COSLAB (COSMOLOGY IN THE LABORATORY)

Coordinators: Tom Kibble (Imperial College, London, UK) and Grigory Volovik.

Funding: ESF, Physical and Engineering Sciences.

Duration: 1.1. 2001 - 31.12. 2005.

Participants: 14 groups from European universities and research institutes in 12 countries.

Condensed matter systems at low temperatures and the universe, evolving after the "Big Bang", have many analogies. The aim of this programme is to exploit these analogies through studies of ultra-low-temperature superfluid helium and of other condensed-matter systems, such as atomic Bose condensates, superconductors, Josephson junction arrays and liquid crystals, together with theoretical work to establish the validity of the analogy. The required sensitivity demands the most sophisticated apparatus, in particular state-of-the-art cryogenic equipment.

WEB-address:. http://www.esf.org/esf_article.php?language=0&article=7&domain=1&activity=1