Multi-region relaxation dynamics in fusion and stellar plasmas. This project aims to apply a static plasma modelling approach to linear modes of vibration and nonlinear explosive events in toroidally confined fusion plasma experiments and stellar atmospheres. The long-term survival of advanced civilisation depends on the development of reliable and ecologically sustainable energy sources. One of the most promising approaches for baseload electrical power is magnetic confinement fusion: harnessin ....Multi-region relaxation dynamics in fusion and stellar plasmas. This project aims to apply a static plasma modelling approach to linear modes of vibration and nonlinear explosive events in toroidally confined fusion plasma experiments and stellar atmospheres. The long-term survival of advanced civilisation depends on the development of reliable and ecologically sustainable energy sources. One of the most promising approaches for baseload electrical power is magnetic confinement fusion: harnessing, in a magnetic field, the nuclear reactions that power stars. This project will develop powerful new ways of modelling strong plasma instabilities in magnetised plasmas. Learning how to avoid these would remove a key barrier to fusion power.Read moreRead less
Anisotropy and flow in fast-particle dominated and burning tokamak plasmas: stability of ITER and the coming demonstration fusion power plant. This project will identify how beam injected and fusion born alphas affect the magnetic ?eld and excite wave modes in spherical tokamaks, where these particles have the most impact. Understanding these effects is critical to long pulse operation of high performance tokamaks with burning plasmas. In the UK spherical tokamak MAST for instance, fast ion driv ....Anisotropy and flow in fast-particle dominated and burning tokamak plasmas: stability of ITER and the coming demonstration fusion power plant. This project will identify how beam injected and fusion born alphas affect the magnetic ?eld and excite wave modes in spherical tokamaks, where these particles have the most impact. Understanding these effects is critical to long pulse operation of high performance tokamaks with burning plasmas. In the UK spherical tokamak MAST for instance, fast ion driven bursty “chirping modes” and “?shbone” modes evolve into "long-lived" modes damaging plasma performance. This project will resolve the physics of the seed fast ion driven mode, its linear threshold and fully nonlinear evolution. Wider outcomes include scoping the impact of beams and alphas in next step burning plasma experiments, such as a nuclear facility for materials development, ITER, and a fusion power plant.Read moreRead less
Emergence and control of self-organisation in fusion plasmas: through the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) and beyond. Fusion is a carbon free technology, which promises millions of years of base-load power. The promise has led to massive support for the proof-of-principle experiment, ITER. A challenge facing ITER is minimising edge instabilities, which can destroy the plasma facing wall. The project will explore if a new model can describe and control these instabilities.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100867
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$395,220.00
Summary
Studying the thermodynamics of the quark-gluon plasma at finite temperature and density using lattice techniques. The quark-gluon plasma, a new state of matter consisting of quarks and gluons, is currently the subject of intensive investigation. A striking feature of the results is that the quark-gluon plasma is the most perfect fluid known to mankind. Calculating its 'fluid-like' properties, called the transport properties, theoretically, remains one of the central challenges of the field due t ....Studying the thermodynamics of the quark-gluon plasma at finite temperature and density using lattice techniques. The quark-gluon plasma, a new state of matter consisting of quarks and gluons, is currently the subject of intensive investigation. A striking feature of the results is that the quark-gluon plasma is the most perfect fluid known to mankind. Calculating its 'fluid-like' properties, called the transport properties, theoretically, remains one of the central challenges of the field due to several technical difficulties. This project aims to perform a first ever computation of these properties using Australian supercomputers.Read moreRead less
Cosmological vacuum stability as a window on fundamental physics. Vacuum is not just the absence of matter: it is the lowest-energy state of our Universe. This project aims to investigate the existence of new particles via their impacts upon the vacuum of the Universe. It expects to develop methods required to extract information on the existence of new particles from the vacuum, using transitions between different vacua, resulting gravitational waves, and results from a broad range of other co ....Cosmological vacuum stability as a window on fundamental physics. Vacuum is not just the absence of matter: it is the lowest-energy state of our Universe. This project aims to investigate the existence of new particles via their impacts upon the vacuum of the Universe. It expects to develop methods required to extract information on the existence of new particles from the vacuum, using transitions between different vacua, resulting gravitational waves, and results from a broad range of other complementary experiments. Expected outcomes include comprehensive tests of four of the most compelling theoretical frameworks for new particles. Significant expected benefits include advanced training for Australian students in numerical methods, software development, statistical analysis and research computing.Read moreRead less
Charge transfer kinetics at nanostructured semiconductor surfaces. This project aims to enhance understanding of the interface science associated with charge-transfer reactions at nanostructured semiconductor surfaces. Experimental and modelling approaches will be used to unravel the contributions of surface wetting and nanostructure geometry to the kinetics of charge transfer reactions at the surfaces. Expected outcomes include an enhanced capacity to engineer nanostructured semiconductor surf ....Charge transfer kinetics at nanostructured semiconductor surfaces. This project aims to enhance understanding of the interface science associated with charge-transfer reactions at nanostructured semiconductor surfaces. Experimental and modelling approaches will be used to unravel the contributions of surface wetting and nanostructure geometry to the kinetics of charge transfer reactions at the surfaces. Expected outcomes include an enhanced capacity to engineer nanostructured semiconductor surfaces for designed functionality and an extended collaborative network which can collectively address significant problems in energy science. It is anticipated that these outcomes will be realised in reliable, low-cost metallisation for silicon photovoltaics and increased power densities for electrochemical storage systems.Read moreRead less
Seismology of solar and stellar magnetic activity. Seismic techniques for looking inside stars using observations of surface oscillations can be confused by the very surface magnetic fields that produce flares and other activity and that we wish to probe. This project will develop a new ray-based code, SunRay, which will be able to explore active regions taking full account of magnetic effects.
The Standard Model and beyond on supercomputers. Using the latest advances in supercomputing, the researcher will confront some of the most challenging problems facing nuclear and particle physicists.