Existence and Stability of a Model for Three-Dimensional Toroidal Plasma Equilibria. There is great physical interest in modelling strongly non-axisymmetric toroidal plasmas, but fundamental existence problems have made rigorous numerical analysis so far impossible. We seek to overcome this by investigating a class of idealized, but physically motivated, magnetohydrodynamic equilibria with stepped pressure profiles for which existence in the neighbourhood of axisymmetry has been proven. We will ....Existence and Stability of a Model for Three-Dimensional Toroidal Plasma Equilibria. There is great physical interest in modelling strongly non-axisymmetric toroidal plasmas, but fundamental existence problems have made rigorous numerical analysis so far impossible. We seek to overcome this by investigating a class of idealized, but physically motivated, magnetohydrodynamic equilibria with stepped pressure profiles for which existence in the neighbourhood of axisymmetry has been proven. We will (i) develop numerical techniques to extend these piece-wise Beltrami states far away from axisymmetry (ii) develop practical tests to determine when existence breaks down (iii) analyze the frequency spectrum of small oscillations about such equilibria (iv) extend the model to two-fluid MHD.Read moreRead less
Integrated Photonics for Secure Communication and Related Applications in Financial Transaction Data Analysis. The project includes excellent basic science, semiconductor device fabrication and applied mathematics with explicitly identified consequences for innovation. There is strong potential for national economic benefits through the manufacture of new integrated photonic devices, the application of these devices in secure communication systems, the research of advanced non-linear analysis pr ....Integrated Photonics for Secure Communication and Related Applications in Financial Transaction Data Analysis. The project includes excellent basic science, semiconductor device fabrication and applied mathematics with explicitly identified consequences for innovation. There is strong potential for national economic benefits through the manufacture of new integrated photonic devices, the application of these devices in secure communication systems, the research of advanced non-linear analysis protocols, and the implementation of these in financial transaction analysis. Professional development and research education of postgraduate students and early career researchers will be carried out in a multi-disciplinary research environment with ongoing uptake of the research in industry and commercial sectors.Read moreRead less
Burning Plasmas: resolving energetic particle physics for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). Fusion power is a zero greenhouse gas emitting technology, which if realised, offers millions of years of base-load electricity. This promise has prompted the international community to accelerate fusion energy development, principally via support of the next-step technology-enabling experiment, International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). Our project addresses a gr ....Burning Plasmas: resolving energetic particle physics for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). Fusion power is a zero greenhouse gas emitting technology, which if realised, offers millions of years of base-load electricity. This promise has prompted the international community to accelerate fusion energy development, principally via support of the next-step technology-enabling experiment, International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). Our project addresses a grand science challenge facing ITER and fusion power: can the products of reaction be kept confined and therefore self-heat the plasma? The answer will affect both the ITER program, and the viability of fusion power. This project provides a low-cost high-impact contribution to the science base for the $16 billion ITER project, whilst growing Australian capability in this strategically important technology.Read moreRead less
Physics of Risk: new tools to survey the Australian market and beyond. The lives of most Australians depend on the dynamics of financial markets that affects investments, savings, business, employment, growth, wealth and -ultimately- the daily functioning of our society. Understanding, monitoring and managing the dynamics of financial markets is of crucial importance to policy-makers, financial institutions and businesses that are increasingly faced with managing risk, planning strategies and ta ....Physics of Risk: new tools to survey the Australian market and beyond. The lives of most Australians depend on the dynamics of financial markets that affects investments, savings, business, employment, growth, wealth and -ultimately- the daily functioning of our society. Understanding, monitoring and managing the dynamics of financial markets is of crucial importance to policy-makers, financial institutions and businesses that are increasingly faced with managing risk, planning strategies and taking decisions in an increasingly complex market-place. The project is also of importance to the continued evolution of physics in this country contributing to the emergence of a strong new area of statistical physics concerned with the ?real world? in a manner hitherto unknown.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354794
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Australian e-Astronomy. Australian e-Astronomy will provide a pre-eminent example of an integrated e-Science program. The Australian e-Astronomy Research Network will build on and extend the LIEF-funded national program to participate in the International Virtual Observatory. The network includes key members of most Australian astronomy research groups, a strong group representing grid research and advanced computing partnerships and an extensive group of international experts. The network dev ....Australian e-Astronomy. Australian e-Astronomy will provide a pre-eminent example of an integrated e-Science program. The Australian e-Astronomy Research Network will build on and extend the LIEF-funded national program to participate in the International Virtual Observatory. The network includes key members of most Australian astronomy research groups, a strong group representing grid research and advanced computing partnerships and an extensive group of international experts. The network developed by Australian e-Astronomy will service the entire Australian astronomical research community (eg theory codes, databases, software telescopes) and provide new programs for postgraduate research training.Read moreRead less
Modular Index Theory. This project capitilises on Australian advances in mathematics, particularly noncommutative geometry. It will maintain and extend Australia's prominence in this subject, providing excellent opportunities for young researchers via the research networks this project will establish. Being at the interface of ideas in mathematics and physics, there is potential for future technological spin offs for Australia.
