Objective
Black holes (BHs) and ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) are two extremes of the universe that link particle physics and astrophysics. BHs are the most efficient power generators in the universe while UHECRs are the most energetic particles ever detected. As we showed previously, a major fraction of the power of BHs is channeled into radio-emitting plasma jets, which are also efficient particle accelerators. Are BHs also responsible for UHECRs? This long-standing question could be answered soon, through the dawn of cosmic ray astronomy. The giant Auger observatory has now shown for the first time that the arrival directions of UHECRs are non-isotropic, potentially pointing back to their sources of origin. BHs turned out to be major suspects, but other sources could still also be responsible. To address this conclusively and to establish cosmic ray astronomy as a productive new field in the coming years, we need to increase statistics, expand current observatories, and have complementary all-sky radio surveys available to identify sources, since radio emission traces particle acceleration sites. Here, techniques pioneered by the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) promise major advances. First of all, working on LOFAR we uncovered a new technique to detect UHECRs with radio antennas and verified it experimentally. The technique promises to increase the number of high-quality events by almost an order of magnitude and provides much improved energy and direction resolution. We now want to implement this technique in Auger, combining LOFAR and AUGER know-how. Secondly, LOFAR and soon other SKA pathfinders will significantly improve all-sky radio surveys with high sensitivity, resolution, and image quality. Hence, we will use LOFAR to understand the astrophysics of UHECR source candidates and compile a radio-based catalog thereof. We start with jets from BHs and move later to other sources. Together this will allow us to identify UHECR sources and study them in detail.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences physical sciences theoretical physics particle physics particle accelerator
- natural sciences physical sciences astronomy astrophysics black holes
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
ERC-2008-AdG
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Host institution
6525 XZ Nijmegen
Netherlands
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.