Plastic Solar Cells: Polymers that Harvest Sunlight. Sustainable economic growth for Australia requires renewable, environmentally acceptable energy resources. The most attractive option for the future generation of electrical energy is via the direct conversion of sunlight. The utilisation of solar energy has significant advantages over other energy sources in that it is inexhaustible and does not produce carbon dioxide or other pollutants. Conventional photovoltaic technology is not cost effe ....Plastic Solar Cells: Polymers that Harvest Sunlight. Sustainable economic growth for Australia requires renewable, environmentally acceptable energy resources. The most attractive option for the future generation of electrical energy is via the direct conversion of sunlight. The utilisation of solar energy has significant advantages over other energy sources in that it is inexhaustible and does not produce carbon dioxide or other pollutants. Conventional photovoltaic technology is not cost effective. Solar cells made from conducting polymers present the tantalising possibility of producing cheap electricity from sunlight. This project brings together experts in the physics and chemistry of conducting polymers with the goal of developing efficient plastic solar cells.Read moreRead less
Scanning Probe Microscopy for Fabrication and Analysis of Polymer Photovoltaics. Australian economic growth will depend increasingly on the provision of devices using materials designed at the molecular level. Scanning probe microscopy, which uses tips placed very close to surfaces to analyse or modify the surfaces with molecular precision, is an indispensible tool in designing such materials. In this project, scanning probe microscopy will be used to analyse and build structures on polymer sola ....Scanning Probe Microscopy for Fabrication and Analysis of Polymer Photovoltaics. Australian economic growth will depend increasingly on the provision of devices using materials designed at the molecular level. Scanning probe microscopy, which uses tips placed very close to surfaces to analyse or modify the surfaces with molecular precision, is an indispensible tool in designing such materials. In this project, scanning probe microscopy will be used to analyse and build structures on polymer solar cells in order to maximise the efficiency of the cells and build prototype nanoscale polymer devices. This will lead to the improvement in devices delivering sustainable energy production - a technology which has the promise of producing energy cheaply from sunlight.Read moreRead less
Prediction of coronal mass ejections and their radio emissions. This project aims to explain in detail the motion and properties of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) leaving the sun, the radio emissions they generate, and space weather triggers for the sun and other stars. The project expects to create new knowledge in the fields of space, plasma, and astro-physics and space weather research. Expected outcomes include capabilities to accurately predict CMEs and space weather triggers from the sun to ....Prediction of coronal mass ejections and their radio emissions. This project aims to explain in detail the motion and properties of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) leaving the sun, the radio emissions they generate, and space weather triggers for the sun and other stars. The project expects to create new knowledge in the fields of space, plasma, and astro-physics and space weather research. Expected outcomes include capabilities to accurately predict CMEs and space weather triggers from the sun to Earth and theories for type II and IV solar radio bursts. Benefits include high-level training and enhanced human capital and scientific prominence for Australia.Read moreRead less
Integrated Observation, Theory, and Simulation of Type II Solar Radio Bursts. Type II solar radio bursts are associated with solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and space weather events at Earth. They are the archetype of collective radio emission associated with shocks. This project aims to: answer longstanding fundamental scientific questions about type IIs using the new Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) and NASA spacecraft, while developing a new Australian capability in solar radio ph ....Integrated Observation, Theory, and Simulation of Type II Solar Radio Bursts. Type II solar radio bursts are associated with solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and space weather events at Earth. They are the archetype of collective radio emission associated with shocks. This project aims to: answer longstanding fundamental scientific questions about type IIs using the new Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) and NASA spacecraft, while developing a new Australian capability in solar radio physics; perform new observations and theoretical calculations of relevant emission mechanisms, and, develop a new integrated data-tested theory and simulation capability for type II bursts that explains the emissions quantitatively, and positions us to predict the arrival of CMEs and related space weather at Earth. Read moreRead less
Integrated data-tested theory and modelling of type three solar radio emissions. Type three solar radio emissions, the Sun's most powerful and common, are the archetypal collective radio phenomenon in space physics and astrophysics. The project will integrate new theoretical work and simulations into a first integrated data-tested theory that can explain type three bursts, resolve long standing issues, and constrain solar physics.
