Project description
Why some physical systems never settle down
Thermodynamics offers an orderly picture of the physical world: heat spreads, systems relax, and equilibrium is eventually reached. However, from the formation of galaxies to the behaviour of quantum materials, many systems are non-ergodic. They do not settle into a single predictable state and instead defy the assumptions that underpin conventional physics. The ERC-funded NonErgHydro project is exploring this largely uncharted territory by moving beyond traditional thermodynamic models. Rather than assuming systems will naturally balance out, researchers are developing a new form of quantum hydrodynamics. By combining quantum-scale effects with classical fluid equations, they are designing a framework describing how matter behaves far from equilibrium. This is expected to guide future quantum technologies.
Objective
The Universe is a non-equilibrium system that cannot be fully understood by solely thermodynamics. Quantum many-body physics has emerged as a key field for exploring fundamental questions of cosmology, statistical physics, and condensed matter, serving as the foundation for the development of future quantum technologies.
Contemporary experiments probe far-from-equilibrium metastable phases and realize different instances of nonergodic systems. The breakdown of canonical thermodynamics compels a reassessment of our understanding of emergent macroscopic properties of matter. Simultaneously, strong interactions and quantum effects limit conventional numerical methods to small scales or early times. The dynamics of nonergodic systems at large scale remain an underexplored frontier that demands urgent attention.
The project NonErgHydro takes on the ambitious challenge of investigating nonergodic quantum systems at the macroscopic scale. NonErgHydro renounces to postulate thermodynamics and seeks to uncover how macroscopic physics emerges from the microscopic degrees of freedom. The project will extend the concepts of hydrodynamics to non-ergodic systems identifying novel phases of matter, new transport universality classes, and providing at the same time a long-sought computational framework able to supersede conventional numerical methods, by capturing quantum effects in non-linear classical hydrodynamic equations.
The accomplishment of this project will significantly advance our understanding of many-body quantum systems, by answering fundamental questions in hydrodynamics and universality. NonErgHydro seeks immediate confrontation with experiments, which will benefit from the ground-breaking methodology developed by my research team and will provide new inspiration for exciting developments.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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 - HORIZON ERC 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-2025-STG
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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.
75794 PARIS
France
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.