Feedback Processes in Galaxy Formation. We have an opportunity to combine the best Australian theory with the best local and international telescopes, to probe the murky story of how galaxies form and why they look they way they do today. By looking back to a time when the Universe was only 1 billion years old, and comparing what we see with cutting edge supercomputer simulations plus pure theory, we will gain insight into the birth of entire galaxies. The results will form part of the study o ....Feedback Processes in Galaxy Formation. We have an opportunity to combine the best Australian theory with the best local and international telescopes, to probe the murky story of how galaxies form and why they look they way they do today. By looking back to a time when the Universe was only 1 billion years old, and comparing what we see with cutting edge supercomputer simulations plus pure theory, we will gain insight into the birth of entire galaxies. The results will form part of the study of how the universe works - that is driving astrophysics today, and represents pure research for the sake of advancing knowledge and showing us where we fit into the Universe. In doing so we will also advance Australia's base of theoretical and computational expertise.Read moreRead less
Rarefied hypervelocity separated flow in the transitional to continuum regimes. The transition regime for low-density flows is a no-man's-land between free-molecular and continuum flow, where the flow behaves differently to the assumptions typically used for modelling either flow type. Bird's direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method is typically thought to be the best way of modelling these flows, but has not produced excellent agreement with previous experiments on low-density separated flow ....Rarefied hypervelocity separated flow in the transitional to continuum regimes. The transition regime for low-density flows is a no-man's-land between free-molecular and continuum flow, where the flow behaves differently to the assumptions typically used for modelling either flow type. Bird's direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method is typically thought to be the best way of modelling these flows, but has not produced excellent agreement with previous experiments on low-density separated flows, due to computational limitations and lack of knowledge of the flow's internal energy. This proposal is a blind test of the best current DSMC codes against our experiments and a hypersonic continuum code, with the full internal energy state of the flow experimentally quantified for the first time.Read moreRead less
Nanorheology: Hydrodynamic Slip in Newtonian Fluids. Understanding fluid flow across a surface is essential to a great number of technologies. For over one hundred years it has been assumed that the layer of fluid adjacent to the solid moves with the solid, this is known as the no-slip boundary condition. Recently direct force balance measurements of aqueous Newtonian solutions have indicated the presence of boundary slip. Using a newly developed nanorheology technique we will systematically inv ....Nanorheology: Hydrodynamic Slip in Newtonian Fluids. Understanding fluid flow across a surface is essential to a great number of technologies. For over one hundred years it has been assumed that the layer of fluid adjacent to the solid moves with the solid, this is known as the no-slip boundary condition. Recently direct force balance measurements of aqueous Newtonian solutions have indicated the presence of boundary slip. Using a newly developed nanorheology technique we will systematically investigate the conditions that control boundary slip. This information will be used to quantify, model and control boundary slip, progressing the fields of microfluidics, particle deposition, and colloid stability.Read moreRead less
5D Imaging Flow Cytometry for in vivo Quantification of Biological Fluids. Rapid and accurate quantification of live biological fluid properties at sub-cellular and molecular levels forms the bedrock of biofluidic sciences. Majority of the biofluidic devices rely on quantifying biological fluids after its removal from the body in an in vitro Flow Cytometer (FC). FC faces many caveats i.e. biological degradation and small volume etc. In this project, we shall engineer the first in vivo 5D imaging ....5D Imaging Flow Cytometry for in vivo Quantification of Biological Fluids. Rapid and accurate quantification of live biological fluid properties at sub-cellular and molecular levels forms the bedrock of biofluidic sciences. Majority of the biofluidic devices rely on quantifying biological fluids after its removal from the body in an in vitro Flow Cytometer (FC). FC faces many caveats i.e. biological degradation and small volume etc. In this project, we shall engineer the first in vivo 5D imaging flow cytometer (5D IFC) capable of continuous assessment of potentially entire blood volume in a living mice without removing fluid out of the body. The project represents a major advancement beyond any existing flow cytometer and overcome the engineering limits of state-of-art laser scanning imaging devices.Read moreRead less
Entrainment and Mixing in Turbulent Negatively Buoyant Jets and Fountains. The project intends to develop tools to accurate predict fountain flows. Volcanic eruptions, building ventilation and brine discharge from desalination plants are all examples of turbulent fountains and negatively buoyant jets. The project aims to conduct an investigation into the turbulent structure of fountains and negatively buoyant jets using numerical simulation and laboratory experiments, and to assess the accuracy ....Entrainment and Mixing in Turbulent Negatively Buoyant Jets and Fountains. The project intends to develop tools to accurate predict fountain flows. Volcanic eruptions, building ventilation and brine discharge from desalination plants are all examples of turbulent fountains and negatively buoyant jets. The project aims to conduct an investigation into the turbulent structure of fountains and negatively buoyant jets using numerical simulation and laboratory experiments, and to assess the accuracy of the commonly used integral models and test the effect of the use of more accurate entrainment relations. This may have a range of applications – enabling better prediction of environmental impacts, reduction of the adverse effects of the discharge of pollutants, and reduction in energy consumption in building ventilation and other industrial applications.Read moreRead less
