ERC FUNDED PROJECTS

Arctic sea ice decline is the exponent of the rapidly transforming Arctic climate. The ensuing local and global implications can be understood by studying past climate transitions, yet few methods are available to examine past Arctic sea ice cover, severely restricting our understanding of sea ice in the climate system. The decline in Arctic sea ice cover is a ‘canary in the coalmine’ for the state of our climate, and if greenhouse gas emissions remain unchecked, summer sea ice loss may pass a critical threshold that could drastically transform the Arctic. Because historical observations are limited, it is crucial to have reliable proxies for assessing natural sea ice variability, its stability and sensitivity to climate forcing on different time scales. Current proxies address aspects of sea ice variability, but are limited due to a selective fossil record, preservation effects, regional applicability, or being semi-quantitative. With such restraints on our knowledge about natural variations and drivers, major uncertainties about the future remain. I propose to develop and apply a novel sea ice proxy that exploits genetic information stored in marine sediments, sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA). This innovation uses the genetic signature of phytoplankton communities from surface waters and sea ice as it gets stored in sediments. This wealth of information has not been explored before for reconstructing sea ice conditions. Preliminary results from my cross-disciplinary team indicate that our unconventional approach can provide a detailed, qualitative account of past sea ice ecosystems and quantitative estimates of sea ice parameters. I will address fundamental questions about past Arctic sea ice variability on different timescales, information essential to provide a framework upon which to assess the ecological and socio-economic consequences of a changing Arctic. This new proxy is not limited to sea ice research and can transform the field of paleoceanography.

2 615 858 €

Start date: 2019-08-01, End date: 2024-07-31

The detection of primordial gravity waves created during the Big Bang ranks among the greatest potential intellectual achievements in modern science. During the last few decades, the instrumental progress necessary to achieve this has been nothing short of breathtaking, and we today are able to measure the microwave sky with better than one-in-a-million precision. However, from the latest ultra-sensitive experiments such as BICEP2 and Planck, it is clear that instrumental sensitivity alone will not be sufficient to make a robust detection of gravitational waves. Contamination in the form of astrophysical radiation from the Milky Way, for instance thermal dust and synchrotron radiation, obscures the cosmological signal by orders of magnitude. Even more critically, though, are second-order interactions between this radiation and the instrument characterization itself that lead to a highly non-linear and complicated problem. I propose a ground-breaking solution to this problem that allows for joint estimation of cosmological parameters, astrophysical components, and instrument specifications. The engine of this method is called Gibbs sampling, which I have already applied extremely successfully to basic CMB component separation. The new and ciritical step is to apply this method to raw time-ordered observations observed directly by the instrument, as opposed to pre-processed frequency maps. While representing a ~100-fold increase in input data volume, this step is unavoidable in order to break through the current foreground-induced systematics floor. I will apply this method to the best currently available and future data sets (WMAP, Planck, SPIDER and LiteBIRD), and thereby derive the world's tightest constraint on the amplitude of inflationary gravitational waves. Additionally, the resulting ancillary science in the form of robust cosmological parameters and astrophysical component maps will represent the state-of-the-art in observational cosmology in years to come.

1 999 205 €

Start date: 2018-04-01, End date: 2023-03-31

Plate tectonics characterises the complex and dynamic evolution of the outer shell of the Earth in terms of rigid plates. These tectonic plates overlie and interact with the Earth's mantle, which is slowly convecting owing to energy released by the decay of radioactive nuclides in the Earth's interior. Even though links between mantle convection and plate tectonics are becoming more evident, notably through subsurface tomographic images, advances in mineral physics and improved absolute plate motion reference frames, there is still no generally accepted mechanism that consistently explains plate tectonics and mantle convection in one framework. We will integrate plate tectonics into mantle dynamics and develop a theory that explains plate motions quantitatively and dynamically. This requires consistent and detailed reconstructions of plate motions through time (Objective 1). A new model of plate kinematics will be linked to the mantle with the aid of a new global reference frame based on moving hotspots and on palaeomagnetic data. The global reference frame will be corrected for true polar wander in order to develop a global plate motion reference frame with respect to the mantle back to Pangea (ca. 320 million years) and possibly Gondwana assembly (ca. 550 million years). The resulting plate reconstructions will constitute the input to subduction models that are meant to test the consistency between the reference frame and subduction histories. The final outcome will be a novel global subduction reference frame, to be used to unravel links between the surface and deep Earth (Objective 2).

