Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Strange nuclear matter from first-principles hadron scattering amplitudes

Project description

Scattering amplitudes shed light on neutron stars

Quarks exist in six ‘flavours’, including ‘strange’. Three quarks bound together by the strong force form baryons, a type of hadron that includes protons and neutrons. The strong force also binds hadrons in nuclei. The presence of strange quarks alters the properties of atomic nuclei and nuclear matter, thereby affecting the mass and radius of neutron stars. Without understanding of baryons containing strange quarks (a subclass of baryon called hyperon), scientists cannot quantitatively predict neutron star masses and radii. The ERC-funded StrangeScatt project plans to shed light on this by computing two- and three-hadron scattering amplitudes between nucleons (protons or neutrons) and hyperons directly from the theory describing interactions mediated by the strong force.

Objective

StrangeScatt will assess the role of strange quarks in nuclear physics by performing first-principles computations of scattering amplitudes to study interactions between hadrons with strange quarks. The presence of strange quarks alters the properties of atomic nuclei and nuclear matter. For instance, the relationship between the mass and radius of neutron stars depends on the dynamics of strange quarks produced in their core. However, quantitative predictions of neutron star masses and radii are complicated by our ignorance of the fundamental interactions of baryons with strange quarks (hyperons). Such predictions are timely given the advent of dedicated neutron star observatories, multi-messenger astronomy, and earth-based experiments involving baryon resonances and nuclear matter.
Nuclear interactions are rooted in QCD, the fundamental force which binds quarks inside hadrons and hadrons inside nuclei. The bridge between few-body and many-body dynamics is made systematically with effective theories of the strong nuclear force, which require as input few-hadron scattering amplitudes as well as their quark-mass dependence. This project will compute two- and three-hadron scattering amplitudes between nucleons and hyperons directly from QCD using high-performance computer simulations on a space-time lattice.
Lattice QCD computations of scattering amplitudes have improved markedly thanks to algorithms developed by the PI, so that accurate and precise first-principles computations of are finally within reach. The unique ability of lattice computations to vary the up, down, and strange quark masses near their physical values is necessary for fully predictive effective theories. The PI's experience in lattice QCD computations of scattering amplitudes makes him ideally suited for StrangeScatt, which supports ground-based experiments and astrophysical observations by probing the role of strangeness in hadron interactions, nuclei, and nuclear matter.

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.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Keywords

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.

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.

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.

HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2022-COG

See all projects funded under this call

Host institution

RUHR-UNIVERSITAET BOCHUM
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 996 125,00
Address
UNIVERSITAETSSTRASSE 150
44801 Bochum
Germany

See on map

Region
Nordrhein-Westfalen Arnsberg Bochum, Kreisfreie Stadt
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

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.

€ 1 996 125,00

Beneficiaries (1)

My booklet 0 0