Development of Advanced Detection Systems for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. This project aims to expand significantly the range of isotopes available for accelerator mass spectrometry at the Australian National University to include the ability to detect manganese-53, nickel-59 and uranium-236 to ultra-sensitive concentrations. To achieve this, my extensive experience in fundamental nuclear physics will be exploited to develop a gas-filled magnet for the detection of mangnese-53 and nickel-59, ....Development of Advanced Detection Systems for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. This project aims to expand significantly the range of isotopes available for accelerator mass spectrometry at the Australian National University to include the ability to detect manganese-53, nickel-59 and uranium-236 to ultra-sensitive concentrations. To achieve this, my extensive experience in fundamental nuclear physics will be exploited to develop a gas-filled magnet for the detection of mangnese-53 and nickel-59, and a time-of-flight detector to detect uranium-236. This project has applications in the topical areas of climate change and nuclear safeguards, as well as applications in the earth sciences and the management of nuclear waste.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100364
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Understanding winds: energy transfer in rotating turbulent fluids. The Earth's rotation affects how large atmospheric winds and cyclones interact with each other and with the surface of our planet. This controls how the wind energy is distributed in the global atmosphere. By studying rotating turbulence in laboratory experiments, we can improve our understanding of atmospheric dynamics and make better predictions in meteorology, and atmospheric physics.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668019
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$240,000.00
Summary
An Advanced Computed Tomography Facility - high capacity and high resolution for dynamic studies in porous and granular materials. Characterising complex materials in 3D is an emerging discipline which is driving design concepts for new materials and assists in understanding properties of real world materials. The ANU/UNSW collaboration has developed an internationally recognized program in this emerging discipline and successfully applied the technology to applications in the oil and gas indust ....An Advanced Computed Tomography Facility - high capacity and high resolution for dynamic studies in porous and granular materials. Characterising complex materials in 3D is an emerging discipline which is driving design concepts for new materials and assists in understanding properties of real world materials. The ANU/UNSW collaboration has developed an internationally recognized program in this emerging discipline and successfully applied the technology to applications in the oil and gas industry, groundwater remediation, tissue engineering, medical diagnosis of osteoporosis, granular packing and the design of new materials. The present application will give the collaboration the ability to study a larger number of systems and to image the dynamics of materials in 3D. This will significantly broaden the impact and scope of the applications of this new technology.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0454166
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,305,029.00
Summary
Nanoscale Materials Characterization Facility. We request a transmission and a scanning electron microscope, each with specialist electron probes smaller than a nanometre, which can selectively analyse the atomic structure and chemistry of sub-nanometre regions of material.
These capabilities are essential to advance a large range of research projects at the cutting-edge of materials science and engineering, undertaken by Victoria's leading research institutions: five Victorian universities, ....Nanoscale Materials Characterization Facility. We request a transmission and a scanning electron microscope, each with specialist electron probes smaller than a nanometre, which can selectively analyse the atomic structure and chemistry of sub-nanometre regions of material.
These capabilities are essential to advance a large range of research projects at the cutting-edge of materials science and engineering, undertaken by Victoria's leading research institutions: five Victorian universities, the CSIRO, Nanotechnology Victoria Ltd, the Victorian Centre for Advanced Materials Manufacturing and the CRC for Microtechnology. Together they have contributed $2.58 million to this project.
This state-of-the-art facility will include the highest spatial resolution microscope in Australia.