2 499 010 €

Start date: 2011-05-01, End date: 2016-04-30

CHROMPHYS aims at a breakthrough in our understanding of the solar chromosphere by combining the development of sophisticated radiation-magnetohydrodynamic simulations with observations from the upcoming NASA SMEX mission Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). The enigmatic chromosphere is the transition between the solar surface and the eruptive outer solar atmosphere. The chromosphere harbours and constrains the mass and energy loading processes that define the heating of the corona, the acceleration and the composition of the solar wind, and the energetics and triggering of solar outbursts (filament eruptions, flares, coronal mass ejections) that govern near-Earth space weather and affect mankind's technological environment. CHROMPHYS targets the following fundamental physics questions about the chromospheric role in the mass and energy loading of the corona: - Which types of non-thermal energy dominate in the chromosphere and beyond? - How does the chromosphere regulate mass and energy supply to the corona and the solar wind? - How do magnetic flux and matter rise through the chromosphere? - How does the chromosphere affect the free magnetic energy loading that leads to solar eruptions? CHROMPHYS proposes to answer these by producing a new, physics based vista of the chromosphere through a three-fold effort: - develop the techniques of high-resolution numerical MHD physics to the level needed to realistically predict and analyse small-scale chromospheric structure and dynamics, - optimise and calibrate diverse observational diagnostics by synthesizing these in detail from the simulations, and - obtain and analyse data from IRIS using these diagnostics complemented by data from other space missions and the best solar telescopes on the ground.

2 487 600 €

Start date: 2012-01-01, End date: 2016-12-31

COMTESSA will push back the limits of our understanding of turbulence and plume dispersion in the atmosphere by bringing together full four-dimensional (space and time) observations of a (nearly) passive tracer (sulfur dioxide, SO2), with advanced data analysis and turbulence and dispersion modelling. Observations will be made with six cameras sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and three cameras sensitive to infrared (IR) radiation. The UV cameras will be built specifically for this project where high sensitivity and fast sampling is important. The accuracy of UV and IR retrievals will be improved by using a state-of-the art-3D radiative transfer model. Controlled puff and plume releases of SO2 will be made from a tower, which will be observed by all cameras, yielding multiple 2D images of SO2 integrated along the line of sight. The simultaneous observations will allow - for the first time - a tomographic reconstruction of the 3D tracer concentration distribution at high space (< 1 m) and time (>10 Hz) resolution. An optical flow code will be used to determine the eddy-resolved velocity vector field of the plume. Special turbulent phenomena (e.g. plume rise) will be studied using existing SO2 sources (e.g. smelters, power plants, volcanic fumaroles). Analysis of the novel campaign observations will deepen our understanding of turbulence and tracer dispersion in the atmosphere. For instance, for the first time we will be able to extensively measure the concentration probability density function (PDF) in a plume not only near the ground but also at high-er altitudes; quantify relative and absolute dispersion; estimate the value of the Richardson-Obukhov constant, etc. We will also use the data to evaluate state-of-the-art LES and Lagrangian dispersion models and revise their underlying parameterizations. COMTESSA’s vision is that the project results will lead to large improvements of tracer transport in all atmospheric models.

2 800 000 €

Start date: 2015-11-01, End date: 2020-10-31

Most changes in mineralogy, density, and rheology of the Earth’s lithosphere take place by metamorphism, whereby rocks evolve through interactions between minerals and fluids. These changes are coupled with a large range of geodynamic processes and they have first order effects on the global geochemical cycles of a large number of elements. In the presence of fluids, metamorphic reactions are fast compared to tectonically induced changes in pressure and temperature. Hence, during fluid-producing metamorphism, rocks evolve through near-equilibrium states. However, much of the Earth’s lower and middle crust, and a significant fraction of the upper mantle do not contain free fluids. These parts of the lithosphere exist in a metastable state and are mechanically strong. When subject to changing temperature and pressure conditions at plate boundaries or elsewhere, these rocks do not react until exposed to externally derived fluids. Metamorphism of such rocks consumes fluids, and takes place far from equilibrium through a complex coupling between fluid migration, chemical reactions, and deformation processes. This disequilibrium metamorphism is characterized by fast reaction rates, release of large amounts of energy in the form of heat and work, and a strong coupling to far-field tectonic stress. Our overarching goal is to provide the first quantitative physics-based model of disequilibrium metamorphism that properly connects fluid-rock interactions at the micro and nano-meter scale to lithosphere scale stresses. This model will include quantification of the forces required to squeeze fluids out of grain-grain contacts for geologically relevant materials (Objective 1), a new experimentally based model describing how the progress of volatilization reactions depends on tectonic stress (Objective 2), and testing of this model by analyzing the kinetics of a natural serpentinization process through the Oman Ophiolite Drilling Project (Objective 3).

