Moving-beam phase retrieval - a route to better microscopy! This research will benefit the nation by improving the quality of x-ray diffraction and electron microscopy techniques available to Australian scientists. It will make it possible to examine microscopic structures in more detail and therefore gain more information about the atomic positions in these structures. This will greatly benefit research that depends on finding the structure of very small objects. Such research areas include ....Moving-beam phase retrieval - a route to better microscopy! This research will benefit the nation by improving the quality of x-ray diffraction and electron microscopy techniques available to Australian scientists. It will make it possible to examine microscopic structures in more detail and therefore gain more information about the atomic positions in these structures. This will greatly benefit research that depends on finding the structure of very small objects. Such research areas include nanomaterials, biological engineering, medical science and materials science. The work is also expected to have industrial applications and to make an important contribution to the development of the synchrotron science industry in Australia.Read moreRead less
Building the future of theoretical astrophysics: Views of the virtual Universe. The virtual observatory (VO) is a major international initiative to
maximise scientific returns from astrophysical databases by providing
enhanced network access to data and analysis procedures, but it
lacks a vital theoretical complement. This project presents a unified
forward modelling approach to three key problems in: 1. gravitational
lens reconstruction; 2. solar coronal magnetic fields; and 3.
interpreta ....Building the future of theoretical astrophysics: Views of the virtual Universe. The virtual observatory (VO) is a major international initiative to
maximise scientific returns from astrophysical databases by providing
enhanced network access to data and analysis procedures, but it
lacks a vital theoretical complement. This project presents a unified
forward modelling approach to three key problems in: 1. gravitational
lens reconstruction; 2. solar coronal magnetic fields; and 3.
interpretation of stellar oscillations. The goal is the development of
a `virtual telescope' for visualising synthetic datasets, designed to
provide the necessary theoretical complement to the VO.
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Relativistic Plasma Astrophysics: Pulsars, IDVs and transients. We will tackle four fundamental problems in theoretical astrophysics. How do small, dead stars known as pulsars produce radio emission? Why do quasars, the most distant objects in the universe, twinkle at radio wavelengths? What is the relationship between violent bursts of gamma-ray emission and other astrophysical explosions? Why are strongly magnetized pulsars so efficient at radiating high energy photons? We will attack these qu ....Relativistic Plasma Astrophysics: Pulsars, IDVs and transients. We will tackle four fundamental problems in theoretical astrophysics. How do small, dead stars known as pulsars produce radio emission? Why do quasars, the most distant objects in the universe, twinkle at radio wavelengths? What is the relationship between violent bursts of gamma-ray emission and other astrophysical explosions? Why are strongly magnetized pulsars so efficient at radiating high energy photons? We will attack these questions by developing new theories for coherent emission, scintillation, particle acceleration and processes in superstrong magnetic fields, and testing them against observationsRead moreRead less
Development and study of a new theory of gravity. Gravity is thought to be an understood physical phenomena. But recently dramatic discoveries have revealed that major aspects of this phenomenon have been completely missed. This research project will develop and explore implications of these discoveries. At one level this project is about major breakthroughs in fundamental science, but discoveries are revealing space to be a complex dynamic system, and new technologies to detect and exp ....Development and study of a new theory of gravity. Gravity is thought to be an understood physical phenomena. But recently dramatic discoveries have revealed that major aspects of this phenomenon have been completely missed. This research project will develop and explore implications of these discoveries. At one level this project is about major breakthroughs in fundamental science, but discoveries are revealing space to be a complex dynamic system, and new technologies to detect and exploit this are foreseen. There is some evidence that space is a self-organising information system of a totally new kind, and this will also have applications. At a scientific level these developments will attract considerable international attention and will enthuse younger researchersRead moreRead less
Physics of extreme brightness temperatures in radioastronomical sources. Pulsars and some quasars are so very bright that the conventional explanation for radioastronomical emission from other sources either does not apply to them, or presents unsolved problems. We see (in radio waves) these sources through the interstellar medium which acts like a wrinkled pane of glass in distorting the image. New scientific ideas and methodologies are proposed here and will be explored in the project, with th ....Physics of extreme brightness temperatures in radioastronomical sources. Pulsars and some quasars are so very bright that the conventional explanation for radioastronomical emission from other sources either does not apply to them, or presents unsolved problems. We see (in radio waves) these sources through the interstellar medium which acts like a wrinkled pane of glass in distorting the image. New scientific ideas and methodologies are proposed here and will be explored in the project, with the objective to understand these sources and to extract information on their propreties and those of the interstellar medium. Read moreRead less
