations will be used to identify local events relating to rejuvenation/relaxation, to characterize (at atomic level) the anisotropy induced by anelastic strain and viscoplastic flow, to characterize the processes at the solid/liquid interface in pure-metal systems to understand crystal-growth mechanisms, especially why growth of ccp metals is so fast (and glass-forming ability very low). From preliminary results, it is expected that properties can be widened much beyond those of as-cast MGs.
Max ERC Funding
2 434 090 €
Duration
Start date: 2016-10-01, End date: 2021-09-30
Project acronym HAZE
Project Reducing the Burden of Smouldering Megafires: an Earth-Scale Challenge
Researcher (PI) Guillermo Jose Rein
Host Institution (HI) IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE
Call Details Consolidator Grant (CoG), PE8, ERC-2015-CoG
Summary Smouldering megafires are the largest and longest-burning fires on Earth. They destroy essential peatland ecosystems, and are responsible for 15% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. This is the same amount attributed to the whole of the European Union, and yet it is not accounted for in global carbon budgets. Peat fires also induce surges of respiratory emergencies in the population and disrupt shipping and aviation routes for long periods, weeks even months. The ambition of HAZE is to advance the science and create the technology that will reduce the burden of smouldering fires. Despite their importance, we do not understand how smouldering fires ignite, spread or extinguish, which impedes the development of any successful mitigation strategy. Megafires are routinely fought across the globe with techniques that were developed for flaming fires, and are thus ineffective for smouldering. Moreover, the burning of deep peat affects older soil carbon that has not been part of the active carbon cycle for centuries to millennia, and thus creates a positive feedback to the climate system. HAZE wants to turn the challenges faced by smouldering research into opportunities and has the following three novel aims:
1) To conduct controlled laboratory experiments and discover how peat fires ignite, spread and extinguish.
2) To develop multidimensional computational models for the field scale (~1 km) and simulate the real phenomena.
3) To create pathways for novel mitigation technologies in accurate prevention, quick detection systems, and simulation-driven suppression strategies.
With my proposal, Europe has the chance to lead the way and pioneer technologies against this Earth-scale and important but unconventional source of emissions. I am confident that with the support of ERC, I can deliver the science and excellence needed to tackle this global challenge, and in doing so, I will advance the knowledge frontier, foster innovation and develop new young talent for Europe
Summary
Smouldering megafires are the largest and longest-burning fires on Earth. They destroy essential peatland ecosystems, and are responsible for 15% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. This is the same amount attributed to the whole of the European Union, and yet it is not accounted for in global carbon budgets. Peat fires also induce surges of respiratory emergencies in the population and disrupt shipping and aviation routes for long periods, weeks even months. The ambition of HAZE is to advance the science and create the technology that will reduce the burden of smouldering fires. Despite their importance, we do not understand how smouldering fires ignite, spread or extinguish, which impedes the development of any successful mitigation strategy. Megafires are routinely fought across the globe with techniques that were developed for flaming fires, and are thus ineffective for smouldering. Moreover, the burning of deep peat affects older soil carbon that has not been part of the active carbon cycle for centuries to millennia, and thus creates a positive feedback to the climate system. HAZE wants to turn the challenges faced by smouldering research into opportunities and has the following three novel aims:
1) To conduct controlled laboratory experiments and discover how peat fires ignite, spread and extinguish.
2) To develop multidimensional computational models for the field scale (~1 km) and simulate the real phenomena.
3) To create pathways for novel mitigation technologies in accurate prevention, quick detection systems, and simulation-driven suppression strategies.
With my proposal, Europe has the chance to lead the way and pioneer technologies against this Earth-scale and important but unconventional source of emissions. I am confident that with the support of ERC, I can deliver the science and excellence needed to tackle this global challenge, and in doing so, I will advance the knowledge frontier, foster innovation and develop new young talent for Europe
Max ERC Funding
1 958 900 €
Duration
Start date: 2016-05-01, End date: 2021-04-30
Project acronym HIGGSBNDL
Project Higgs bundles: Supersymmetric Gauge Theories and Geometry
Researcher (PI) Sakura Schafer-Nameki
Host Institution (HI) THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
Call Details Consolidator Grant (CoG), PE2, ERC-2015-CoG
Summary String theory provides a unified description of particle physics and gravity, within a consistent theory of quantum gravity. The goal of this research is to develop both the phenomenological implications as well as conceptual foundations of string theory and its non-perturbative completions, M- and F-theory. Both, seemingly independent, questions are deeply connected to a mathematical structure, the Higgs bundle, which characterizes supersymmetric vacua of dimensionally reduced gauge theories, and insights into the moduli space of Higgs bundles will result in a fruitful cross-connection between these subjects.
For string theory to engage in a meaningful dialog with particle physics, it is paramount to gain a universal understanding of the low energy effective theories that can arise from it. Building on the success of studying F-theory vacua in terms of Higgs bundles, we propose to develop the Higgs bundle approach for M-theory on G2-manifolds, leading to a universal characterization of the low energy physics. Methods developed for Higgs bundles of d = 3 N = 2 theories obtained from M5-branes on three-manifolds will be used in this process. Associated to each Higgs bundle is a local G2 manifold and we propose a way (using new results in geometry) to construct compact G2 spaces associated to these, which manifestly ensure the phenomenological soundness of the compactifications.
Higgs bundles have recently also played a key role in studying the compactifications of the M5-brane in M-theory. We propose and develop a new duality between a d = 4 theory on a four-manifold X4 and a d = 2, N = (2,0) supersymmetric gauge theory on a two-sphere S2, obtained by considering the M5-brane theory on X4xS2. The supersymmetric vacua have a characterization in terms of Higgs bundles, which can be studied with tools developed for F- theory Higgs bundles on four-manifolds. Furthermore we propose a concrete approach to derive this duality from first principles.
Summary
String theory provides a unified description of particle physics and gravity, within a consistent theory of quantum gravity. The goal of this research is to develop both the phenomenological implications as well as conceptual foundations of string theory and its non-perturbative completions, M- and F-theory. Both, seemingly independent, questions are deeply connected to a mathematical structure, the Higgs bundle, which characterizes supersymmetric vacua of dimensionally reduced gauge theories, and insights into the moduli space of Higgs bundles will result in a fruitful cross-connection between these subjects.
For string theory to engage in a meaningful dialog with particle physics, it is paramount to gain a universal understanding of the low energy effective theories that can arise from it. Building on the success of studying F-theory vacua in terms of Higgs bundles, we propose to develop the Higgs bundle approach for M-theory on G2-manifolds, leading to a universal characterization of the low energy physics. Methods developed for Higgs bundles of d = 3 N = 2 theories obtained from M5-branes on three-manifolds will be used in this process. Associated to each Higgs bundle is a local G2 manifold and we propose a way (using new results in geometry) to construct compact G2 spaces associated to these, which manifestly ensure the phenomenological soundness of the compactifications.
Higgs bundles have recently also played a key role in studying the compactifications of the M5-brane in M-theory. We propose and develop a new duality between a d = 4 theory on a four-manifold X4 and a d = 2, N = (2,0) supersymmetric gauge theory on a two-sphere S2, obtained by considering the M5-brane theory on X4xS2. The supersymmetric vacua have a characterization in terms of Higgs bundles, which can be studied with tools developed for F- theory Higgs bundles on four-manifolds. Furthermore we propose a concrete approach to derive this duality from first principles.
Max ERC Funding
1 794 562 €
Duration
Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31
