ELEMENTS brings together scientists from distinct fields of research – the physics of particles and nuclei, the gravitational physics of neutron stars, and the nucleosynthesis of heavy elements – to combine the microscopical scales of elementary particles with the macroscopical scales of astrophysical objects. The ultimate goal is to address the question of the origin of the heavy chemical elements, such as gold and platinum, in our universe.

There are four closely interconnected Work Areas (WA), each with a unique scientific focus.

GREP projects are offered in WA 1,2 and 4.

Working Area 1

KEY INFO

Field of Research: Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) phase diagram at zero, imaginary-baryon and realisospin chemical potential, as well as the confining flux tube structures in the hadron phase of QCD and their “melting" across the deconfinement phase transition.

Department: Physics, Theoratical Physics

Principal Investigator and Working Area Representative:

Prof. Dr. Francesca Cuteri

Coordination: Dr. Enikö Baga

Contact:baga@physik.uni-frankfurt.de

Working Area 1 Website

Intake:
Spring: April/May-September (latest)
Summer: June-September (latest)
Winter: October-March (latest

Project Description

From microscopic dynamics to the EOS of dense nuclear matter

In this Working Area ELEMENTS will achieve a comprehensive understanding of the nuclear EOS relevant to NSs based on QCD calculations. This includes constraints from ab-initio calculations at nuclear densities and beyond (Braun, Schwenk), including degrees of freedom beyond nucleons and pions (Elfner), constraints from QCD (Cuteri, Moore, Philipsen, Rischke) and modelling of QCD at intermediate densities, as well as constraints from short-range correlations in nuclear experiments (Aumann, Obertelli) and HICs (Galatyuk, Stroth). The novel understanding of the properties of the EOS will complement the astronomical and GW measurements of NS radii (Rezzolla, Schwenk).

Requirements

Working Area 2

Project Description

From collisions of heavy ions to collisions of neutron stars

In this Working Area, ELEMENTS studies the dynamics of binary neutron-star (BNS) merger events using the most advanced numerical simulations in general relativity to obtain accurate predictions of the expected GW signal and on its EM counterpart (Arcones, Bauswein, Martínez-Pinedo, Rezzolla).

Significant progress will be achieved in determining the impact of general-relativistic (GR) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulences, MHD instabilities, and magnetic-field amplification on the remnant produced by merging NSs. We investigate the impact of phase transitions on the dynamics of BNS mergers (Bauswein, Rezzolla) and their GW signal, extending and improving the very successful work done so far. In addition, we also use BNS mergers as a powerful tool to explore violations of theory of General Relativity and find signatures of alternative theories of gravity (Sagunski).

ELEMENTS develops novel formulations in relativistic dissipative hydrodynamics and MHD and applies them to both HICs and BNS mergers (Elfner, Rezzolla, Rischke). Furthermore, it extends fluctuation measurements by including the reconstruction of light nuclei and the detection of neutrons by combining detection capabilities of HADES and R3B with pilot experiments performed within the FAIR Phase-0 infrastructure (Aumann, Galatyuk, Obertelli, Stroth).

Requirements

Working Area 4

Project Description

Electromagnetic signals from compact stars

In this Working Area ELEMENTS will compare the abundances of heavy elements and the kilonova light-curvespredicted by numerical simulations (Arcones, Martínez-Pinedo) with the astronomical observations to constrain and understand the impact of the microphysics on the simulations and the nucleosynthesis (Bauswein, Rezzolla).

Precision studies, to be performed for bare and H-like uranium at the GSI/FAIR storage rings, will provide detailed information about the relativistic and especially magnetic-interaction effects on the electron-photon coupling (Schippers, Stöhlker).

Astronomical observation of the composition of the debris produced by BNS mergers will reveal the emission and absorption features from heavy ions. Furthermore, accurate recombination-rate coefficients of heavy ions will be measured at the FAIR ion-storage rings (Bai, Litvinov, Reifarth, Schippers, Stöhlker) for a reliable determination of elemental abundances from the astronomical observations.