Project description
Simplified plasma models to advance understanding of warm dense matter
Understanding charged particle behaviour in extreme environments, such as in stars and giant planets, is key to advancing science and technology. These plasmas are highly complex, with particles interacting strongly and electrons behaving in unique quantum ways. To facilitate studies, researchers are developing new methods that treat ions like a fluid, making calculations more manageable. The next step is to include electron quantum effects, which are key to understanding real-world applications. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the HydroSCQP project will explore phenomena such as sound and shock waves, which are crucial for inertial fusion energy science. Project findings could lead to breakthroughs in clean energy and strengthen Europe’s role in high-energy-density physics and laser fusion.
Objective
Strongly coupled quantum plasmas are charged particle systems where ions interact strongly and electrons show quantum behavior. Such plasmas are ubiquitous in nature, occurring in giant planets and dwarf stars, but are also of key importance to technology, most importantly, highly compressed matter and inertial confinement fusion. Current direct particle-based calculations are limited by computational resources, motivating the development of approximate yet accurate descriptions.
The fellow has recently developed a variational approach that replaces the particle description of ions with hydrodynamic equations. With classically treated electrons, this method successfully captured strong ion coupling. The project’s goal is to extend the framework to quantum electrons, essential for realistic applications. Electrons will be modeled using density functional theory in two levels of complexity: ground state and finite temperature. The method will be validated by computing the dispersion of collective excitations and comparing the results with those from numerical simulations, including new ones performed within this project, and experiments. Building on this, the project will also address shock wave formation and evolution in warm dense matter conditions, important for inertial confinement fusion and defining the states probed by scattering diagnostics at European large-scale facilities.
The project will be supervised by a world-leading expert in strongly coupled quantum systems and mentored by an experienced theoretical plasma physicist, ensuring scientific training and professional development that will support the fellow’s path toward independence. Moreover, the approach offers a general way of formulating hydrodynamics when particle-based methods are not feasible, relevant across multiple fields. The results are expected to have broad scientific and technological impact, and strengthen Europe’s role in high-energy-density physics.
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.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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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-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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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.
24118 Kiel
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.