Project description
The first 3D atlas of the Milky Way
Our galaxy, the Milky Way, has shaped the formation of stars and planets, including those in our own Solar System. However, the emission from dust, magnetic fields, and energetic particles obscures or distorts astronomical observations, limiting our view of the Universe. Lifting this veil requires information about the spatial distribution of all these components, yet our understanding of the Milky Way remains largely two-dimensional due to the lack of accurate distance measurements. The ERC-funded mw-atlas project aims to create the first comprehensive three-dimensional atlas of the physical components of the Milky Way, enabling breakthroughs in galactic cartography and related scientific fields. The project will also quantify remaining uncertainties and ensure consistency between the map's components, providing a transformative tool for the study of our Galaxy.
Objective
The Milky Way is the cosmic environment in which the solar system, the Earth, and life as we know it came into being.
It is also the veil through which we peer into the extra-galactic universe. Its dust obscures our view of the formation of the cosmos. Its magnetic fields distort the observations of nature's most powerful particle accelerators. Its structure and metabolism determine the great diversity of observed star and planetary systems, including our own. Due to a lack of distance information, currently most information about the structure of the Milky Way is two-dimensional, while three-dimensional information is needed. For a breakthrough in Galactic cartography and the science it enables, we will create the first comprehensive three-dimensional atlas of all the physical components of the Milky Way. Our atlas will be self-consistent between component maps, quantify their remaining uncertainties, and be the most detailed to date. Thanks to the dramatic progress in observations at all wavelengths and in algorithmic methods based on information field theory in recent years, now is the right time to do this. Our team's combined expertise in galactic astrophysics, algorithms, observations, Milky Way surveys, and information field theory with its application to galactic tomography puts us in a unique position to
generate the first comprehensive Milky Way Atlas. We will apply this atlas to a number of pressing questions in cosmology, cosmic ray, and interstellar medium research and transfer the used tomography technologies into other areas, like medical imaging, Earth monitoring, and industrial data analysis.
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 earth and related environmental sciences physical geography cartography
- natural sciences physical sciences astronomy astrophysics
- natural sciences physical sciences astronomy physical cosmology
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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.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
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.
HORIZON-ERC-SYG - HORIZON ERC Synergy Grants
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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.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-SyG
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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.
80539 MUNCHEN
Germany
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.