Optical circuits for quantum non-locality with single photons. This collaborative project between the University of Queensland and Hokkaido University will investigate fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics concerned with non-locality. The results will have direct relevance to the emerging field of quantum technology - new technologies based exploiting the quantum mechanical nature of physical systems. Through the collaboration Australia will gain access to world-class single photon generation ....Optical circuits for quantum non-locality with single photons. This collaborative project between the University of Queensland and Hokkaido University will investigate fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics concerned with non-locality. The results will have direct relevance to the emerging field of quantum technology - new technologies based exploiting the quantum mechanical nature of physical systems. Through the collaboration Australia will gain access to world-class single photon generation facilities that will be replicated here. A strong link between Japanese and Australian researchers, including students, will be formed.Read moreRead less
Quantum Atom Optics and Single Atom Detection with Micro-Bose-Einstein Condensates. A Bose Einstein condensate (BEC) is a collection of atoms, all in the same quantum state, like the photons in a laser. It is now possible to create a micro-BEC and move it around on an 'atom chip'. We propose an experimental and theoretical study of its properties including those quantum statistical effects which will limit future ultra-sensitive measurement technologies such as quantum electromechanical transdu ....Quantum Atom Optics and Single Atom Detection with Micro-Bose-Einstein Condensates. A Bose Einstein condensate (BEC) is a collection of atoms, all in the same quantum state, like the photons in a laser. It is now possible to create a micro-BEC and move it around on an 'atom chip'. We propose an experimental and theoretical study of its properties including those quantum statistical effects which will limit future ultra-sensitive measurement technologies such as quantum electromechanical transducers. We will develop methods to count small numbers of ultra-cold atoms, engineer their state and build a prototype device.Read moreRead less
Controlling quantum technologies. Australia is a leader in quantum technology - from molecular machines to quantum computers, amazing advances are being made possible as we harness the laws of quantum physics. Our project will enhance the nation's profile in this discipline by developing some of the ground rules for measuring and controlling the operation of quantum devices. This foundational work will put Australian theoretical and experimental researchers at the forefront of this new field, an ....Controlling quantum technologies. Australia is a leader in quantum technology - from molecular machines to quantum computers, amazing advances are being made possible as we harness the laws of quantum physics. Our project will enhance the nation's profile in this discipline by developing some of the ground rules for measuring and controlling the operation of quantum devices. This foundational work will put Australian theoretical and experimental researchers at the forefront of this new field, and there is significant opportunity for development of intellectual property such as patents. Young researchers and postgraduate students will play a substantial role in the project, maximising the training impact for new professionals in cutting-edge science and high technology.Read moreRead less
Super-AGB Stars: the Missing Link? By being the first to investigate a specific class of stars, Australia will also be the first to reap the scientific rewards from the many applications that will follow - including the chemical history of
the Galaxy and how globular clusters form. We will also develop large-scale computing tools using the latest in cluster computing technology to study the multi-dimensional character of a special class
of supernova explosion. We extend a fruitful collaboratio ....Super-AGB Stars: the Missing Link? By being the first to investigate a specific class of stars, Australia will also be the first to reap the scientific rewards from the many applications that will follow - including the chemical history of
the Galaxy and how globular clusters form. We will also develop large-scale computing tools using the latest in cluster computing technology to study the multi-dimensional character of a special class
of supernova explosion. We extend a fruitful collaboration with a super-computer centre in the US and also train graduate students in advanced computing techniques for Australia's future, in both science and other applications and technologies.Read moreRead less
The application of Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods to the search for space-time variations of fundamental constants. This work will establish Australia as the world leader in one of the most vibrant topics in current physics research. The results obtained could reveal extra dimensions in our universe and provide the first experimental evidence for string theories. The proposed research will also fundamental new information about dark matter and dark energy, the two most pressing problems in c ....The application of Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods to the search for space-time variations of fundamental constants. This work will establish Australia as the world leader in one of the most vibrant topics in current physics research. The results obtained could reveal extra dimensions in our universe and provide the first experimental evidence for string theories. The proposed research will also fundamental new information about dark matter and dark energy, the two most pressing problems in cosmology. The solutions of these problems will revolutionise our understanding of the universe. This program involves collaborations with major international institutes and provides a superb training-ground for Australian postgraduate students.Read moreRead less