2 900 000 €

Start date: 2015-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

THE GRAND CHALLENGE: The “Holy Grail” of nuclear astrophysics is to understand the astrophysical processes responsible for the formation of the elements. A particularly challenging part is the description of the heavy-element nucleosynthesis. The only way to build the majority of these heavy nuclides is via neutron-capture processes. Unaccounted-for nuclear structure effects may drastically change these rates. MAIN HYPOTHESIS: Nuclear low-energy gamma-decay resonances at high excitation energies will enhance the astrophysical neutron-capture reaction rates. NOVEL APPROACH: This proposal is, for the first time, addressing the M1 scissors resonance in deformed, neutron-rich nuclei and superheavy elements. A new experimental technique will be developed to determine the electromagnetic nature of the unexpected upbend enhancement. Further, s-process branch points for the Re-Os cosmochronology will be studied for the first time with the Oslo method. OBJECTIVES: 1) Measure s-process branch point nuclei with the Oslo method 2) Radioactive-beam experiments for neutron-rich nuclei searching for the low-energy upbend and the M1 scissors resonance 3) Develop new experimental technique to identify the upbend’s electromagnetic nature 4) Superheavy-element experiments looking for the M1 scissors resonance POTENTIAL IMPACT IN THE RESEARCH FIELD: This proposal will trigger a new direction of research, as there are no data on the low-energy gamma resonances neither on neutron-rich nor superheavy nuclei. Their presence may have profound implications for the astrophysical neutron-capture rates. Developing a new experimental technique to determine the electromagnetic character of the upbend is crucial to distinguish between two competing explanations of this phenomenon. Unknown neutron-capture cross sections will be estimated with a much better precision than prior to this project, and lead to a major leap forward in the field of nuclear astrophysics.

1 443 472 €

Start date: 2015-03-01, End date: 2020-02-29

For the first time in history satellite data and respective archive holdings are now sufficient in terms of their spatial and temporal resolution, and their accuracy, to measure volume changes, velocities and changes in these velocities over time for glaciers and ice caps other than ice sheets on a global scale. The ICEMASS project will derive and analyse glacier thickness changes using satellite laser and radar altimetry, and satellite-derived and other digital elevation models, and convert these to a global glacier mass budget. Such data set will enable major steps forward in glacier and Earth science, in particular: constrain current sea-level contribution from glaciers; complete climate change patterns as reflected in glacier mass changes; quantify the contribution of glacier imbalance to river run-off; allow to separate glacier mass loss from other components of gravity changes as detected through satellite gravimetry; and allow improved modelling of the isostatic uplift component due to current changes in glacier load. These results will be connected to global-scale glacier dynamics, for which a global set of repeat optical and radar satellite images will be processed to measure displacements due to glacier flow and their annual to decadal-scale changes. The analysis of these data will enable several major steps forward in glacier and Earth science, in particular: progress the understanding of glacier response to climate and its changes; provide new insights in processes underlying spatio-temporal variability and instability of glacier flow on decadal scales; improve understanding of dynamic thickness change effects; allow estimating global calving fluxes; progress understanding of transport in glaciers and their role in landscape development; and help to better assess potentially hazardous glacier lakes.

