Objective
"Water is the most common and yet least understood material on Earth. Despite its simplicity, the structure of the water molecule is responsible for a vast array of properties that are unlike those of other fluids. Water anomalies, like the density maximum at 4 degrees Celsius, play a fundamental role in determining the Earth's climate, and ultimately the very existence of life. From an anthropic viewpoint, the properties of water are as if they were fine-tuned. It is this uniqueness that hinders our understanding of how water behaves in many natural systems and technological applications; for example, our inability to predict the stability limit of water in supercooled clouds, and the rates of ice crystallization, is credited as being one of the biggest unknowns in models of Climate Change, where the scattering of energy from suspended ice droplets in the clouds plays a central role in determining Earth's radiation budget.
In this proposal, we attempt an entirely novel route to understand what makes a fluid behave like water. Starting from the observation that the properties of water seem to appear fine-tuned, we are going to ""untune"" water's interactions. This means that we are going to consider the interactions of water as one point in a higher dimensional space of possible interactions, and we are going to study how the properties of water change going from “real” water to models which behave like other simple liquids. This continuous change will allow us not only to understand the unique properties that are found in water, but will also provide a route to the potential discovery of new behaviour that cannot be captured with conventional approaches.
The process of gradually changing the interactions in water produces a family of models that we call ""Soft Water"", and in this research proposal we are going to show how this new approach has the potential to solve the mysteries that real water is still hiding from us."
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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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - 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.
ERC-STG - Starting Grant
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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-2017-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.
00185 Roma
Italy
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.