Welcome to the SCALES Network - Superfluid Condensates in Astrophysics and Laboratory Experiments
Superfluidity is a striking phenomenon observed in many quantum fluids, which can flow without viscosity when cooled to low temperatures. Recent experimental advances allow us to study and visualise the complex flows of these systems in the presence of vorticity, and track the dynamics of quantum vortices far from equilibrium, both for bosonic and fermionic superfluids. Experiments with helium-4 and helium-3 allow the analysis of quantum turbulence on different scales, while cold atomic gases allow exquisite studies of single vortex dynamics in a variety of regimes, spanning the entire crossover from molecular Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) to Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) superfluids. Moreover, a growing body of theoretical and observational evidence suggests that nucleons in neutron stars are paired and form a fermionic superfluid, the dynamics of which is thought to be at the origin of the observed radio pulsar glitches.
The next years will bring a wealth of data on neutron star dynamics, from new radio observatories such as the Square Kilometer Array (SKA), but especially from gravitational wave observations with next-generation detectors, like the planned European Einstein Telescope (ET). Direct laboratory analogues of superfluid neutron stars are now being studied with superfluids on rotating platforms, but this connection is neither systematically explored nor disseminated among the relevant scientific communities.
SCALES will bring together novel laboratory experiments, emerging massive parallel simulations, and neutron star experts to kickstart this new avenue of superfluidity research and pave the way for new discoveries across different scales.
Cost Action CA24139 is funded by the European Union
Conference Grants — Applications Open
Due to leftover funds for the first grant year, SCALES will support a couple of conference grants to conferences organized by third parties (i.e. not by SCALES). The exact amount of available funds will be known soon.
There are three possible ways to apply for a grant:
- ITC Conference Grant (ITCG) — for participants affiliated with a legal entity in an ITC or an NNC country, for presenting their own work (oral only) and for establishing new contacts for future collaborations.
- Young Researcher and Innovator Grant (YRIG) — for those under the age of 40, for presenting their own work (poster/oral) and for establishing new contacts for future collaborations.
- Dissemination Conference Grant (DCG) — for anyone interested in increasing the visibility of the SCALES COST Action (oral only), with the aim of reaching out to new potential stakeholders.
The eligible conference should take place before 30 September. The conference grants cover reasonable conference participation fees, travel costs, and living costs according to the daily allowance table.
How to apply
Submit your application on e-cost (SCALES is COST Action CA24139), including:
- Link to the conference web page
- A brief justification for how the grant will benefit you / the SCALES community
- Budget justification
- Copy of the abstract of the accepted presentation
- Acceptance or invitation letter
In addition, send an email notification with attachments to the SCALES
grant awarding coordinators
Jere Mäkinen and
Alicia M. Sintes
by 12 July. Combine all attachments into a single PDF
named ITCG/YRIG/DCG_Surname_Firstname.pdf and use
[CA24139 ITCG/YRIG/DCG application] Surname_Firstname as
the email subject (replacing the grant type, name, and surname fields
as appropriate).
We aim to fund relevant applications to the extent available funds allow, prioritising face-to-face events, and using projected impact as the main evaluation criterion if we receive more applications than we can fund.
News & Announcements
- 2026-06-22 — SCALES annual conference 2026 (Website)
- 2026-02-02 — Short term scientific missions announced.
- 2026-02-01 — Website launched.