Galactic Archaeology: A Radial Velocity Experiment to Unveil the History of the Milky Way. The ambitious RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) will measure velocities and chemical properties of 50 million stars in the period 2006-2010 - 2000 times the number measured throughout history. RAVE will use a new-technology Australian fiber spectrometer at the Siding Spring UK Schmidt Telescope. A key demonstrator for RAVE is our proposed pilot survey using existing instruments to measure 100,000 stars - a ....Galactic Archaeology: A Radial Velocity Experiment to Unveil the History of the Milky Way. The ambitious RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) will measure velocities and chemical properties of 50 million stars in the period 2006-2010 - 2000 times the number measured throughout history. RAVE will use a new-technology Australian fiber spectrometer at the Siding Spring UK Schmidt Telescope. A key demonstrator for RAVE is our proposed pilot survey using existing instruments to measure 100,000 stars - already 20 times larger than any previous survey - providing unique chemical and kinematical fingerprints of our Galaxy's formation. This is critical for determining the optimum observing strategy, data management, and software pipeline, before embarking on the full survey in 2006.Read moreRead less
The Last 8 Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution. A key factor in Australia's international prominence in astronomy has been the development and use of innovative instrumentation on its telescopes to undertake major leading-edge surveys. This project will enhance this reputation by using the new AAOmega facility on the 3.9m Anglo-Australian Telescope to make the largest ever survey of galaxies in the distant universe. This will allow us to address the two most important issues in cosmology today - ....The Last 8 Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution. A key factor in Australia's international prominence in astronomy has been the development and use of innovative instrumentation on its telescopes to undertake major leading-edge surveys. This project will enhance this reputation by using the new AAOmega facility on the 3.9m Anglo-Australian Telescope to make the largest ever survey of galaxies in the distant universe. This will allow us to address the two most important issues in cosmology today - the nature of the "dark energy" that is causing the universe's expansion to accelerate, and the detailed role of dark matter in galaxy formation and evolution. Read moreRead less
The fundamental physics governing the formation of cosmic structure. This project will investigate the physics that underlie three of the most fundamental processes within the universe - its accelerated expansion, the formation of cosmic structure, and galaxy formation - thereby contributing to the Priority Goal of Breakthrough Science under National Research Priority 3. It will involve world-leading research in these areas, enabled by innovative instrumentation on Australia's national telescope ....The fundamental physics governing the formation of cosmic structure. This project will investigate the physics that underlie three of the most fundamental processes within the universe - its accelerated expansion, the formation of cosmic structure, and galaxy formation - thereby contributing to the Priority Goal of Breakthrough Science under National Research Priority 3. It will involve world-leading research in these areas, enabled by innovative instrumentation on Australia's national telescope facilities. National benefit will also come via the collaborations it will involve with prestigious North American institutions. These collaborations will lead to new research capability being built within Australia, through knowledge and expertise being vested in young postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers.Read moreRead less
Nucleosynthesis of low and intermediate mass stars: A study into the origin of the elements. Everything in our Solar System, including the Sun and all life on Earth, were created out of material forged long ago in fiery stellar furnaces. In the hot dense cores of long dead stars the material most vital to life was created. However, the stellar origin of many elements is unknown although we can make guesses, from observations of stars and by bringing together ideas from different scientific fiel ....Nucleosynthesis of low and intermediate mass stars: A study into the origin of the elements. Everything in our Solar System, including the Sun and all life on Earth, were created out of material forged long ago in fiery stellar furnaces. In the hot dense cores of long dead stars the material most vital to life was created. However, the stellar origin of many elements is unknown although we can make guesses, from observations of stars and by bringing together ideas from different scientific fields including astrophysics, nuclear physics and geochemistry. Using the latest theoretical techniques together with the most recent experimental data, it is possible to piece together the clues
to unravel the mystery of the origin of the elements.
