Gravity Changes, Soil Moisture and Data Assimilation. This project will assess the utility of space and ground based gravity measurements for monitoring changes in the hydrological cycle at regional scales. At present there are no methods available for monitoring changes in terrestrial water storage over the globe, despite their importance for assessing the effects of large-scale changes in land use and climate change. The launch of NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellites later ....Gravity Changes, Soil Moisture and Data Assimilation. This project will assess the utility of space and ground based gravity measurements for monitoring changes in the hydrological cycle at regional scales. At present there are no methods available for monitoring changes in terrestrial water storage over the globe, despite their importance for assessing the effects of large-scale changes in land use and climate change. The launch of NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellites later this year provides a 5-year window of opportunity to undertake ground-based research to test this innovative technique for monitoring terrestrial water storage from gravity measurements - something that has been shown to be possible theoretically, but has not been testable until now.Read moreRead less
Environmental geodesy: variations of sea level and water storage in the Australian region. It is essential for Australia's long-term planning and security that the effects of global warming on our nation's water resources and coastlines are quantified. Sea level variations projected into the future vary around Australia and have large uncertainties, yet the impacts have substantial social and financial ramifications for our community. Australia hasn't yet quantified accurately its critical water ....Environmental geodesy: variations of sea level and water storage in the Australian region. It is essential for Australia's long-term planning and security that the effects of global warming on our nation's water resources and coastlines are quantified. Sea level variations projected into the future vary around Australia and have large uncertainties, yet the impacts have substantial social and financial ramifications for our community. Australia hasn't yet quantified accurately its critical water resources nor how they are changing. This proposal will address both these issues, providing for the first time valuable and accurate information for planning appropriate strategies to mitigate the impact of sea level rise and water storage on the Australian society.Read moreRead less
Quantum invariants and hyperbolic manifolds in three-dimensional topology. The project aims to broaden our understanding of three-dimensional (3-D) spaces, including spaces that arise in engineering, microbiology and physics. It is known that all 3-D spaces can be decomposed into geometric pieces. The most common type of geometry is hyperbolic. It is also known that such spaces have algebraic structures arising from quantum physics, known as quantum invariants. Several important conjectures, bas ....Quantum invariants and hyperbolic manifolds in three-dimensional topology. The project aims to broaden our understanding of three-dimensional (3-D) spaces, including spaces that arise in engineering, microbiology and physics. It is known that all 3-D spaces can be decomposed into geometric pieces. The most common type of geometry is hyperbolic. It is also known that such spaces have algebraic structures arising from quantum physics, known as quantum invariants. Several important conjectures, based on developments in physics, assert that hyperbolic geometry and quantum invariants are deeply related, but they remain unproved. The project aims to find new relationships between hyperbolic geometry and quantum invariants, advancing our understanding of both areas.Read moreRead less
Proving the Landau-Ginzburg/Conformal Field Theory correspondence. This project aims to provide the first precise mathematical statement and geometric proof of the Landau-Ginzburg/Conformal Field Theory (LG/CFT) correspondence for simple singularities, a physically motivated principle that relates hypersurface singularities in algebraic geometry to representations of vertex algebras in conformal field theory. The formalism developed here is expected to clarify the nature of the correspondence an ....Proving the Landau-Ginzburg/Conformal Field Theory correspondence. This project aims to provide the first precise mathematical statement and geometric proof of the Landau-Ginzburg/Conformal Field Theory (LG/CFT) correspondence for simple singularities, a physically motivated principle that relates hypersurface singularities in algebraic geometry to representations of vertex algebras in conformal field theory. The formalism developed here is expected to clarify the nature of the correspondence and lead directly to generalisations beyond simple singularities, as well as provide a dictionary to translate methods of CFT into singularity theory and vice versa. These results will further cement Australia's reputation as an international leader in pure mathematics and mathematical physics research.Read moreRead less
Integrable Systems in Gauge and String Theories. Gauge theory describes all quantum forces except gravity. String theory aims to describe quantum gravity. Both theories are widely believed to be different limits of one unknown theory. Discoveries of integrable nonlinear partial differential equations and integrable quantum systems in gauge/string theories are among the most remarkable recent developments in mathematical physics. They have led to deep results in known gauge/string theories, as we ....Integrable Systems in Gauge and String Theories. Gauge theory describes all quantum forces except gravity. String theory aims to describe quantum gravity. Both theories are widely believed to be different limits of one unknown theory. Discoveries of integrable nonlinear partial differential equations and integrable quantum systems in gauge/string theories are among the most remarkable recent developments in mathematical physics. They have led to deep results in known gauge/string theories, as well as to viable paths towards the unknown theory that interpolates them. This project contributes to these developments by adapting and developing sophisticated technical tools and insights from integrable models to shed light on that unknown theory that transcends the gauge/string gap. Read moreRead less
