Objective
"Atoms, as building blocks of nature, consist of an atomic nucleus and the electron shell. Both systems are governed by similar laws and forces. However, the required energies to create changes in the nucleus or the electron shell differ by many orders of magnitudes. This reflects in largely different tools and methods used for their investigation: atomic physics probes the electron shell mainly by means of lasers. Nuclear physicists create excitations at high energies using particle accelerators such as CERN.
The radio isotope 229Thorium is the only atom with the potential to bridge the gap between atomic and nuclear physics. It provides an unnaturally low-energy nuclear excited state, accessible to atomic physics tools, most notably laser excitation. It is the aim of the proposed research project to identify the optical nuclear transition and make it usable for fundamental investigations and applications.
Currently, our second is defined as 9.192.631.770 oscillations of a light wave that leads to a specific excitation in the electron shell of the Cesium atom. Using the nuclear excited state of 229Thorium instead would increase the time standard accuracy by many orders of magnitudes, at the same time reducing the experimental complexity considerably. Building such a nuclear clock is the main goal of the research proposal. This will directly lead to improved accuracy in satellite based navigation (GPS) and enhanced bandwidth in communication networks. Furthermore, vomparing a nuclear atomic clock to standard time standards will hence allow addressing one of the most fundamental questions in physics: ""are nature s constants really constant?""."
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: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciences physical sciences theoretical physics particle physics particle accelerator
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering vehicle engineering aerospace engineering satellite technology
- natural sciences physical sciences atomic physics
- natural sciences physical sciences nuclear physics
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
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-2010-StG_20091028
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
1040 Wien
Austria
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.