About EXPAND

Extreme Plasma Network for Advanced Discovery (EXPAND) is a COST Action (CA24149) dedicated to advancing our understanding of plasmas under the most extreme conditions in the Universe.

The universe teems with fascinating compact objects such as black holes and neutron stars that push our fundamental understanding of nature and capture the imagination of scientists and the public alike. The magnetospheres of these astrophysical objects are filled with relativistic plasmas (ionized gas) under extreme conditions of pressure, density, and electromagnetic field strength that play a central role in energy transport, particle acceleration, and high-energy radiation. However, their behaviour differs fundamentally from that of plasmas studied in traditional space and laboratory settings, and remains poorly understood.

Recent observational breakthroughs, together with rapid advances in high-intensity laser and accelerator facilities, are opening entirely new opportunities to explore these extreme regimes—both in astrophysical systems and, for the first time, in controlled laboratory environments. These developments call for new tools, new approaches, and close collaboration across disciplines.

EXPAND brings together experts from astrophysics, plasma physics, high-energy physics, and computational science to address these challenges through a coordinated and interdisciplinary effort.

Our core goals are to:

• Push the frontiers of extreme plasma physics through collaborative research and shared tools
• Build a cohesive, interdisciplinary community
• Train and empower the next generation of researchers
• Bridge theory, simulations, observations, and laboratory experiments
• Share scientific advances and excitement with both the scientific community and the public

By connecting diverse expertise and fostering collaboration, EXPAND aims to enable breakthrough discoveries in one of the most exciting frontiers of modern physics.