Specific-ion effects in non-aqueous solvents. A test for Hofmeister. A colloidal solution is a liquid that contains a finely dispersed material. The properties of these solutions are critical in many industrially important practices and in the everyday processes of life. Though not understood, it is observed that the type of salt in solution controls how the colloid behaves. Through a series of very careful experiments we seek to learn precisely how different salts influence the properties of a ....Specific-ion effects in non-aqueous solvents. A test for Hofmeister. A colloidal solution is a liquid that contains a finely dispersed material. The properties of these solutions are critical in many industrially important practices and in the everyday processes of life. Though not understood, it is observed that the type of salt in solution controls how the colloid behaves. Through a series of very careful experiments we seek to learn precisely how different salts influence the properties of a colloidal solution. This world-leading research will enable us to improve our fundamental understanding of colloids and thereby facilitate advances in topics as diverse as enzymatic action and minerals purification, ensuring Australia remains at the forefront of science in this field.Read moreRead less
Reading the isotopic archive: carbon and oxygen stable isotope ratios as recorders of plant physiological processes. This project will investigate how plant physiological processes are reflected in stable isotope ratios of carbon and oxygen in plant tissues. Results will contribute towards a mechanistic understanding of the processes that cause isotopic modifications, thereby enabling an improved interpretation of naturally occurring stable isotope signals.
Bulk nanobubbles: from fundamentals to biomedical applications. This project aims to extend optical and acoustic tools to detect bulk nanobubbles, control their size-distributions, and understand how they interact with biomolecules. Liquids containing nanobubbles have numerous applications particularly in biomedicine. Using interdisciplinary approaches, this project expects to gain convincing evidence of the existence of bulk nanobubbles. This is expected to advance existing fundamental knowle ....Bulk nanobubbles: from fundamentals to biomedical applications. This project aims to extend optical and acoustic tools to detect bulk nanobubbles, control their size-distributions, and understand how they interact with biomolecules. Liquids containing nanobubbles have numerous applications particularly in biomedicine. Using interdisciplinary approaches, this project expects to gain convincing evidence of the existence of bulk nanobubbles. This is expected to advance existing fundamental knowledge at the forefront of soft matter research, and give Australia a decisive technological head start in a competitive and lucrative industry through patentable technology.Read moreRead less
Nonlinear and tunable topological states of light and sound. This project aims to provide deep theoretical insights into the physics of electromagnetic and mechanical topological states by bridging fundamental concepts of optics, optomechanics and nonlinear physics. The rapidly expanding digital world calls for a new generation of photonic devices to transmit and process information without losses. Recently discovered topological phases open unique opportunities to realise topological states of ....Nonlinear and tunable topological states of light and sound. This project aims to provide deep theoretical insights into the physics of electromagnetic and mechanical topological states by bridging fundamental concepts of optics, optomechanics and nonlinear physics. The rapidly expanding digital world calls for a new generation of photonic devices to transmit and process information without losses. Recently discovered topological phases open unique opportunities to realise topological states of light that are inherently immune to scattering losses. This multidisciplinary project aims to bridge fundamental topological physics with nonlinear nanophotonics and optomechanics by developing novel concepts of topological systems, dynamically tunable by nonlinearity. An expected outcome of this project is new approaches to control both light and sound dynamically in complex nanoscale structures, and uncover disorder-immune technologies for applications in on-chip communications and information processing.Read moreRead less
Growing up to be supersonic: bat echolocation origins and mechanics. This project aims to address the unresolved evolutionary origins of bat echolocation. Using a unique combination of development, evolution and novel engineering testing, this project expects to generate new insights into how features of the skull have evolved to allow bats to use their senses to interact with the environment. Expected outcomes include the identification of skull features that are unique to echolocating bats and ....Growing up to be supersonic: bat echolocation origins and mechanics. This project aims to address the unresolved evolutionary origins of bat echolocation. Using a unique combination of development, evolution and novel engineering testing, this project expects to generate new insights into how features of the skull have evolved to allow bats to use their senses to interact with the environment. Expected outcomes include the identification of skull features that are unique to echolocating bats and tests of how these relate to the frequency and detection range of sounds produced. Benefits include improved conservation planning for urban and rural bat populations, and potential commercial advances through engineering applications that mimic the biological process of echolocation. Read moreRead less
Dynamics of the Southern Ocean. The Southern Ocean is critically important to future global climate: it controls the natural global carbon cycle and the distribution of heat and nutrients around the ocean. This project will investigate key uncertainties in the Southern Ocean's response to climate change, and thereby improve our capacity to predict future climate.
