Recent progress in Ultra-High Intensity optical laser systems together with the advent of Free Electron Lasers has enabled the possibility to experimentally study hot dense plasmas with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. This early state of the plasma is prone to several ultrafast phenomena relevant for astrophysical scenarios – such as Gamma-Ray Bursts - and plasma-based technologies – such as Inertial Fusion Energy. Recently, thanks to the a novel high-resolution X-ray imaging system, an experimental campaign hosted at the Linac Coherent Light Source has resolved for the first time the sub-micron scale plasma filaments originated in the interaction of a high intensity laser with a thin solid target. These results open a unique opportunity to unravel the underlying physical mechanisms behind the formation and evolution of these filaments of relevance to the aforementioned scenarios. The proposed PLasma Advanced X-ray Imaging project will leverage these recent developments with improved diagnostics and the help of advanced numerical simulations that will transform the exploration and quantitave identification of the main physical processes that dictate the onset and non-linear evolution of the relativistic plasma filamentation instability. This project will bring together the fields of advanced X-ray imaging and High Energy Density Physics, and is expected to enable the visualization of ultra-fast processes in solid-density plasmas in a similar way as optical imaging is now-a-days routinely used in underdense plasmas. The outcomes of the PLAXI project will shed light on the extreme processes that control energy transport in gamma-ray bursts and fast igniting plasmas, which so far could only be assessed theoretically, paving the way to new plasma-based applications.

Most maintenance activities in the current railway system are carried out on a scheduled basis. This potentially means that components and sub systems are not replaced at the optimum time and that components fail between interventions. SMaRTE will provide the methodology for implementation of a Condition Based Maintenance system appropriate for the railway. This will allow maintenance to be tailored around the actual remaining life of key components and will reduce costs and improve reliability and availability. Knowledge and experience from other sectors will be extracted and new scientific methods for handling data and setting up architectures and intelligent systems to process data will be developed; appropriate to the railway system. Case studies will be designed and carried out for two different but typical passenger railways and lessons learned will be used to improve the system definitions. The final result of the SMaRTE project will be a CBM system which works for passenger railways and will result in reduced system costs and improved system reliability. The premise of SMaRTE (Human Factors) is that reducing customer cognitive effort is key to rail usability. Achieving a more streamlined process of accessing rail should increase its attractiveness. Whilst there is substantial evidence on the impact of factors such as fares / journey time on rail usage, the impact of more subtle factors deterring passengers from using rail are less understood. SMaRTE places the focus on the customer, utilising an innovative multi-disciplinary approach to understand the primary factors impacting on user decisions to choose rail (or an alternative) – and producing new quantitative evidence on the relative importance of those factors. The final result of SMaRTE will be a set of quantified factors influencing rail usability, and recommendations on how to decrease the cognitive effort and onward mobility for rail journeys through a “Smart Journey Vision” and rail map of measures.

The ambition of the PIANOFORTE Partnership is to improve radiological protection of members of the public, patients, workers and environment in all exposure scenarios and provide solutions and recommendations for optimised protection in accordance with the Basic Safety Standards. Research projects focusing on identified research and innovation priorities will be selected through a serie of three competitive open calls. The input to define the research priorities will be based on the priorities defined in the Joint Road Map (JRM) developed during the H2020 CONCERT EJP but also on the results of ongoing H2020 projects and on the expectations expressed by other actions carried out in other European programmes, in particular the SAMIRA action plan. High priority will be dedicated to medical applications considering that 1) medical exposures are, by far, the largest artificial source of exposure of the European population and 2) the fight against cancer is a top priority of the present European Commission. In order to ensure an appropriate continuity in the research goals and methodologies, in line with the contents of the CONCERT JRM, two other priorities have been identified to further understand and reduce uncertainties associated with health risk estimates for exposure at low doses in order to consolidate regulations and improve practices and to further enhance a science-based European methodology for emergency management and long-term recovery. Once the research priorities defined, the open call system will promote excellence in science and widening participation through a process open to the whole radiation protection community. Beyond the research actions, the selected projects will be able to benefit from the system of sharing and mutualisation of infrastructures that will be implemented at the European level. This will be accompanied by education and training schemes for health workforce and young scientists to increase Europe’s research capacity in the field.