2 395 320 €

Start date: 2013-03-01, End date: 2019-02-28

The proposal aims to facilitate a revolution of information and communication technologies by controlling electric signals with antiferromagnetic insulators and ferromagnetic insulators. We recently discovered that antiferromagnets can be active components in spintronics devices despite their lack of a macroscopic magnetic moment, and even when they are insulating. Conventional electronics- and spintronics-based logic and memory devices, interconnects, and microwave oscillators are based on (spin-polarized) charge transport, which inherently dissipates power due to ohmic losses. The research proposed seeks to determine the extents to which “Insulatronics” has the potential to control the electric and thermal signal generation, transmission, and detection in more power-efficient ways. Insulatronics is profoundly different because there are no moving charges involved so the power reduction is significant. We hope to establish the extents to which spin-waves and coherent magnons in antiferromagnetic insulators and ferromagnetic insulators can be strongly coupled to electric and thermal currents in adjacent conductors and utilize this coupling to control electric signals. The coupling will be facilitated by spin-transfer torques and spin-pumping – a technique we pioneered – as well as spin-orbit torques and its reciprocal process of charge-pumping. The core of this project focuses on the theoretical and fundamental challenges facing Insulatronics. Beyond the duration of the project, if we are successful, the use of spin signals in insulators with extremely low power dissipation may enable superior low-power technologies such as oscillators, logic devices, interconnects, non-volatile random access memories, and perhaps even quantum information processing.

2 140 503 €

Start date: 2015-12-01, End date: 2020-11-30

A critical component of computational processing of data sets is the `preprocessing' or `compression' step which is the computation of a \emph{succinct, sufficiently accurate} representation of the given data. Preprocessing is ubiquitous and a rigorous mathematical understanding of preprocessing algorithms is crucial in order to reason about and understand the limits of preprocessing. Unfortunately, there is no mathematical framework to analyze and objectively compare two preprocessing routines while simultaneously taking into account `all three dimensions' -- -- the efficiency of computing the succinct representation, -- the space required to store this representation, and -- the accuracy with which the original data is captured in the succinct representation. ``The overarching goal of this proposal is the development of a mathematical framework for the rigorous analysis of preprocessing algorithms. '' We will achieve the goal by designing new algorithmic techniques for preprocessing, developing a framework of analysis to make qualitative comparisons between various preprocessing routines based on the criteria above and by developing lower bound tools required to understand the limitations of preprocessing for concrete problems. This project will lift our understanding of algorithmic preprocessing to new heights and lead to a groundbreaking shift in the set of basic research questions attached to the study of preprocessing for specific problems. It will significantly advance the analysis of preprocessing and yield substantial technology transfer between adjacent subfields of computer science such as dynamic algorithms, streaming algorithms, property testing and graph theory.

2 000 000 €

Start date: 2019-05-01, End date: 2024-04-30

The importance of mixed-phase clouds (i.e. clouds in which liquid and ice may co-exist) for weather and climate has become increasingly evident in recent years. We now know that a majority of the precipitation reaching Earth’s surface originates from mixed-phase clouds, and the way cloud phase changes under global warming has emerged as a critically important climate feedback. Atmospheric aerosols may also have affected climate via mixed-phase clouds, but the magnitude and even sign of this effect is currently unknown. Satellite observations have recently revealed that cloud phase is misrepresented in global climate models (GCMs), suggesting systematic GCM biases in precipitation formation and cloud-climate feedbacks. Such biases give us reason to doubt GCM projections of the climate response to CO2 increases, or to changing atmospheric aerosol loadings. This proposal seeks to address the above issues, through a multi-angle and multi-tool approach: (i) By conducting field measurements of cloud phase at mid- and high latitudes, we seek to identify the small-scale structure of mixed-phase clouds. (ii) Large-eddy simulations will then be employed to identify the underlying physics responsible for the observed structures, and the field measurements will provide case studies for regional cloud-resolving modelling in order to test and revise state-of-the-art cloud microphysics parameterizations. (iii) GCMs, with revised microphysics parameterizations, will be confronted with cloud phase constraints available from space. (iv) Finally, the same GCMs will be used to re-evaluate the climate impact of mixed-phase clouds in terms of their contribution to climate forcings and feedbacks. Through this synergistic combination of tools for a multi-scale study of mixed-phase clouds, the proposed research has the potential to bring the field of climate science forward, from improved process-level understanding at small scales, to better climate change predictions on the global scale.