The charXive challenge and the clean coal quest: thermokinetic principles and methods for capturing and sequestering carbon dioxide. Article 6 of the Kyoto Protocol, which Australia signed in 2007, states that a transfer of carbon credits may only take place if the associated activity provides a reduction in emissions by sources or an enhancement of removals by sinks that is additional to any that would otherwise occur. Since biochar production reduces emissions from biomass decay and transfers ....The charXive challenge and the clean coal quest: thermokinetic principles and methods for capturing and sequestering carbon dioxide. Article 6 of the Kyoto Protocol, which Australia signed in 2007, states that a transfer of carbon credits may only take place if the associated activity provides a reduction in emissions by sources or an enhancement of removals by sinks that is additional to any that would otherwise occur. Since biochar production reduces emissions from biomass decay and transfers oxidized carbon from the atmosphere to the inactive black carbon pool this project will contribute to the national effort in additional greenhouse gas abatements. The Australian Government is also committed to clean coal technologies, which are expensive. An economically viable method of capturing carbon emissions from electricity generators will result from this project.Read moreRead less
Plasmonic Photochemistry: A nanoscopic solution to global energy and environmental problems. Harvesting energy from light sources, including our sun, can provide a significant fraction of the world's energy need over the next century. In order to meet this critical demand, it is crucial to devise ways to transform light energy into chemical fuels. This project aims to create novel nanostructures that directly couple light energy into chemical reactions. This will be achieved by the creation of ....Plasmonic Photochemistry: A nanoscopic solution to global energy and environmental problems. Harvesting energy from light sources, including our sun, can provide a significant fraction of the world's energy need over the next century. In order to meet this critical demand, it is crucial to devise ways to transform light energy into chemical fuels. This project aims to create novel nanostructures that directly couple light energy into chemical reactions. This will be achieved by the creation of metallic nanoparticles that can transform light energy into hot electrons: entities that can efficiently drive the production of chemical fuels in a process similar to that of photosynthesis.Read moreRead less
Transport barriers in complex turbulent flows: formation, detection and characterization. Barriers to transport in complex fluid flows are ubiquitous in nature, yet mathematical and numerical approaches have so far been unable to solve this problem in the presence of turbulence. This project aims to undertake the first systematic laboratory study of transport barrier generation, control and interactions to reveal the role of turbulence in the stochastic transport in fluids. It will develop new m ....Transport barriers in complex turbulent flows: formation, detection and characterization. Barriers to transport in complex fluid flows are ubiquitous in nature, yet mathematical and numerical approaches have so far been unable to solve this problem in the presence of turbulence. This project aims to undertake the first systematic laboratory study of transport barrier generation, control and interactions to reveal the role of turbulence in the stochastic transport in fluids. It will develop new methods of transport barrier modelling which will equip specialists dealing with Lagrangian transport with new tools for the transport barrier modelling and characterisation.Read moreRead less
Distribution of ocean heat uptake and its implications for sea level and climate change. Increasing sea levels and ocean temperatures provide critical evidence of long term warming of the climate system. This project will investigate geographical changes in the vertical distribution of heat uptake by the ocean and contribution to sea level changes, including understanding of physical mechanisms and the role of human activity and other natural external and internal factors. The expected outcomes ....Distribution of ocean heat uptake and its implications for sea level and climate change. Increasing sea levels and ocean temperatures provide critical evidence of long term warming of the climate system. This project will investigate geographical changes in the vertical distribution of heat uptake by the ocean and contribution to sea level changes, including understanding of physical mechanisms and the role of human activity and other natural external and internal factors. The expected outcomes will contribute to place more rigorous constraints on the likelihood of future warming and sea level rise projections, and are aligned with scientific deliverables required to address key questions in support of Australia’s climate change policy.Read moreRead less