Leading mathematician wants to solve the riddle of a million quantum particles

Professor Søren Fournais of the University of Copenhagen has been awarded a grant of DKK 15 million by the European Research Council to study the complex equations related to the quantum phenomenon known as Bose-Einstein condensates. These condensates occur when certain atoms are cooled to extremely low temperatures, causing them to enter the same quantum state simultaneously. Fournais aims to deepen our understanding of this phenomenon by analyzing the mathematical solutions associated with it. Despite the production of a Bose-Einstein condensate in the laboratory in 1995, much about its behavior and potential applications remains unknown. Fournais, an expert in quantum mechanical equations, will dedicate the next five years to studying these solutions. Bose-Einstein condensates offer unique insights into quantum mechanics and have the potential for various applications, including atomic lasers, quantum computers, and experiments to explore fundamental physics. Fournais believes that the answers lie within the equations and that extracting the relevant information will contribute to a better understanding of these intriguing physical systems.