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Opening a new window on the violent Universe with the Hybrid Elevated Radio Observatory for Neutrinos

Objective

Measuring ultra-high energy neutrinos, with energies above 10^16 eV, is the next frontier of the emerging multi-messenger era. Because they travel undeflected and are daughter particles of the highest energy cosmic rays, these neutrinos directly probe the most extreme phenomena in the Universe. They are the crucial missing piece in an astronomy gathering multiwavelength radiation, gravitational waves and lower energy neutrinos. Their detection requires building a large-scale detector with 10 times the instantaneous sensitivity of current instruments, sub-degree angular resolution, and wide daily field of view. The Hybrid Elevated Radio Observatory for Neutrinos (HERON), will be that discovery instrument. Our project brings together four experts in complementary areas and a vital partner in Argentina. HERON leverages the best features of two leading-edge radio techniques demonstrated by team members in the BEACON and GRAND prototypes, and builds on the successful large-scale Auger Observatory. It consists of 24 compact, elevated phased stations with 24 antennas each, embedded in a sparse array of 360 standalone antennas. This design tunes the energy threshold to below 100 PeV, where the neutrino flux should be high. The exquisite sensitivity of the phased stations combines with the powerful reconstruction capacities of the standalone antennas to produce an optimal detector. Over six years, we will install and commission HERON at 1,000 m elevation across a 72 km mountain range overlooking a valley in Argentina's San Juan province. We will connect it to the worldwide network of multimessenger observatories and search for neutrino bursts from candidate sources of cosmic rays, like gamma-ray bursts and other powerful transients. With HERON's deep sensitivity, this strategy targets discoveries that cast new light into the inner workings of the most violent astrophysical sources at yet uncharted energies.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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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)

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-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.

(opens in new window) ERC-2025-SyG

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Host institution

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS
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.

€ 7 550 951,26
Address
RUE MICHEL ANGE 3
75794 Paris
France

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Region
Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris
Activity type
Research Organisations
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.

€ 7 550 951,26

Beneficiaries (4)

Partners (1)