Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100784
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$395,220.00
Summary
Breaking through the barrier: a new approach to understanding quantum tunneling in nuclear fusion. Experiments have shown major failings of our best predictive model of nuclear fusion. This project will address these failings through a multifaceted research program which will develop and benchmark an enhanced quantum model and test for missing physics by conducting precision fusion measurements for carefully chosen reactions. This project will develop a new technique that exploits fission follow ....Breaking through the barrier: a new approach to understanding quantum tunneling in nuclear fusion. Experiments have shown major failings of our best predictive model of nuclear fusion. This project will address these failings through a multifaceted research program which will develop and benchmark an enhanced quantum model and test for missing physics by conducting precision fusion measurements for carefully chosen reactions. This project will develop a new technique that exploits fission following fusion to directly probe physical processes inside the fusion barrier, which are missing from current models. This integrated approach to fusion will allow us to better predict fusion cross sections, create new elements and exploit radioactive ion beams at new international facilities.Read moreRead less
Sulfur isotope fractionations in Earth evolution. Sulfur isotopes provide a unique window into the major events in Earth's history. Techniques have been developed for measuring all four sulfur isotopes, including the low abundance sulfur-36 (0.02 per cent) to 0.2 per mil, in situ for sulfides. This project will make innovative technological developments to the counting system to extend this capability to the lower count rates obtained from sulfates. This will open windows for research on proces ....Sulfur isotope fractionations in Earth evolution. Sulfur isotopes provide a unique window into the major events in Earth's history. Techniques have been developed for measuring all four sulfur isotopes, including the low abundance sulfur-36 (0.02 per cent) to 0.2 per mil, in situ for sulfides. This project will make innovative technological developments to the counting system to extend this capability to the lower count rates obtained from sulfates. This will open windows for research on processes occurring in the early solar system, atmospheric and hydrologic conditions in the Archean, ore-forming processes, and evolution of life on Earth. Read moreRead less
Radiation detectors to better understand ion interactions. This project aims to build a Heavy Ion Therapy Research and Treatment Centre in Australia. Understanding how ions interact with matter and their radiobiological effectiveness (RBE) is important. The project will introduce an Australian detector technology platform to research ion interaction physics and their RBE. It will develop radiation detectors for ion measurement with a wide energy range, including a practical RBE quality assurance ....Radiation detectors to better understand ion interactions. This project aims to build a Heavy Ion Therapy Research and Treatment Centre in Australia. Understanding how ions interact with matter and their radiobiological effectiveness (RBE) is important. The project will introduce an Australian detector technology platform to research ion interaction physics and their RBE. It will develop radiation detectors for ion measurement with a wide energy range, including a practical RBE quality assurance tool with submillimetre spatial resolution. The proposed Australian radiation detection technology is expected to improve understanding of the scientific mechanisms underpinning the radiobiological effectiveness of heavy ion radiation.Read moreRead less
Carbon conundrum: Functional characterisation of organic matter-clay mineral interactions in relation to carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestration in soil has been recognised as one of the possible measures through which greenhouse gas emissions can be mitigated. The major processes involved in carbon sequestration in soil include chemical immobilisation of carbon with soil particles and physical protection in the pores of soil microaggregates. These two processes are mediated through the funct ....Carbon conundrum: Functional characterisation of organic matter-clay mineral interactions in relation to carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestration in soil has been recognised as one of the possible measures through which greenhouse gas emissions can be mitigated. The major processes involved in carbon sequestration in soil include chemical immobilisation of carbon with soil particles and physical protection in the pores of soil microaggregates. These two processes are mediated through the functional relationships of soil organic matter and clay mineral interactions in soils. This project investigates nanoscale organomineral association underlying microaggregate formation and stability, as well as the distribution and microbial decomposition of carbon within microaggregates using a suite of advanced spectroscopic, molecular and isotopic techniques.Read moreRead less
