Frederico Fiúza leads COST Action EXPAND
IPFN researcher Frederico Fiúza is leading a new COST Action titled 'Extreme Plasma Network for Advanced Discovery' (EXPAND). This European initiative, set for a 4-year duration, aims to deepen the understanding of extreme plasma physics, focusing on conditions analogous to those encountered near compact cosmic objects such as black holes and neutron stars.
Recently approved by the COST Association (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), EXPAND gathers researchers from various European countries to explore the unique properties of relativistic plasmas present in the magnetospheres of black holes and neutron stars. The project's broad areas of expertise include gas and plasma physics (theory), astrophysics, astronomy, and space sciences. This encompasses high-energy and particle astronomy, examining X-rays, cosmic rays, gamma rays, and neutrinos, as well as lasers, ultra-short lasers, and laser physics.
The project intends to enhance comprehension of the dynamics of these extreme plasmas, particle acceleration, and their radiative emissions, leveraging emerging observational and laboratory opportunities.
Among EXPAND's primary objectives are the establishment of a cohesive European community dedicated to extreme plasma physics, the development of innovative tools through interdisciplinary collaboration, and the strengthening of career trajectories for young researchers within this multidisciplinary field. The project also stipulates the dissemination of scientific outcomes to both the international scientific community and the general public, thereby contributing to scientific outreach and education.
Frederico Fiúza is a Full professor in the Department of Physics at Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) and a visiting professor at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford University, and a researcher at IPFN. His research focuses on topics such as particle acceleration in astrophysical and laboratory plasmas, the interaction of plasmas with intense lasers, and inertial confinement fusion, combining theory, advanced numerical simulations, and laboratory experiments. Besides him, the proposal team also includes IPFN members Luís O. Silva, Narija Vranic and Thomas Grismayer.