Classical and quantum invariants of low-dimensional manifolds. This project aims to advance our understanding of knots and 3-dimensional spaces, which arise naturally in fields as diverse as physics, computer graphics, chemistry and biology. Recent ideas from quantum field theory link physics to topology in dimensions 3 and 4, leading to powerful invariants of knots and 3-dimensional manifolds that include the Jones polynomial and the 3D-index. This project aims to resolve key questions relating ....Classical and quantum invariants of low-dimensional manifolds. This project aims to advance our understanding of knots and 3-dimensional spaces, which arise naturally in fields as diverse as physics, computer graphics, chemistry and biology. Recent ideas from quantum field theory link physics to topology in dimensions 3 and 4, leading to powerful invariants of knots and 3-dimensional manifolds that include the Jones polynomial and the 3D-index. This project aims to resolve key questions relating these quantum invariants to classical topology and geometry. The project will have a major impact in low-dimensional topology, and lead to deep and unexpected connections between mathematics and mathematical physics.Read moreRead less
Integrable models and topological strings. This project aims to develop advanced methods to compute n-point correlation functions in two-dimensional integrable models. The project expects to use recently discovered connections with topological strings to compute currently-inaccessible conformal blocks in conformal field theories, and their analogues in integrable massive field theories and statistical mechanical models. Expected outcomes include explicit expressions for the n-point correlation ....Integrable models and topological strings. This project aims to develop advanced methods to compute n-point correlation functions in two-dimensional integrable models. The project expects to use recently discovered connections with topological strings to compute currently-inaccessible conformal blocks in conformal field theories, and their analogues in integrable massive field theories and statistical mechanical models. Expected outcomes include explicit expressions for the n-point correlation functions, advances in the theory of topological vertices and the related representation theory, and new solutions of the Yang-Baxter equations. This should provide benefits that include a better understanding of two-dimensional integrable models and their deep connections with topological strings.Read moreRead less
New approaches and applications of integrable quantum field theory. This project aims to develop new mathematical approaches to the theory of integrable systems to obtain exact solutions of various non-linear models of two-dimensional quantum field theory. The project is based on an unexpected correspondence between classical and quantum systems which provides a powerful method for describing physically interesting models of integrable quantum field theory. Expected outcomes include exact soluti ....New approaches and applications of integrable quantum field theory. This project aims to develop new mathematical approaches to the theory of integrable systems to obtain exact solutions of various non-linear models of two-dimensional quantum field theory. The project is based on an unexpected correspondence between classical and quantum systems which provides a powerful method for describing physically interesting models of integrable quantum field theory. Expected outcomes include exact solutions to non-linear sigma-models which have important applications in many areas, including condensed matter physics, string and field theories and Riemannian geometry. The project expects to provide significant benefit to the advancement of knowledge in physics and mathematics.Read moreRead less
Universal structures in stringy extra dimensions. The project aims to study properties of extra dimensions in string theory by means of techniques from supersymmetric gauge theory. This new approach makes it possible to study areas in the landscape of stringy extra dimensions that have not been accessible before. The project expects to uncover new universal features. This will have significant impact on string theory and mathematics. Expected outcomes of this project include answers to conceptua ....Universal structures in stringy extra dimensions. The project aims to study properties of extra dimensions in string theory by means of techniques from supersymmetric gauge theory. This new approach makes it possible to study areas in the landscape of stringy extra dimensions that have not been accessible before. The project expects to uncover new universal features. This will have significant impact on string theory and mathematics. Expected outcomes of this project include answers to conceptual questions in string theory, new types of extra dimensions, and new methods to compute quantum corrections in string theory. This should provide significant benefits, such as interdisciplinary collaborations at the national and international level and a strengthening of string theory in Australia.Read moreRead less
Indecomposable representation theory. The project aims to develop a systematic approach to the study and application of indecomposable representations in pure mathematics and mathematical physics. Indecomposability is a central concept in representation theory and is thus fundamental to a wide range of applications in science. Examples of important contexts considered are diagram algebras and finite and infinite-dimensional Lie algebras including the Virasoro algebra underlying conformal field t ....Indecomposable representation theory. The project aims to develop a systematic approach to the study and application of indecomposable representations in pure mathematics and mathematical physics. Indecomposability is a central concept in representation theory and is thus fundamental to a wide range of applications in science. Examples of important contexts considered are diagram algebras and finite and infinite-dimensional Lie algebras including the Virasoro algebra underlying conformal field theory. Linear algebra is a ubiquitous mathematical tool playing a pivotal role in representation theory, and the project aims to resolve outstanding fundamental issues concerning families of so-called non-diagonalisable matrices.Read moreRead less