Project description
Mapping the universe with pulsating stars
Pulsating stars such as Cepheid and RR Lyrae are sensitive probes for determining the distance to astronomical objects. Cepheid variables play a vital role in calibrating the cosmic distance ladder to measure the local value of the Hubble constant – the present rate of the universe’s expansion. Current Hubble constant measurements based on Cepheid distances are significantly larger than those measured by the European Space Agency's Planck satellite. This might hint at new physics beyond the standard cosmological model and warrants rigorous investigation of potential systematic uncertainties in Cepheid distances. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the PRESTiGE project plans to use state-of-the-art pulsation models and Gaia data releases to calibrate theoretical and experimental period–luminosity relations for Cepheid and RR Lyrae.
Objective
Classical pulsating stars such as Cepheid and RR Lyrae are sensitive probes for both the stellar astrophysics and the cosmic distance scale. Cepheid variables play a vital role in calibrating extragalactic distance ladder to estimate the local value of the Hubble constant – present expansion rate of the Universe. The current Hubble constant measurement in the late evolutionary Universe based on the Cepheid-Supernovae distance ladder is significantly larger than the Planck mission results from the early Universe. This tension hints at possible new physics beyond the standard cosmological model and warrants a rigorous investigation of potential systematic uncertainties in Cepheid-based distance ladder. The proposed project will use state-of-the-art stellar pulsation models to compute and exploit an unprecedently fine grid of Cepheid and RR Lyrae models. These models together with future Gaia data-releases will be used to calibrate theoretical and empirical Period-Luminosity relations for Cepheid and RR Lyrae, and quantify residual systematic effects in the first-rung of the distance ladder and evaluate the significance of the Hubble tension problem. The project will employ modern computational methods for multiwavelength comparison between predicted and observed pulsation properties and full-amplitude light and velocity variations to constrain the mass-luminosity relations and helium to metal enrichment ratio followed by Cepheid and RR Lyrae stars with sub-percent precision for the first-time. These investigations will also discriminate and quantify the effects of poorly understood non-standard phenomena such as mass-loss, rotation or convective overshooting on input stellar physics to the pulsation codes, and thus imply strong constraints for the stellar evolutionary models. This project is of multidisciplinary nature with a strong transfer of knowledge between the applicant and the host researcher, and in line with the EU strategic plan for research and innovation.
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 chemical sciences inorganic chemistry noble gases
- natural sciences computer and information sciences computational science
- natural sciences physical sciences astronomy astrophysics
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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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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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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.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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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) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019
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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.
00136 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.