Precision low energy experiments to search for new physics. This project aims to give experimental answers to long existing theoretical questions about the origins and nature of dark matter. Dark matter is a fundamental component of the universe, yet the nature of its composition is still unknown. There is growing evidence that dark matter is comprised of low mass and weakly interacting particles. By developing ultra-precise measurement tools and new techniques, this project aims to perform a st ....Precision low energy experiments to search for new physics. This project aims to give experimental answers to long existing theoretical questions about the origins and nature of dark matter. Dark matter is a fundamental component of the universe, yet the nature of its composition is still unknown. There is growing evidence that dark matter is comprised of low mass and weakly interacting particles. By developing ultra-precise measurement tools and new techniques, this project aims to perform a stringent and comprehensive new laboratory search for ultra-light dark matter particles, over likely mass ranges not yet searched. The knowledge gained will provide economic benefits through commercialisation and stimulation of new research and development, and to defence through applications in radar, communications and sensing.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100073
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$174,627.00
Summary
Australian Contribution to CERN Large Hadron Collider Experiment Upgrade. Australian contribution to CERN large hadron collider experiment upgrade: The discovery of the Higgs Boson with the ATLAS experiment at the CERN laboratory's large hadron collider, has been a highlight for Australian science. Scientists will build upon the foundation of the Higgs discovery to further probe the nature of matter at the finest scales and highest energies. Detailed measurements of the Higgs characteristics wil ....Australian Contribution to CERN Large Hadron Collider Experiment Upgrade. Australian contribution to CERN large hadron collider experiment upgrade: The discovery of the Higgs Boson with the ATLAS experiment at the CERN laboratory's large hadron collider, has been a highlight for Australian science. Scientists will build upon the foundation of the Higgs discovery to further probe the nature of matter at the finest scales and highest energies. Detailed measurements of the Higgs characteristics will determine if it is as predicted by the Standard Model or whether it admits a variation, signalling new physics. The upgrade in this project will provide for such detailed measurements. It will also allow sensitive probes of new physics, searching for new particles or unexpected interactions.Read moreRead less
Profiling tissue protein, elemental ions and nanoparticle distributions. This project aims to investigate protein-protein interactions that are crucial to homeostatic cell signalling and viability in a changing tissue environment. The central goal is to develop and validate protocols to combine cutting-edge tissue imaging modalities to map and characterise tissue distributions of native and modified proteins, elemental ions and pharmacological agents including nanoparticles and nanovehicles. The ....Profiling tissue protein, elemental ions and nanoparticle distributions. This project aims to investigate protein-protein interactions that are crucial to homeostatic cell signalling and viability in a changing tissue environment. The central goal is to develop and validate protocols to combine cutting-edge tissue imaging modalities to map and characterise tissue distributions of native and modified proteins, elemental ions and pharmacological agents including nanoparticles and nanovehicles. The aim is to use novel tissue scanning mass spectrometry techniques in conjunction with X-ray-based microprobe spectroscopy and advanced multi-parameter cytometry to identify spatial distributions of proteins, ions and drugs in tissues. This approach may provide new information about the maintenance of homeostatic control and the content, distribution and potential metabolism of drugs or nanoparticles within biological tissues.Read moreRead less
Reaching the superheavy elements: a quantitative understanding through integrating new reaction time measurements with theoretical models. The project will develop new experimental methods to give unique insights into the interplay of quantum effects in nuclear fusion reactions forming heavy elements. The results will guide theoretical model developments to enhance understanding, and predict optimal opportunities to form new elements and isotopes with future rare isotope accelerators.
Mapping the microscopic pathway to dissipation in quantum nuclear collisions. Nuclear reactions power the universe and produce all the chemical elements, whose abundances are a sensitive probe of energetic cosmic events. Our new concepts and experiments will probe the boundaries of the quantum world, guide applications of international radioactive isotope accelerators and address the problem of lithium abundance in the cosmos.