Project acronym AQUAMS
Project Analysis of quantum many-body systems
Researcher (PI) Robert Seiringer
Host Institution (HI) INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AUSTRIA
Country Austria
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE1, ERC-2015-AdG
Summary The main focus of this project is the mathematical analysis of many-body quantum systems, in particular, interacting quantum gases at low temperature. The recent experimental advances in studying ultra-cold atomic gases have led to renewed interest in these systems. They display a rich variety of quantum phenomena, including, e.g., Bose–Einstein condensation and superfluidity, which makes them interesting both from a physical and a mathematical point of view.
The goal of this project is the development of new mathematical tools for dealing with complex problems in many-body quantum systems. New mathematical methods lead to different points of view and thus increase our understanding of physical systems. From the point of view of mathematical physics, there has been significant progress in the last few years in understanding the interesting phenomena occurring in quantum gases, and the goal of this project is to investigate some of the key issues that remain unsolved. Due to the complex nature of the problems, new mathematical ideas
and methods will have to be developed for this purpose. One of the main question addressed in this proposal is the validity of the Bogoliubov approximation for the excitation spectrum of many-body quantum systems. While its accuracy has been
successfully shown for the ground state energy of various models, its predictions concerning the excitation spectrum have so far only been verified in the Hartree limit, an extreme form of a mean-field limit where the interaction among the particles is very weak and ranges over the whole system. The central part of this project is concerned with the extension of these results to the case of short-range interactions. Apart from being mathematically much more challenging, the short-range case is the
one most relevant for the description of actual physical systems. Hence progress along these lines can be expected to yield valuable insight into the complex behavior of these many-body quantum systems.
Summary
The main focus of this project is the mathematical analysis of many-body quantum systems, in particular, interacting quantum gases at low temperature. The recent experimental advances in studying ultra-cold atomic gases have led to renewed interest in these systems. They display a rich variety of quantum phenomena, including, e.g., Bose–Einstein condensation and superfluidity, which makes them interesting both from a physical and a mathematical point of view.
The goal of this project is the development of new mathematical tools for dealing with complex problems in many-body quantum systems. New mathematical methods lead to different points of view and thus increase our understanding of physical systems. From the point of view of mathematical physics, there has been significant progress in the last few years in understanding the interesting phenomena occurring in quantum gases, and the goal of this project is to investigate some of the key issues that remain unsolved. Due to the complex nature of the problems, new mathematical ideas
and methods will have to be developed for this purpose. One of the main question addressed in this proposal is the validity of the Bogoliubov approximation for the excitation spectrum of many-body quantum systems. While its accuracy has been
successfully shown for the ground state energy of various models, its predictions concerning the excitation spectrum have so far only been verified in the Hartree limit, an extreme form of a mean-field limit where the interaction among the particles is very weak and ranges over the whole system. The central part of this project is concerned with the extension of these results to the case of short-range interactions. Apart from being mathematically much more challenging, the short-range case is the
one most relevant for the description of actual physical systems. Hence progress along these lines can be expected to yield valuable insight into the complex behavior of these many-body quantum systems.
Max ERC Funding
1 497 755 €
Duration
Start date: 2016-10-01, End date: 2022-03-31
Project acronym InPairs
Project In Silico Pair Plasmas: from ultra intense lasers to relativistic astrophysics in the laboratory
Researcher (PI) LuIs Miguel DE OLIVEIRA E SILVA
Host Institution (HI) INSTITUTO SUPERIOR TECNICO
Country Portugal
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE2, ERC-2015-AdG
Summary How do extreme electromagnetic fields modify the dynamics of matter? Will quantum electrodynamics effects be important at the focus of an ultra intense laser? How are the magnetospheres of compact stellar remnants formed, and can we capture the physics of these environments in the laboratory? These are all longstanding questions with an overarching connection to extreme plasma physics.
Electron-positron pair plasmas are pervasive in all these scenarios. Highly nonlinear phenomena such as QED processes, magnetogenesis, radiation, field dynamics in complex geometries, and particle acceleration, are all linked with the collective dynamics of pair plasmas through mechanisms that remain poorly understood.
Building on our state-of-the-art models, on the availability of enormous computational power, and on our recent transformative discoveries on ab initio modelling of plasmas under extreme conditions, the time is ripe to answer these questions in silico. InPairs aims to understand the multidimensional dynamics of electron-positron plasmas under extreme laboratory and astrophysical fields, to determine the signatures of the radiative processes on pair plasmas, and to identify the physics of the magnetospheres of compact stellar remnants, focusing on the electrodynamics of pulsars, that can be mimicked in laboratory experiments using ultra high intensity lasers and charged particle beams.
This proposal relies on massively parallel simulations to bridge the gap, for the first time, between the pair plasma creation mechanisms, the collective multidimensional microphysics, and their global dynamics in complex geometries associated with laboratory and astrophysical systems. Emphasis will be given to detectable signatures e.g. radiation and accelerated particles, with the ultimate goal of solving some of the central questions in extreme plasma physics, thus opening new connections between computational studies, laboratory experiments, and relativistic plasma astrophysics.
