The pressure attracts noticeable attention in the field of condensed matter physics because it can modify magnetic and electronic properties of the compounds. The external pressure can induce both structural and magnetic phase transitions giving experimental access to novel magnetic phenomena. This makes pressure a promising tool to customize the magnetic properties of solid-state compounds both at the base and finite temperatures. However, no comprehensive study has been done so far on the investigation of the pressure effects on overall magnetic properties such as Hamiltonian, magnetic structure, and critical behavior of a model magnetic system. I address these issues in the PRESSMAG project which explores “the pressure effects on magnetic properties of an ideal quasi-2D planar antiferromagnet BaNi2V2O8 at the base and finite temperatures”. First, I will solve the magnetic structure and Hamiltonian of BaNi2V2O8 under applied pressures and then will study the critical behavior of BaNi2V2O8 under applied pressures using both neutron and x-ray scattering techniques. In particular, the PRESSMAG project will study for the first time the pressure effects on the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thousless phenomena, whose signatures were recently discovered in BaNi2V2O8. Finally, the small-angle-neutron-scattering technique will be used to image the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thousless vortices in vacuum and under applied pressure.

Livelihoods of most of the African population strongly depend on local ecosystem services, such as grazing, agriculture, firewood, and construction timber. Although an overall greening trend is shown by both dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs) and Earth Observation (EO), large uncertainties for each data source are reported and significant divergence between outputs have been documented, impeding accurate assessment of vegetation dynamics in Africa. The overall purpose of this project is to develop methods to for an improved assessment of African vegetation resources based on new capabilities originating from satellite passive microwave observations. Specifically, the vegetation optical depth (VOD) derived from passive microwave data is sensitive to the water content in both the green and woody (i.e., branches and stems) vegetation components which is different from the traditional optical-infrared greenness driven vegetation index (VI) being primarily sensitive to chlorophyll abundance. By combining multi-frequency VOD retrievals with long-term VI datasets, in situ measurements, and DGVMs, this project will accurately quantify woody biomass, green biomass, net primary production (NPP), vegetation phenology and ecosystem functional types (EFT) in Africa, as well as their long-term changes and the climate and socio-economic drivers. The results are expected to pave the road for improved vegetation resource management in Africa and understanding of global carbon cycling. To achieve this, I will be trained in cutting edge skills (EO time series, flux measurements and ecosystem modeling). My major mobility activity will be sparking the integration of passive microwave VOD, carbon and water flux measurements and DGVMs for an improved understanding of changes in vegetation resources and drivers hereof in Africa.

The proposal focuses on Theory of Characteristic Modes(TCM), a reasonably general methodology to systematically design and analyse arbitrary antennas in wireless communication systems by providing accurate physical insights of the working mechanism. With the rise of the diverse and complex requirements of modern antenna systems, the existing TCM is not sufficiently effective to handle critical design problems such as multi-scale vehicular antenna systems and large-scale massive MIMO base station arrays, which leads to an urgent need for further improvement of TCM. Firstly, for the theoretical aspect, with the help of volume integral equations and appropriate basis functions, characteristic modes(CMs) of inhomogeneous anisotropic dielectric bodies based on the method of moments will be extracted for the first time. The novel theory will be used to design practical antennas coated by the inhomogeneous anisotropic materials. Secondly, concerning CM computation, CMs are planned to be established on special non-uniform meshes through an effective Discontinuous Galerkin method. The novel strategy is fully dependent on the detailed features of the physical structure and scales of the target, which will lead to a wider range of targeted applications. Finally, for the application aspect, quasi-entire domain basis functions will be constructed based on specific CMs of an arbitrary antenna element in the array to enhance the efficiency of electromagnetic computation for extremely large-scale periodic arrays without loss of accuracy. Through the strict execution of the jointly conceived career development plan, the fellow's competencies will be enhanced in all aspects during the project, including leadership and cooperation skills, teaching and supervisory skills, professional network development as well as professional skills in scientific research. Additionally, mutually beneficial long-term collaborations will be developed and established between the host and the fellow.

In this project we will push the limits of microscale ultrasound-based technology to gain access to diagnostically important rare constituents of blood within minutes from blood draw. To meet the demands for shorter time from sampling to result in healthcare there is an increased interest to shift from heavy centralized lab equipment to point-of-care tests and patient self-testing. Key challenges with point-of-care equipment is to enable simultaneous measurement of many parameters at a reasonable cost and size of equipment. Therefore, microscale technologies that can take in small amounts of blood and output results within minutes are sought for. In addition, the high precision and potential for multi-stage serial processing offered by such microfluidic methods opens up for fast and automated isolation of rare cell populations, such as circulating tumor cells, and controlled high-throughput size fractionation of sub-micron biological particles, such as platelets, pathogens and extracellular vesicles. To achieve effective and fast separation of blood components we will expose blood to acoustic radiation forces in a flow-through format. By exploiting a newly discovered acoustic body force, that stems from local variations the acoustic properties of the cell suspension, we can generate self-organizing configurations of the blood cells. We will tailor and tune the acoustic cell-organization in novel ways by time modulation of the acoustic field, by altering the acoustic properties of the fluid by solute molecules, and by exploiting a novel concept of sound interaction with thermal gradients. The project will render new fundamental knowledge regarding the acoustic properties of single cells and an extensive theoretical framework for the response of cells in any aqueous medium, bounding geometry and sound field, potentially leading to new diagnostic methods.