1 500 000 €

Start date: 2018-03-01, End date: 2023-02-28

"The goal of the project is to make fundamental contributions to the study of quantum groups in the operator algebraic setting. Two main directions it aims to explore are noncommutative differential geometry and boundary theory of quantum random walks. The idea behind noncommutative geometry is to bring geometric insight to the study of noncommutative algebras and to analyze spaces which are beyond the reach via classical means. It has been particularly successful in the latter, for example, in the study of the spaces of leaves of foliations. Quantum groups supply plenty of examples of noncommutative algebras, but the question how they fit into noncommutative geometry remains complicated. A successful union of these two areas is important for testing ideas of noncommutative geometry and for its development in new directions. One of the main goals of the project is to use the momentum created by our recent work in the area in order to further expand the boundaries of our understanding. Specifically, we are going to study such problems as the local index formula, equivariance of Dirac operators with respect to the dual group action (with an eye towards the Baum-Connes conjecture for discrete quantum groups), construction of Dirac operators on quantum homogeneous spaces, structure of quantized C*-algebras of continuous functions, computation of dual cohomology of compact quantum groups. The boundary theory of quantum random walks was created around ten years ago. In the recent years there has been a lot of progress on the “measure-theoretic” side of the theory, while the questions largely remain open on the “topological” side. A significant progress in this area can have a great influence on understanding of quantum groups, construction of new examples and development of quantum probability. The main problems we are going to study are boundary convergence of quantum random walks and computation of Martin boundaries."

1 144 930 €

Start date: 2013-01-01, End date: 2017-12-31

"The main goal of this project is to lay the foundations of a ``non-polynomial time theory of approximation"" -- the Parameterized Approximation for NP-hard optimization problems. A combination that will use the salient features of Approximation Algorithms and Parameterized Complexity. In the former, one relaxes the requirement of finding an optimum solution. In the latter, one relaxes the requirement of finishing in polynomial time by restricting the combinatorial explosion in the running time to a parameter that for reasonable inputs is much smaller than the input size. This project will explore the following fundamental question: Approximation Algorithms + Parameterized Complexity=? New techniques will be developed that will simultaneously utilize the notions of relaxed time complexity and accuracy and thereby make problems for which both these approaches have failed independently, tractable. It is however conceivable that for some problems even this combined approach may not succeed. But in those situations we will glean valuable insight into the reasons for failure. In parallel to algorithmic studies, an intractability theory will be developed which will provide the theoretical framework to specify the extent to which this approach might work. Thus, on one hand the project will give rise to algorithms that will have impact beyond the boundaries of computer science and on the other hand it will lead to a complexity theory that will go beyond the established notions of intractability. Both these aspects of my project are groundbreaking -- the new theory will transcend our current ideas of efficient approximation and thereby raise the state of the art to a new level."

1 690 000 €

Start date: 2013-01-01, End date: 2017-12-31

The main research goal of this project is the quest for rigorous mathematical theory explaining the power and failure of heuristics. The incapability of current computational models to explain the success of heuristic algorithms in practical computing is the subject of wide discussion for more than four decades. Within this project we expect a significant breakthrough in the study of a large family of heuristics: Preprocessing (data reduction or kernelization). Preprocessing is a reduction of the problem to a simpler one and this is the type of algorithms used in almost every application. As key to novel and groundbreaking results, the proposed project aims to develop new theory of polynomial time compressibility. Understanding the origin of compressibility will serve to build more powerful heuristic algorithms, as well as to explain the behaviour of preprocessing. The ubiquity of preprocessing makes the theory of compressibility extremely important. The new theory will be able to transfer the ideas of efficient computation beyond the established borders.

2 227 051 €

Start date: 2011-04-01, End date: 2016-03-31

Sensitivity of on-chip gas sensors is still at least 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than what is needed for applications in atmospheric monitoring and climate research. For optical sensors, this comes as a natural consequence of miniaturization: sensitivity scales with interaction length, which is directly related to instrument size. The aim of this project is to explore a new concept of combined chemical and spectroscopic detection for on-chip sensing of methane, the principal component of natural gas and a potent climate forcer. The sought-after sensitivity will be achieved by pre-concentrating gas molecules directly on a chip surface using cryptophanes, and subsequently detecting them using slow-light waveguides and mid-infrared laser absorption spectroscopy. Cryptophanes are macromolecular structures that can bind and thus pre-concentrate different small molecules, including methane. Spectroscopic detection of methane in a cryptophane host is an absolute novelty, and, if successful, it will not only contribute to unprecedented sensitivity enhancement, but will also address fundamental questions about the dynamics of small molecules upon encapsulation. The actual gas sensing will be realized using evanescent field interaction in photonic crystal waveguides, which exhibit both large evanescent field confinement and long effective interaction pathlengths due to the slow-light effect. The waveguide design alone is expected to improve the per-length sensitivity up to 10 times, while another 10 to 100-fold sensitivity enhancement is expected from the pre-concentration. The targeted detection limit of 10 ppb will revolutionize current methods of atmospheric monitoring, enabling large-scale networks of integrated sensors for better quantification of global methane emissions. Beyond that, this method can be extended to the detection of other gases, e.g. CO2 and different volatile organic compounds with equally relevant applications in the medical domain.

