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
The origin of (dark) matter. This project aims to discover the origin and nature of dark matter and why the Universe contains more matter than antimatter – two important unresolved problems in particle physics and cosmology. These questions cannot be resolved within the framework of the particle physics Standard Model, and thus provide concrete evidence that new elementary particle physics remains to be uncovered. This project aims to explore the origin of dark matter, new mechanisms for creatin ....The origin of (dark) matter. This project aims to discover the origin and nature of dark matter and why the Universe contains more matter than antimatter – two important unresolved problems in particle physics and cosmology. These questions cannot be resolved within the framework of the particle physics Standard Model, and thus provide concrete evidence that new elementary particle physics remains to be uncovered. This project aims to explore the origin of dark matter, new mechanisms for creating a matter-antimatter asymmetry, and the possibility that dark and ordinary matter share a common origin. This project could address humanity's deep need to understand the nature of the universe and our origins.Read moreRead less
New Techniques for New Physics Searches at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. This project aims to break new ground in the quest to discover the existence of new fundamental constituents of nature. In order to achieve this, the team will invent and deploy a suite of advanced machine learning and anomaly detection techniques, developed by the chief investigators, to mine the data processed and collected with the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider throughout the entirety of the next d ....New Techniques for New Physics Searches at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. This project aims to break new ground in the quest to discover the existence of new fundamental constituents of nature. In order to achieve this, the team will invent and deploy a suite of advanced machine learning and anomaly detection techniques, developed by the chief investigators, to mine the data processed and collected with the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider throughout the entirety of the next data taking run. Expected outcomes of this project include the first application of revolutionary anomaly detection methods to fundamental physics, probing unexplored space in the process, and enhancing the capacity and development of future leaders in Australian science and technology at the forefront of data analytics.Read moreRead less
Excitation spectra of quantum chromodynamics. Just as quantum electrodynamics describes the quantum mechanical excitation spectra of atomic systems, quantum chromodynamics (QCD) describes the excitation spectra of quark and gluon systems, such as the proton. This project will resolve the interactions underpinning the excitations of QCD, as being investigated at international facilities.
Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory: Dark matter detector development. This project aims to develop ultra-sensitive detector technology essential for SABRE, a Northern and Southern Hemisphere dual-detector experiment. The SABRE facilities operate to directly detect galactic dark matter. Dark matter makes up 23% of the observable universe but the evidence for its existence is indirect. The direct detection of dark matter would be a discovery on par with gravitational waves and the Higgs boson. ....Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory: Dark matter detector development. This project aims to develop ultra-sensitive detector technology essential for SABRE, a Northern and Southern Hemisphere dual-detector experiment. The SABRE facilities operate to directly detect galactic dark matter. Dark matter makes up 23% of the observable universe but the evidence for its existence is indirect. The direct detection of dark matter would be a discovery on par with gravitational waves and the Higgs boson. This project is an opportunity for Australian research to continue to lead the way in the biggest scientific discoveries of the century and provides opportunities for Australian science in numerous fields ranging from biology to fundamental physics.Read moreRead less
Fundamental physics in distant galaxies. The fundamental constants of Nature are assumed to characterise physics in our entire Universe, but are they really the same everywhere and throughout its entire 14 billion year history? This project will answer this question with the first large-scale, purpose-built observational programme on one of the world's biggest and best telescopes.
On the Fast Track to the Frontier of High-Energy Physics. This project aims to extend our reach in exploring fundamental physics by exploiting a novel fast pattern-recognition technique and extending its limit beyond the current capacity. The recent discovery of the Higgs boson confirmed the remaining element of the standard model of particle physics, yet many fundamental questions about the microscopic nature of the universe remain. The Large Hadron Collider upgrades provide an opportunity to m ....On the Fast Track to the Frontier of High-Energy Physics. This project aims to extend our reach in exploring fundamental physics by exploiting a novel fast pattern-recognition technique and extending its limit beyond the current capacity. The recent discovery of the Higgs boson confirmed the remaining element of the standard model of particle physics, yet many fundamental questions about the microscopic nature of the universe remain. The Large Hadron Collider upgrades provide an opportunity to measure the particle's properties and to discover new physics processes by enabling searches for new particles at the high-energy frontier. This project aims to exploit the unique datasets anticipated, develop key electronic components and new techniques that will expand the physics reach of the ATLAS experiment.Read moreRead less
Detecting cosmic rays using precision radio imaging. This project's aim is to identify the source of the highest-energy particles in nature, cosmic rays, and discover new physical processes at energies unreachable by the Large Hadron Collider.
It will do this by using the Murchison Widefield Array radio telescope to detect the sub-microsecond pulses from cosmic ray interactions in the Earth's atmosphere. The project's intended outcome is a sample of thousands of cosmic ray events, and a new tec ....Detecting cosmic rays using precision radio imaging. This project's aim is to identify the source of the highest-energy particles in nature, cosmic rays, and discover new physical processes at energies unreachable by the Large Hadron Collider.
It will do this by using the Murchison Widefield Array radio telescope to detect the sub-microsecond pulses from cosmic ray interactions in the Earth's atmosphere. The project's intended outcome is a sample of thousands of cosmic ray events, and a new technique to analyse the structure within them.
The anticipated benefits are the establishment of the Murchison Widefield Array as a world-leading instrument for astroparticle physics, new knowledge of high-energy astro and particle physics, and advances and training in fast signal processing methods.Read moreRead less
Tackling the computational bottleneck in precision particle physics. This project aims to deliver a breakthrough technique in theoretical-computational particle physics, with significant potential for high-precision applications. The project targets some of the most advanced and resource-intensive calculations in particle physics, which are widely used but currently limited by extremely high computational resource requirements. This project expects to develop a novel approach that will vastly re ....Tackling the computational bottleneck in precision particle physics. This project aims to deliver a breakthrough technique in theoretical-computational particle physics, with significant potential for high-precision applications. The project targets some of the most advanced and resource-intensive calculations in particle physics, which are widely used but currently limited by extremely high computational resource requirements. This project expects to develop a novel approach that will vastly reduce the computational complexity while at the same time improving their accuracy relative to the current global state of the art. Expected outcomes include the new methodology itself as well as a full-fledged and open-access simulation code based on it, which should be highly efficient.Read moreRead less
Probing for physics beyond the Standard Model in Lepton Flavour Violation. The Standard Model of Particle Physics describes the fundamental particles of which matter in the Universe is composed, and the interactions which bind these particles. It is one of the most precisely measured and validated theories which science has produced, and there has as yet been no measurement of fundamental particle interactions which is in conflict with its predictions. This project involving a large internation ....Probing for physics beyond the Standard Model in Lepton Flavour Violation. The Standard Model of Particle Physics describes the fundamental particles of which matter in the Universe is composed, and the interactions which bind these particles. It is one of the most precisely measured and validated theories which science has produced, and there has as yet been no measurement of fundamental particle interactions which is in conflict with its predictions. This project involving a large international team and highly sophisticated technology will search for evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model by looking for conversion of muons to electrons a reaction which the model prohibits. Observation of this process would be evidence of new particles and interactions, and would revolutionise our understanding of nature.Read moreRead less