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Pushing the frontiers of gravitational wave science: from technology to astrophysics. The direct detection of Einstein's elusive gravitational waves will not only confirm one of the most important theories in physics, it will unleash a new form of radiation (in addition to electromagnetic) with which to study the Universe. Our participation in this quest continues Australia's role in the vanguard of new astronomy and its exploitation. This proposal will produce scientists highly trained in ar ....Pushing the frontiers of gravitational wave science: from technology to astrophysics. The direct detection of Einstein's elusive gravitational waves will not only confirm one of the most important theories in physics, it will unleash a new form of radiation (in addition to electromagnetic) with which to study the Universe. Our participation in this quest continues Australia's role in the vanguard of new astronomy and its exploitation. This proposal will produce scientists highly trained in areas of national priority, including frontier technologies such as photonics and smart information use through GRID computing. Developing ways to build instruments of almost unimaginable sensitivity fosters innovation leading to spin-offs into other areas of optical sensing - fundamental research resulting in economic benefit.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989915
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$127,000.00
Summary
X-ray Nano-scale Coherence Facility. Australia is rapidly developing into a world leader for x-ray imaging. This position has been supported by leading research groups and more recently by the development of the Australian Synchrotron. This project will fill a vital missing link in the experimental capability of Australian researchers - a flexible facility that can provide a nanoscale x-ray source. This enhanced capability will lead to new developments in coherent imaging methods. These new meth ....X-ray Nano-scale Coherence Facility. Australia is rapidly developing into a world leader for x-ray imaging. This position has been supported by leading research groups and more recently by the development of the Australian Synchrotron. This project will fill a vital missing link in the experimental capability of Australian researchers - a flexible facility that can provide a nanoscale x-ray source. This enhanced capability will lead to new developments in coherent imaging methods. These new methods will be used in the study of biological systems, leading to better drug design as well as in the study of materials, leading to stronger and lighter components. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989093
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,800,000.00
Summary
Australian Partnership in Advanced LIGO. Advanced Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) (AdvLIGO) will be the first gravitational wave observatory capable of frequent observation of known sources of gravitational waves leading to the birth of gravitational wave astronomy. The development of instruments capable of doing this is driving technology in fields such as lasers , optics, photonics and data analysis. By playing a key role in this facility, Australia will reap the scienti ....Australian Partnership in Advanced LIGO. Advanced Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) (AdvLIGO) will be the first gravitational wave observatory capable of frequent observation of known sources of gravitational waves leading to the birth of gravitational wave astronomy. The development of instruments capable of doing this is driving technology in fields such as lasers , optics, photonics and data analysis. By playing a key role in this facility, Australia will reap the scientific and technical rewards of being part of the most exciting frontier of physics in the 21st Century whilst training scientists and technologists for tomorrow.Read moreRead less
Development of microwave tomography techniques and inverse methods for biomedical imaging applications. Microwave tomography is a rapidly emerging imaging technology with highly significant applications in industry and medicine. In particular, given its sensitivity to differences between normal and malignant breast tissue, non-invasive microwave imaging has been the subject of intense research interest in the last ten years. In collaboration with workers at Chalmers University in Sweden, we wi ....Development of microwave tomography techniques and inverse methods for biomedical imaging applications. Microwave tomography is a rapidly emerging imaging technology with highly significant applications in industry and medicine. In particular, given its sensitivity to differences between normal and malignant breast tissue, non-invasive microwave imaging has been the subject of intense research interest in the last ten years. In collaboration with workers at Chalmers University in Sweden, we will develop and evaluate a scanning microwave imaging tomographic system with a number of potential industrial and biomedical applications. This appears to be a new Australian initiative.Read moreRead less
Extreme wave events on the water surface. Giant waves observed in the ocean present a catastrophic threat to ships and offshore structures. Rogue waves in optical fibres, on the other hand, may help developing powerful light sources for long-distance telecommunications. This study of capillary rogue waves on the water surface will help to predict and control the probability of extreme waves.
Photosynthesis under extreme conditions. The aim of this project is to characterise modifications to the light dependent reactions of photosynthesis of simple, single cell organisms that live under harsh environmental conditions including: i) elevated temperature; ii) low, variable and low energy (red) light; iii) arid and variable hydration; and iv) chemical stress e.g. low pH. In a changing biosphere brought about by anthropological climate change, a better understanding of existing adaptions ....Photosynthesis under extreme conditions. The aim of this project is to characterise modifications to the light dependent reactions of photosynthesis of simple, single cell organisms that live under harsh environmental conditions including: i) elevated temperature; ii) low, variable and low energy (red) light; iii) arid and variable hydration; and iv) chemical stress e.g. low pH. In a changing biosphere brought about by anthropological climate change, a better understanding of existing adaptions of bacterial photosynthetic organisms may allow more resilient crops and other essential plants to be developed in the future. The project brings together an international consortium of world renowned experts across key aspects of photosynthesis. Read moreRead less