1 499 749 €

Start date: 2018-01-01, End date: 2022-12-31

How are the outer layers of the Sun heated to temperatures in excess of a million kelvin? A large number of heating mechanisms have been proposed to explain this so-called coronal heating problem, one of the fundamental questions in contemporary solar physics. It is clear that the required energy is transported from the solar interior through the chromosphere into the outer layers but it remains open by which physical mechanisms and how the provided energy is eventually dissipated. The key to solving the chromospheric/coronal heating problem lies in accurate observations at high spatial, temporal and spectral resolution, facilitating the identification of the mechanisms responsible for the transport and dissipation of energy. This has so far been impeded by the small number of accessible diagnostics and the challenges with their interpretation. The interferometric Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) now offers impressive capabilities. Due to the properties of the solar radiation at millimeter wavelengths, ALMA serves as a linear thermometer, mapping narrow layers at different heights. It can measure the thermal structure and dynamics of the solar chromosphere and thus sources and sinks of atmospheric heating. Radio recombination and molecular lines (e.g., CO) potentially provide complementary kinetic and thermal diagnostics, while the polarisation of the continuum intensity and the Zeeman effect can be exploited for valuable chromospheric magnetic field measurements. I will develop the necessary diagnostic tools and use them for solar observations with ALMA. The preparation, optimisation and interpretation of these observations will be supported by state-of-the-art numerical simulations. A key objective is the identification of the dominant physical processes and their contributions to the transport and dissipation of energy. The results will be a major step towards solving the coronal heating problem with general implications for stellar activity.

1 995 964 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

"The numerical simulations that are used in science and industry require ever more sophisticated mathematics. For the partial differential equations that are used to model physical processes, qualitative properties such as conserved quantities and monotonicity are crucial for well-posedness. Mimicking them in the discretizations seems equally important to get reliable results. This project will contribute to the interplay of geometry and numerical analysis by bridging the gap between Lie group based techniques and finite elements. The role of Lie algebra valued differential forms will be highlighted. One aim is to develop construction techniques for complexes of finite element spaces incorporating special functions adapted to singular perturbations. Another is to marry finite elements with holonomy based discretizations used in mathematical physics, such as the Lattice Gauge Theory of particle physics and the Regge calculus of general relativity. Stability and convergence of algorithms will be related to differential geometric properties, and the interface between numerical analysis and quantum field theory will be explored. The techniques will be applied to the simulation of mechanics of complex materials and light-matter interactions."

1 100 000 €

Start date: 2012-01-01, End date: 2016-12-31

It is well known that current and future low-emission combustion concepts for gas turbines are prone to thermoacoustic instabilities. These give rise to large pressure fluctuations that can drastically reduce the operable range and threaten the structural integrity of stationary gas turbines and aero engines. In the last 6 years the development of laboratory-scale annular combustors and high-performance computing based on Large Eddy Simulations (LES) have been able to reproduce thermoacoustic oscillations in annular combustion chambers, giving us unprecedented access to information about their nature. Until now, it has been assumed that a complete understanding of thermoacoustic instabilities could be developed by studying the response of single axisymmetric flames. Consequently stability issues crop up far into engine development programmes, or in service, because we lack the knowledge to predict their occurrence at the design stage. However, the ability to experimentally study thermoacoustic instabilities in laboratory-scale annular combustors using modern experimental methods has set the stage for a breakthrough in our scientific understanding capable of yielding truly predictive tools. This proposal aims to break the existing paradigm of studying isolated flames and provide a step change in our scientific understanding by studying thermoacoustic instabilities in annular chambers where the full multiphysics of the problem are present. The technical goals of the proposal are: to develop a novel annular facility with engine relevant boundary conditions; to use this to radically increase our understanding of the underlying physics and flame response, paving the way for the next generation of predictive methods; and to exploit this understanding to improve system stability through intelligent design. Through these goals the proposal will provide an essential bridge between academic and industrial research and strengthening European thermoacoustic expertises.

1 929 103 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31