Electrodynamics of magnetic explosions in astrophysics. The project aims to develop a new model for solar flares and pulsars that more realistically describes these phenomena. Solar flares and pulsars involve strong magnetic fields changing rapidly as a function of time, implying enormous inductive potentials. The project aims to show how the inductive field and the plasma response to it can be included in an electrodynamic theory. It plans to apply this theory to solar flares, and show how it c ....Electrodynamics of magnetic explosions in astrophysics. The project aims to develop a new model for solar flares and pulsars that more realistically describes these phenomena. Solar flares and pulsars involve strong magnetic fields changing rapidly as a function of time, implying enormous inductive potentials. The project aims to show how the inductive field and the plasma response to it can be included in an electrodynamic theory. It plans to apply this theory to solar flares, and show how it can resolve the long-standing ‘number problem’. It also plans to apply the model to pulsars, and show how the long-standing dichotomy between the vacuum-dipole and rotating-magnetosphere models can be resolved by synthesising them. The project intends to combine these ideas into a new model for the most extreme examples of magnetic explosions: superflares and giant bursts on magnetars.Read moreRead less
Spins in Organic Semiconductors. This project aims to understand the role that the quantum mechanical property of spin plays in the operation of electronic devices based on organic semiconductors, which will contribute to the design of better, more efficient devices. We will also investigate fundamental physics questions in organic material - the knowledge gained may be used to develop organic electronic devices with new, useful properties. Organic electronics are a growing industry and this res ....Spins in Organic Semiconductors. This project aims to understand the role that the quantum mechanical property of spin plays in the operation of electronic devices based on organic semiconductors, which will contribute to the design of better, more efficient devices. We will also investigate fundamental physics questions in organic material - the knowledge gained may be used to develop organic electronic devices with new, useful properties. Organic electronics are a growing industry and this research will enhance Australia's role in their development and commercialization. Improving the efficiency of organic lighting emitting devices will reduce Australia's energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, as lighting represents a significant fraction of our energy usage.Read moreRead less
Magnetic skeletons, solar flares, and space weather. This project aims to investigate how magnetic reconnection occurs during solar flares through accurate reconstruction of coronal magnetic fields from solar data before and after flares, and by reliable determination of field skeletons. Solar flares are dynamic events in the Sun's corona which cause local space weather storms. Magnetic reconnection is the accepted mechanism for flares but conventional models neglect the three-dimensional (3D) n ....Magnetic skeletons, solar flares, and space weather. This project aims to investigate how magnetic reconnection occurs during solar flares through accurate reconstruction of coronal magnetic fields from solar data before and after flares, and by reliable determination of field skeletons. Solar flares are dynamic events in the Sun's corona which cause local space weather storms. Magnetic reconnection is the accepted mechanism for flares but conventional models neglect the three-dimensional (3D) nature of the process. The project will improve 3D reconnection models for flares, and advance the ability to predict large events and hence space weather storms.Read moreRead less
Ensemble modelling of space-weather drivers. This project aims to develop methods for forecasting the evolution of magnetic fields on the Sun's surface, and to use the results to drive an ensemble of numerical simulations of the evolution of the magnetic field in the overlying atmosphere. The project expects to create a new framework for forecasting the evolution of solar active regions, applying, for the first time, methods established in Numerical Weather Prediction. The expected outcomes are ....Ensemble modelling of space-weather drivers. This project aims to develop methods for forecasting the evolution of magnetic fields on the Sun's surface, and to use the results to drive an ensemble of numerical simulations of the evolution of the magnetic field in the overlying atmosphere. The project expects to create a new framework for forecasting the evolution of solar active regions, applying, for the first time, methods established in Numerical Weather Prediction. The expected outcomes are physics-based prediction of solar atmospheric magnetic field evolution, including explosive eruptions. The results should have significant benefit in improving prediction of extreme space weather events, which pose an increasing threat to our technologically-dependent society.Read moreRead less
First-Principles Engineering of Advanced Multicomponent Materials for Clean, Energy Efficient Thermoelectric and Catalytic Technologies. The quantum mechanical, first-principles calculations for studying advanced multicomponent materials and surfaces of high current technological interest will produce significant results as well as fundamental knowledge of key mechanisms that will aid in the design and tailoring of new catalytic and thermoelectric materials. The project is directly relevant to ....First-Principles Engineering of Advanced Multicomponent Materials for Clean, Energy Efficient Thermoelectric and Catalytic Technologies. The quantum mechanical, first-principles calculations for studying advanced multicomponent materials and surfaces of high current technological interest will produce significant results as well as fundamental knowledge of key mechanisms that will aid in the design and tailoring of new catalytic and thermoelectric materials. The project is directly relevant to the designated priority area - Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries. It will involve collaboration with leading international experts, thus enhancing Australia's knowledge base and research capacity. This clearly has immediate benefits through the transfer and propagation of cutting-edge knowledge and skills to students and post-docs.Read moreRead less