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Calibrating Cosmology: The Near-Field Approach to Galaxy Formation. Understanding the formation and evolution of structure in the early Universe continues to elude astronomers. Studying these earliest epochs is the driver for billion-dollar investments like the Next Generation Space Telescope and the Square Kilometre Array (with Australia as a primary partner). Our complementary 'near-field cosmology' project is unique, blending strengths in computational cosmology, stellar nucleosynthesis, and ....Calibrating Cosmology: The Near-Field Approach to Galaxy Formation. Understanding the formation and evolution of structure in the early Universe continues to elude astronomers. Studying these earliest epochs is the driver for billion-dollar investments like the Next Generation Space Telescope and the Square Kilometre Array (with Australia as a primary partner). Our complementary 'near-field cosmology' project is unique, blending strengths in computational cosmology, stellar nucleosynthesis, and optical astronomy, to 'deconstruct' the formation history of the one galaxy with detailed chemical and kinematical information - our own Milky Way. Combining theory and observation, cosmology and nucleosynthesis, we will produce the template for galaxy formation, providing the anchor for 'far-field' cosmology.Read moreRead less
Utilising artificial intelligence to elucidate the physics of galaxies. For decades astronomers have puzzled over the connection between the structure and evolution of galaxies and the role played by host environments. This project aims to resolve this problem by combining multi-wavelength observations, multi-component simulations, and pioneering data analysis using artificial intelligence. In particular, we target the nearby Fornax galaxy cluster as a laboratory for studying galaxy formation in ....Utilising artificial intelligence to elucidate the physics of galaxies. For decades astronomers have puzzled over the connection between the structure and evolution of galaxies and the role played by host environments. This project aims to resolve this problem by combining multi-wavelength observations, multi-component simulations, and pioneering data analysis using artificial intelligence. In particular, we target the nearby Fornax galaxy cluster as a laboratory for studying galaxy formation in dense environments. Using our novel machine learning techniques, we will elucidate the physical mechanisms that drive the rapid evolution of star formation, galactic nuclei, and gas and dust content within Fornax. Our predictions will benefit ongoing and future surveys at the national and international level. Read moreRead less
The Taipan Survey - Cosmology in the Nearby Universe. This project aims to support the Taipan (Transforming Astronomical Imaging-surveys through Polychromatic Analysis of Nebulae) survey, which is designed to measure redshifts for 500 000 galaxies and peculiar velocities for 50 000 galaxies in the nearby universe. The survey aims to yield the most precise direct measurement of the present-day expansion rate of the universe, the largest maps of the density and velocity fields of local structures, ....The Taipan Survey - Cosmology in the Nearby Universe. This project aims to support the Taipan (Transforming Astronomical Imaging-surveys through Polychromatic Analysis of Nebulae) survey, which is designed to measure redshifts for 500 000 galaxies and peculiar velocities for 50 000 galaxies in the nearby universe. The survey aims to yield the most precise direct measurement of the present-day expansion rate of the universe, the largest maps of the density and velocity fields of local structures, and new and stringent tests of large-scale gravitational physics using galaxy motions, probing Einstein’s theory of gravity and alternatives. It is expected that the Taipan database will add substantial value to research with the SkyMapper telescope and the Australian SKA Pathfinder. The project also aims to demonstrate an innovative Australian robotic technology ('starbugs') that will be used in the next-generation Giant Magellan Telescope.Read moreRead less
Energy, Cosmic Censorship and Black Hole Stability. Human progress is achieved by confronting fundamental questions, at the leading edge of knowledge. This project will lead to better understanding of space-time physics, and of the properties of singular solutions of non-linear hyperbolic equations. Such equations govern a wide range of physical phenomena, including fluid flow, weather and electromagnetic fields.
Investigating Rosetta Stones of galaxy formation. A rare population of 'living fossil galaxies' has been discovered which resemble our Milky Way as it was 10 billion years ago. By observing them with large telescopes, the project aims to understand the underlying mechanisms by which most stars in the universe formed during its earliest epochs.
A Midas touch for electrophiles in new reaction development. This project aims to address the lack of knowledge about how high-value organic molecules are formed in gold-catalysed reactions by advancing a novel mode of catalysis. This project expects to generate new knowledge about these gold-catalysed reactions using an innovative, interdisciplinary approach incorporating computational and synthetic techniques. Expected outcomes of this project include the optimisation and development of import ....A Midas touch for electrophiles in new reaction development. This project aims to address the lack of knowledge about how high-value organic molecules are formed in gold-catalysed reactions by advancing a novel mode of catalysis. This project expects to generate new knowledge about these gold-catalysed reactions using an innovative, interdisciplinary approach incorporating computational and synthetic techniques. Expected outcomes of this project include the optimisation and development of important organic reactions and enhancing collaboration nationally and internationally between computational and synthetic chemists. This should provide significant benefits in the form of improved chemical reactions for chemists to prepare new pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and materials.Read moreRead less