Three Nikhef projects receive funding from NWO within the ENW-XL Open Competition. These include the future Einstein Telescope, research into the Higgs boson and research into the universe.
The awards were announced today. A total of 21 research consortia in this 2023/2024 round will have the chance to make a breakthrough thanks to funding from the ENW-XL Open Competition. A total of €64 million has been allocated, and each project will be allocated between 1 and 3 million euros. With the funding received, it is up to the researchers to start, strengthen or expand groundbreaking and innovative world-class research lines together.
Nikhef was involved in the last selection round with three applications. All three have now been honoured. ‘This is fantastic news,’ says Nikhef’s institute manager Arjen van Rijn.
More on the honoured applications:
Enabling Einstein Telescope to listen to the full Universe
Prof. S. Hild, MU/Nikhef
Co-applicants: Prof. C.F.F. (Chris) van den Broeck, Prof. A. (Alessandro) Bertolini, Dr. H.J. (Henk Jan) Bulten, Dr. A. (Anuradha) Samajdar, Prof. A. (Andreas) Freise, Dr. S. (Stefan) Danilishin, Dr. M. (Maria) Haney, Dr. G. (Gideon) Koekoek, Dr. C. (Conor) Mow-Lowry, Dr. J. (Jessica) Steinlechner, Dr. S. (Sebastian) Steinlechner, Dr. B. (Bas) Swinkels, Dr. N. (Niels) van Bakel
The Einstein Telescope will be Europe’s Gravitational Wave observatory guaranteeing unprecedent observing capacity for most of the the 21st century, being able to listen for instance to colliding black holes from the whole Universe. In this project we will develop and qualify innovative technologies essential to enable the mindboggling sensitivity of the Einstein Telescope. A special focus will be set on the low-frequency end of the observation band, where improvement factors of up to a million are needed compared to the current LIGO/Virgo detector.
The potential of the Higgs boson
Prof. P. Ferrari, RU/Nikhef
Co-applicants: Dr. C. (Clara) Nellist; Prof. I.B. (Ivo) van Vulpen; Dr. S. (Sascha) Caron; Prof. W. (Wouter) Verkerke; Prof. N. (Nicolo) de Groot; Dr. F. (Frank) Filthaut; Prof. T. (Tristan) du Pree; Dr. F. (Flavia) de Almeida Dias
The Higgs field, which fills the universe, gives elementary particles their mass through a unique quantum property called the Higgs potential. The shape of this potential, similar to the bottom of a wine bottle, is critically linked to how two Higgs bosons interact with each other. Utilising advanced machine learning techniques at all layers of the analysis chain in the ATLAS detector at CERN – in data selection, data reconstruction and through global optimisation – we can improve the search for two Higgs bosons to the point where we can provide the first evidence for this incredibly rare process. This will allow us to better understand not only the Higgs field, but also the origin and ultimate fate of our universe.
The magnetic Universe
The third honoured proposal is from a consortium of theoretical physicists from several universities and Nikhef. The programme is led by professor of theoretical physics Alexey Boyarsky of Leiden University. Nikhef researchers Marieke Postma (Radboud University), Emanuela Dimastrogiovanni (University of Groningen) and Daniel Meerburg (University of Groningen) are co-applicants.
Prof. A. Boyarsky, LEI
Co-applicants: Prof. A. (Ana) Achúcarro, Dr. N.E. (Elisa) Chisari, Dr. E. (Emanuela) Dimastrogiovanni, Dr. M. (Matthieu) Schaller, Dr. S.P. (Subodh) Patil, Dr. P.D. (Daniel) Meerburg, Dr. T. (Tomislav) Prokopec, Prof. M.E.J. (Marieke) Postma
Our Universe is one giant magnet. Invisible lines traverse it across tremendously big distances. Where did they come from? And what story do they tell about the beginnings and the nature of our Universe? Our project, which combines theoretical and numerical methodologies to compare predictions with state-of-the-art astrophysical data, aims to explore and distinguish between possible mechanisms for their appearance. This knowledge will help us advance our understanding not only of our Universe, but also of the laws of physics.
Source: NWO nieuws