Thermal stratification, overturning and mixing in riverine environments. Thermal stratification is common in Australia's rivers due to our hot, drought-prone climate and high human demands relative to available supply, which has led to a significant reduction in flows relative to natural levels. Thermal stratification inhibits mixing, creating stagnant conditions characterised by low oxygen levels and increased concentrations of contaminants, leading to algal blooms, fish kills and systemic dama ....Thermal stratification, overturning and mixing in riverine environments. Thermal stratification is common in Australia's rivers due to our hot, drought-prone climate and high human demands relative to available supply, which has led to a significant reduction in flows relative to natural levels. Thermal stratification inhibits mixing, creating stagnant conditions characterised by low oxygen levels and increased concentrations of contaminants, leading to algal blooms, fish kills and systemic damage to ecosystems. The aim of this project is to develop predictive models for the effects of physical processes such as night-time cooling, wind, turbulence and currents on riverine thermal stratification. This is expected to enable a more accurate determination of the flow rates required to maintain the health of our river systems.Read moreRead less
Auger-electron yields of medical radioisotopes. Large numbers of Auger electrons are emitted during the decay of many medical isotopes. Auger electrons have a short range and a strong ability to break chemical bonds. However no measurements of the number of Auger electrons per nuclear decay exist in the critical low energy regime. Calculated Auger yields are incomplete and inconsistent. Building on unique Australian expertise and instrumentation, and performing both calculations and measurements ....Auger-electron yields of medical radioisotopes. Large numbers of Auger electrons are emitted during the decay of many medical isotopes. Auger electrons have a short range and a strong ability to break chemical bonds. However no measurements of the number of Auger electrons per nuclear decay exist in the critical low energy regime. Calculated Auger yields are incomplete and inconsistent. Building on unique Australian expertise and instrumentation, and performing both calculations and measurements, his project aims to determine the number of Auger electrons per nuclear decay accurately for medical isotopes. The outcome will be accurate dose data for radioisotopes, plus essential knowledge to develop new cancer treatments based on Auger electrons, which target a fraction of a cell.Read moreRead less
Synchrotron radiation techniques applied to melting and resolidification at a nanometric scale. By delivering underpinning knowledge of melting characteristics of nanoparticles, the proposal seeks results that can lead to breakthrough applications in advanced materials engineering. Measurements of the liquid nanoparticle structure performed at the Australian Synchrotron are unprecedented and are thus likely to include the development of new methodology. National and international exposure of Aus ....Synchrotron radiation techniques applied to melting and resolidification at a nanometric scale. By delivering underpinning knowledge of melting characteristics of nanoparticles, the proposal seeks results that can lead to breakthrough applications in advanced materials engineering. Measurements of the liquid nanoparticle structure performed at the Australian Synchrotron are unprecedented and are thus likely to include the development of new methodology. National and international exposure of Australian science and the Australian Synchrotron will have both scientific and economic ramifications. Involvement of students will contribute to developing the local synchrotron knowledge base and is beneficial to the Australian synchrotron-research community as a whole.Read moreRead less
Photonic Crystal Quantum Dot Lasers. Nanotechnology is expected to make a major impact in all industry sectors. This research has the potential to develop patentable technologies of interest to Australian industries in the fields of computers, communications, defence, environmental and medical sensing. This project will enhance Australia's international links with UK, France, Canada, Korea and USA and allow us to train skilled personnel essential for the development of high tech industries in ....Photonic Crystal Quantum Dot Lasers. Nanotechnology is expected to make a major impact in all industry sectors. This research has the potential to develop patentable technologies of interest to Australian industries in the fields of computers, communications, defence, environmental and medical sensing. This project will enhance Australia's international links with UK, France, Canada, Korea and USA and allow us to train skilled personnel essential for the development of high tech industries in Australia. Read moreRead less
A multiplex microscope platform to define molecular events in fluid systems. This project aims to develop a novel microscopy platform that will enable the visualisation and quantification of molecular events occurring under fluid shear stress. The project will generate new knowledge in platelet biology that will allow characterisation and prediction of key molecular and morphological changes occurring across a blood thrombus under flowing conditions as found in the blood vessels. These new tools ....A multiplex microscope platform to define molecular events in fluid systems. This project aims to develop a novel microscopy platform that will enable the visualisation and quantification of molecular events occurring under fluid shear stress. The project will generate new knowledge in platelet biology that will allow characterisation and prediction of key molecular and morphological changes occurring across a blood thrombus under flowing conditions as found in the blood vessels. These new tools and the imaging platform will have applications for researchers wishing to visualise small and rapid molecular events in four dimensions (length, width, height and across time) under fluid shear stress, which is applicable across a range of industries. The project expects to deliver the next generation of intravital microscopes that can visualise and quantify events in a challenging flow environment.Read moreRead less