Massive black holes in dense star clusters. This project will be investigating the metamorphosis of dense star clusters containing millions of stars into massive black holes at the centres of galaxies. The research will be undertaken using the world's largest optical telescopes and one of the nation's fastest supercomputers.
The hearts of galaxies. The centres of galaxies harbour fascinating astrophysical objects, such as black holes one thousand million times more massive than our Sun. This project will measure the damage that they have caused, searching for binary black holes, and helping to determine the extent to which galaxies have collided.
The formation of the first stars in the universe. This project aims to solve one of the fundamental problems in astrophysics, how the first stars in the Universe were formed after the Big Bang. Using high-resolution simulations, including magnetic fields and jet/outflow feedback, the mass function of the first stars can be determined. The project will transform our understanding of how the first heavy elements were created in the Universe, providing crucial input for Australian-lead internationa ....The formation of the first stars in the universe. This project aims to solve one of the fundamental problems in astrophysics, how the first stars in the Universe were formed after the Big Bang. Using high-resolution simulations, including magnetic fields and jet/outflow feedback, the mass function of the first stars can be determined. The project will transform our understanding of how the first heavy elements were created in the Universe, providing crucial input for Australian-lead international and national observational surveys, and semi-analytic models of galaxy, star and planet formation, all directly following the formation of the first stars. This project will contribute to three of the six big questions defined in the Decadal Plan for Australian Astronomy 2016-2025, expand knowledge in the physical sciences and drive the next generation of large facilities and Australian frontier technologies.Read moreRead less
“Beacons in the Night” unveiling how galaxies light up dark matter. How dark matter influences the formation and evolution of galaxies is to this day an outstanding question in astrophysics. To answer it, world-class facilities and a unique combination of observations and theory are required. This DP team, a world-class team of observers and theorists, will tackle this question by leveraging on two multi-million dollar projects: the MAGPI galaxy survey and the hydrodynamical simulations suite EA ....“Beacons in the Night” unveiling how galaxies light up dark matter. How dark matter influences the formation and evolution of galaxies is to this day an outstanding question in astrophysics. To answer it, world-class facilities and a unique combination of observations and theory are required. This DP team, a world-class team of observers and theorists, will tackle this question by leveraging on two multi-million dollar projects: the MAGPI galaxy survey and the hydrodynamical simulations suite EAGLE-XL. MAGPI will deliver exquisite kinematics for hundreds of galaxies in the middle ages of the Universe, providing a view to the effect of dark matter on galaxies at this critical time, while EAGLE-XL represents the technological frontier in simulations and provides the best interpretative framework for MAGPI.Read moreRead less
The key role of black holes in galaxy evolution. This project will determine the effect of black holes on galaxy formation using sophisticated supercomputer simulations of radiation, jets and winds interacting with multi-phase interstellar gas in the host galaxy. The results of these simulations will be calibrated against radio and optical observations and incorporated into larger scale simulations describing the growth of structure in the Universe and the evolution of galaxies. This research is ....The key role of black holes in galaxy evolution. This project will determine the effect of black holes on galaxy formation using sophisticated supercomputer simulations of radiation, jets and winds interacting with multi-phase interstellar gas in the host galaxy. The results of these simulations will be calibrated against radio and optical observations and incorporated into larger scale simulations describing the growth of structure in the Universe and the evolution of galaxies. This research is highly relevant to the future science programs of the Giant Magellan Telescope and the Square Kilometre Array.Read moreRead less
Building galaxies in our backyard: satellites and stellar streams in the Local Group. By finding and studying faint satellites and stellar streams in the Local Group, this project will address basic questions about the formation and evolution of galaxies like our Milky Way. The project will also probe the conditions of star formation in the early universe, and the properties of the dark matter which constitutes most of the mass in our universe.
Geophysical, Galactic, and Extra-Galactic Science with the AuScope and Australian Pathfinder Arrays. Two new radio telescope arrays are under construction in Australia. One is the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder, near Geraldton. The other is a very long baseline array with antennae near Hobart, Katherine, and Yarragadee. These three antennae work together to observe radio sources far away across the universe. Their observations are used to establish a very accurate coordinate syste ....Geophysical, Galactic, and Extra-Galactic Science with the AuScope and Australian Pathfinder Arrays. Two new radio telescope arrays are under construction in Australia. One is the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder, near Geraldton. The other is a very long baseline array with antennae near Hobart, Katherine, and Yarragadee. These three antennae work together to observe radio sources far away across the universe. Their observations are used to establish a very accurate coordinate system or reference frame on the earth, to which the global positioning system is aligned. This program will use these new radio telescope arrays to study the Milky Way and other galaxies, and to study continental drift and sea-level rise on the Earth.Read moreRead less
Gravitational-wave astronomy: detection and beyond. This project aims to detect ripples in the fabric of spacetime known as gravitational waves by using new data analysis techniques while developing technology to enable the next generation of gravitational-wave detectors. Detection of gravitational waves would constitute a revolution in astronomy, allowing us to probe the most dramatic events in the Universe with a new form of radiation. During the next five years, it is probable that gravitatio ....Gravitational-wave astronomy: detection and beyond. This project aims to detect ripples in the fabric of spacetime known as gravitational waves by using new data analysis techniques while developing technology to enable the next generation of gravitational-wave detectors. Detection of gravitational waves would constitute a revolution in astronomy, allowing us to probe the most dramatic events in the Universe with a new form of radiation. During the next five years, it is probable that gravitational waves will be detected. Terrestrial detectors, operating in the audio band, and pulsar timing arrays, operating in the nanohertz band, are both rapidly approaching the required sensitivity. This project is designed to make important contributions to gravitational-wave astronomy at a crucial time.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL110100074
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,627,006.00
Summary
Meteorite fireballs - illuminating the origins of the solar system. Meteorites are ancient rocks, containing a record of what conditions were like when the solar system was young; but to understand that record we need to know where they come from. This project will deliver these data, providing us with a template to understand how our planetary system came into being.
Shining gravitational waves on binary astrophysics. This project aims to take advantage of the growing data set of gravitational-wave observations, which ushered in a new field of gravitational-wave astronomy, to answer fundamental questions in astrophysics. This project will combine state-of-the art theoretical modelling with innovative machine learning techniques in order to explore how the Universe makes merging black holes and neutron stars, and what they tell us about the lives and deaths ....Shining gravitational waves on binary astrophysics. This project aims to take advantage of the growing data set of gravitational-wave observations, which ushered in a new field of gravitational-wave astronomy, to answer fundamental questions in astrophysics. This project will combine state-of-the art theoretical modelling with innovative machine learning techniques in order to explore how the Universe makes merging black holes and neutron stars, and what they tell us about the lives and deaths of the most elusive but incredibly important massive stars. This will strengthen Australia's role in the emerging field of gravitational-wave astronomy and provide broad benefits through transferrable machine learning techniques, collaboration building, and big data training.Read moreRead less