The architecture of networks: Characterisation and visualisation of complex systems as fluctuating networks. Complex systems comprise many mutually interacting components, characterised by a range of different interactions over time and space. They are dynamical systems, whose features are reminiscent of a web, with fluctuating links of varying strengths. The natural paradigm for such systems is a generic network, or a graph. A suite of novel measures from statistical physics, graph theory, top ....The architecture of networks: Characterisation and visualisation of complex systems as fluctuating networks. Complex systems comprise many mutually interacting components, characterised by a range of different interactions over time and space. They are dynamical systems, whose features are reminiscent of a web, with fluctuating links of varying strengths. The natural paradigm for such systems is a generic network, or a graph. A suite of novel measures from statistical physics, graph theory, topology, geometry, and computer graphics will be developed to characterise system/graph growth and stability. The aim is two-fold: first to reduce real complex systems (mainly financial systems) to computationally manageable structures (including direct visualisation) and second to construct realistic models of the evolution of such systems.Read moreRead less
Statistical Mechanics of Classical Glasses. Glasses and ceramics can possess a combination of properties not available in other materials and thus they are of technological importance with rapidly developing applications. However a fundamental theoretical basis for describing these systems has been missing. The reason for this is that glasses are not in thermodynamic equilibrium, so the standard tools of equilibrium statistical mechanics cannot be rigorously applied . This project will make an i ....Statistical Mechanics of Classical Glasses. Glasses and ceramics can possess a combination of properties not available in other materials and thus they are of technological importance with rapidly developing applications. However a fundamental theoretical basis for describing these systems has been missing. The reason for this is that glasses are not in thermodynamic equilibrium, so the standard tools of equilibrium statistical mechanics cannot be rigorously applied . This project will make an important contribution towards building a strong local knowledge base by addressing the problem of understanding the glassy state. The knowledge base can then serve as a springboard for possible high tech applications in materials science and engineering.Read moreRead less
Linear Dynamical Quantum Networks: Synthesis and Control. Australia is recognized as a leader in the international race to develop quantum technologies of the future. This project will strengthen Australia's profile in quantum technology engineering by developing a new theory for building arbitrary complex linear quantum mechanical control systems for control tasks in quantum technology, and presenting new control system design tools to support high performance quantum communication systems. The ....Linear Dynamical Quantum Networks: Synthesis and Control. Australia is recognized as a leader in the international race to develop quantum technologies of the future. This project will strengthen Australia's profile in quantum technology engineering by developing a new theory for building arbitrary complex linear quantum mechanical control systems for control tasks in quantum technology, and presenting new control system design tools to support high performance quantum communication systems. The project outcomes together with advances in experimental physics are anticipated to play an important role in the long term as enablers of viable quantum technologies that can provide new commercial opportunities for Australian hi-tech industries to benefit Australia's economy in the future.Read moreRead less
Miniaturised Adiabatic Light Processing Devices. The project will develop, model and analyse a range of miniaturised light-processing devices for optical communications applications that rely soley on their geometrical design for their optical functionality. Such devices are less complex than devices that rely on other physical phenomena for their operation, such as interference, resonance or grating phenomena. They have potential application to a wide range of applications including optical tel ....Miniaturised Adiabatic Light Processing Devices. The project will develop, model and analyse a range of miniaturised light-processing devices for optical communications applications that rely soley on their geometrical design for their optical functionality. Such devices are less complex than devices that rely on other physical phenomena for their operation, such as interference, resonance or grating phenomena. They have potential application to a wide range of applications including optical telecommunications, optical sensing and biophotonics. The major outcome will be a range of novel devices that are very compact, have very low optical power loss and process light signals in ways that either cannot be readily achieved by other approaches or are simpler than other approaches.Read moreRead less