A multi-messenger approach to understanding the high-energy Universe. Some of the most violent objects in the Universe produce extremely energetic radiation in the form of particles, gamma-rays and neutrinos. Innovative observatories like IceCube, a cubic kilometre of instrumented ice at the South Pole, are being used to identify these astrophysical sources and the mechanisms that produce this extreme radiation.
Feeding the faintest black holes: the nature of low-luminosity accretion. The overwhelming majority of black holes are found in an extremely faint quiescent state. This project aims to improve understandings of this large population of black holes, determining the geometry of the inflowing gas, the source of the faint X-ray emission, and the fraction of energy pumped outwards in fast-moving jets. Building on recent ground-breaking results, this project aims to conduct a survey to detect a new po ....Feeding the faintest black holes: the nature of low-luminosity accretion. The overwhelming majority of black holes are found in an extremely faint quiescent state. This project aims to improve understandings of this large population of black holes, determining the geometry of the inflowing gas, the source of the faint X-ray emission, and the fraction of energy pumped outwards in fast-moving jets. Building on recent ground-breaking results, this project aims to conduct a survey to detect a new population of black holes in dense star clusters, providing new laboratories to explore accretion physics. It aims to measure the distances of the black holes and their motion through space, test evidence for the existence of event horizons, and provide new insights into how black holes form and how they affect their surroundings.Read moreRead less
Frontiers in particle and astroparticle physics. This project will address fundamental questions about our universe, drawing on new experimental data at the cosmic and energy frontiers: what is the cosmological dark matter; why does the universe contain more matter than antimatter; what new surprises may be revealed? The answers will provide a guide to develop fundamental theories of nature.
The galactic centre: a laboratory for starburst galaxies. The Milky Way's centre is one of its most captivating regions; here star-formation, and potentially, the region's supermassive black hole, inject enormous amounts of energy and drive a powerful wind of plasma and cosmic rays above the galactic plane. This project will elucidate these processes and help us understand other galactic nuclei.
Supernovae as the origin of antimatter in our galaxy. This project aims to uncover the origin of the bulk of the antimatter in our Milky Way Galaxy. Astrophysicists have known for forty years that our Galaxy glows with gamma-rays emitted by the annihilation of huge numbers of positrons, the antimatter partners to electrons. Certain supernovae are the likely source of these positrons. To fully investigate this idea and its ramifications, this project will perform three-dimensional supercomputer s ....Supernovae as the origin of antimatter in our galaxy. This project aims to uncover the origin of the bulk of the antimatter in our Milky Way Galaxy. Astrophysicists have known for forty years that our Galaxy glows with gamma-rays emitted by the annihilation of huge numbers of positrons, the antimatter partners to electrons. Certain supernovae are the likely source of these positrons. To fully investigate this idea and its ramifications, this project will perform three-dimensional supercomputer simulations of thermonuclear supernova explosions. This project aspires to resolve a long-standing mystery in astrophysics and provide an exemplar for best usage of Australian investment in astronomy and supercomputing infrastructure.Read moreRead less
Rational Design of Novel Multiferroic Materials for Energy Harvesting and Energy Efficiency. Multiferroics are a class of fundamentally complex materials in which several ferroic orders (for example, ferroelectric and ferromagnetic) coexist. The coupling between their electric and magnetic degrees of freedom is controllable via stress and external fields, thus opening the possibility for breakthrough technological developments. By working at the frontier of complex nanostructured oxide materials ....Rational Design of Novel Multiferroic Materials for Energy Harvesting and Energy Efficiency. Multiferroics are a class of fundamentally complex materials in which several ferroic orders (for example, ferroelectric and ferromagnetic) coexist. The coupling between their electric and magnetic degrees of freedom is controllable via stress and external fields, thus opening the possibility for breakthrough technological developments. By working at the frontier of complex nanostructured oxide materials, this project aims to establish the rational basis for systematic design of novel artificially layered multiferroics, develop accurate and computationally affordable methods to simulate these materials under finite-temperature conditions, and exploit this knowledge to devise likely revolutionary photovoltaic, nanoelectronic and energy conversion applications.Read moreRead less
Transforming fast radio bursts into an astrophysical tool. This project aims to determine what causes fast radio bursts by utilising the revolutionary capabilities of the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder. Fast radio bursts remain one of the most poorly understood astronomical objects; only the localisation of a large population will resolve the origin of their enigmatic emissions. This project will deliver a catalogue of localised fast radio bursts, pinpointed to host galaxies and a ....Transforming fast radio bursts into an astrophysical tool. This project aims to determine what causes fast radio bursts by utilising the revolutionary capabilities of the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder. Fast radio bursts remain one of the most poorly understood astronomical objects; only the localisation of a large population will resolve the origin of their enigmatic emissions. This project will deliver a catalogue of localised fast radio bursts, pinpointed to host galaxies and an explanation for how and what produces the bursts. This will demonstrate the capabilities of novel Australian technology, and deliver benefit, underpinning a plan for surveys for next generation radio telescopes such as the Square Kilometre Array.Read moreRead less
Pinpointing the hosts of Fast Radio Bursts with UTMOST-2D. This project proposes to localise a sample of detected ‘fast radio bursts’ to their host galaxies (or local progenitors) for the first time. ‘Fast radio bursts’ are impulsive bursts of radio energy, with characteristics consistent with an origin billions of light-years from Earth. If the source of the bursts can be pinpointed, they would offer a unique tool to study the tenuous, otherwise nearly invisible plasma that permeates the interg ....Pinpointing the hosts of Fast Radio Bursts with UTMOST-2D. This project proposes to localise a sample of detected ‘fast radio bursts’ to their host galaxies (or local progenitors) for the first time. ‘Fast radio bursts’ are impulsive bursts of radio energy, with characteristics consistent with an origin billions of light-years from Earth. If the source of the bursts can be pinpointed, they would offer a unique tool to study the tenuous, otherwise nearly invisible plasma that permeates the intergalactic medium. They could also be used as cosmic rulers to measure the expansion history of the Universe. To date, no burst has been associated with a host galaxy at a known distance, and some researchers maintain that fast radio bursts originate from more nearby sources, potentially even within our own Galaxy. The project plans to explore this hypothesis.Read moreRead less
Electronic functionality in nanoscale materials: from discovery to design. This project will develop innovative multifunctional carbon/boron-nitride nanomaterials by devising new strategies to manipulate their electronic functionality. Outcomes will include technological breakthroughs leading to smart materials for energy storage, greenhouse gas emission reduction and nanoelectronics.
From prediction to adaptation: responding to rapid ecosystem shifts under climate change. Nobody knows exactly how climate change will affect the ecosystems on which we depend for our own existence, though negative impacts are widely predicted. This project integrates mathematical, economic and ecological approaches to learn about the most effective way to spend limited funds for sustaining ecosystems threatened by climate change.