Summary
How do extreme electromagnetic fields modify the dynamics of matter? Will quantum electrodynamics effects be important at the focus of an ultra intense laser? How are the magnetospheres of compact stellar remnants formed, and can we capture the physics of these environments in the laboratory? These are all longstanding questions with an overarching connection to extreme plasma physics.
Electron-positron pair plasmas are pervasive in all these scenarios. Highly nonlinear phenomena such as QED processes, magnetogenesis, radiation, field dynamics in complex geometries, and particle acceleration, are all linked with the collective dynamics of pair plasmas through mechanisms that remain poorly understood.
Building on our state-of-the-art models, on the availability of enormous computational power, and on our recent transformative discoveries on ab initio modelling of plasmas under extreme conditions, the time is ripe to answer these questions in silico. InPairs aims to understand the multidimensional dynamics of electron-positron plasmas under extreme laboratory and astrophysical fields, to determine the signatures of the radiative processes on pair plasmas, and to identify the physics of the magnetospheres of compact stellar remnants, focusing on the electrodynamics of pulsars, that can be mimicked in laboratory experiments using ultra high intensity lasers and charged particle beams.
This proposal relies on massively parallel simulations to bridge the gap, for the first time, between the pair plasma creation mechanisms, the collective multidimensional microphysics, and their global dynamics in complex geometries associated with laboratory and astrophysical systems. Emphasis will be given to detectable signatures e.g. radiation and accelerated particles, with the ultimate goal of solving some of the central questions in extreme plasma physics, thus opening new connections between computational studies, laboratory experiments, and relativistic plasma astrophysics.
Max ERC Funding
1 951 124 €
Duration
Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31
Project acronym Secret-Cells
Project Cellular diversity and stress-induced cell-state switches in the mammalian hypothalamus
Researcher (PI) Tibor HARKANY
Host Institution (HI) MEDIZINISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIEN
Country Austria
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), LS4, ERC-2015-AdG
Summary The hypothalamus is an essential interface among neuroendocrine, autonomic and somatomotor systems, allowing dynamic bodily adaptations to environmental cues via the orchestration of complex physiological processes. Hypothalamic nuclei exhibit unprecedented molecular, structural and functional diversity of neurons, reflecting the breadth of neuroendocrine output. To date, a significant portion of hypothalamic neurons remains unaccounted for given the lack of identity markers. For known hypothalamic neuron subtypes, their ability to undergo stimulus-dependent expressional switches challenge their neurotransmitter- and neuropeptide-based classifications. These gaps of knowledge limit conceptual advances on neuronal loci, dynamic synapse recruitment and network hierarchy for metabolic control, and the molecular origins of disease. We have established the single cell transcriptome landscape of the paraventricular nucleus including its magno- and parvocellular domains. We will use this template to reveal novel cell identities and cell-state switches upon acute stress. We describe >25 neuronal subtypes under stress-free conditions, surpassing the resolution of any prior approach. Thus, we will resolve neurotransmitter-neuropeptide relationships at the single neuron level, with a focus on corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), determine biophysical parameters of CRH co-release with a fast neurotransmitter, and decipher changes to afferent organization upon stress. A novel parvocellular subclass constitutively expresses secretagogin, a calcium-sensor, which is indispensable for CRH release. We will link secretagogin loss-of-function in CRH neurons to Addison’s disease (chronic adrenal insufficiency associated with insulin resistance). Moreover, we propose a (pro-)hormone-like role for secretagogin released from CRH neurons into the circulation. Overall, our work program will produce new understanding on cellular diversity and organizational rules in the hypothalamus.
Summary
The hypothalamus is an essential interface among neuroendocrine, autonomic and somatomotor systems, allowing dynamic bodily adaptations to environmental cues via the orchestration of complex physiological processes. Hypothalamic nuclei exhibit unprecedented molecular, structural and functional diversity of neurons, reflecting the breadth of neuroendocrine output. To date, a significant portion of hypothalamic neurons remains unaccounted for given the lack of identity markers. For known hypothalamic neuron subtypes, their ability to undergo stimulus-dependent expressional switches challenge their neurotransmitter- and neuropeptide-based classifications. These gaps of knowledge limit conceptual advances on neuronal loci, dynamic synapse recruitment and network hierarchy for metabolic control, and the molecular origins of disease. We have established the single cell transcriptome landscape of the paraventricular nucleus including its magno- and parvocellular domains. We will use this template to reveal novel cell identities and cell-state switches upon acute stress. We describe >25 neuronal subtypes under stress-free conditions, surpassing the resolution of any prior approach. Thus, we will resolve neurotransmitter-neuropeptide relationships at the single neuron level, with a focus on corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), determine biophysical parameters of CRH co-release with a fast neurotransmitter, and decipher changes to afferent organization upon stress. A novel parvocellular subclass constitutively expresses secretagogin, a calcium-sensor, which is indispensable for CRH release. We will link secretagogin loss-of-function in CRH neurons to Addison’s disease (chronic adrenal insufficiency associated with insulin resistance). Moreover, we propose a (pro-)hormone-like role for secretagogin released from CRH neurons into the circulation. Overall, our work program will produce new understanding on cellular diversity and organizational rules in the hypothalamus.
Max ERC Funding
2 422 698 €
Duration
Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31
