Understanding the chemistry and evolution of planets and their atmospheres: Integrating experiments, observations, and quantum mechanical models. Ongoing changes in the Earth's atmosphere, demonstrate the need to understand photochemical processes and their role in atmospheric evolution. The proposed research will increase our understanding of the evolution of planetary atmospheres, with concomitant insight into the Earth's evolution. This proposal will greatly enhance the visibility of Australi ....Understanding the chemistry and evolution of planets and their atmospheres: Integrating experiments, observations, and quantum mechanical models. Ongoing changes in the Earth's atmosphere, demonstrate the need to understand photochemical processes and their role in atmospheric evolution. The proposed research will increase our understanding of the evolution of planetary atmospheres, with concomitant insight into the Earth's evolution. This proposal will greatly enhance the visibility of Australian research, through formal, direct connections to NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) planetary exploration missions, along with publications in Nature, Science, and/or PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) that will likely result from the high-profile problems to be studied. Furthermore, as a result of this collaboration, Australian students and postdoctoral researchers will benefit from interactions with top international scientists.Read moreRead less
Structural transitions in turbulent fluids and plasma through self-organization. Studies into structural transitions in turbulent systems will greatly benefit Australia through its contributions to the science of complex systems, in the areas of self-organization and turbulence control. Applications range from understanding the formation of the Earth's atmospheric spectrum to generation of transport barriers in magnetically confined plasma, as well as development of novel methods of turbulence c ....Structural transitions in turbulent fluids and plasma through self-organization. Studies into structural transitions in turbulent systems will greatly benefit Australia through its contributions to the science of complex systems, in the areas of self-organization and turbulence control. Applications range from understanding the formation of the Earth's atmospheric spectrum to generation of transport barriers in magnetically confined plasma, as well as development of novel methods of turbulence control in engineering. Recent discoveries by the authors open a window of opportunity for a breakthrough in this fundamental field of modern science. The project is based on several national and international collaborations. Australian postgraduate and research training is an integral part of the project.Read moreRead less
Centre for Mathematical and Statistical Modelling of Complex Systems. This Centre, formed by a group of high-profile researchers, brings expertise from linked but hitherto disparate areas together. It will place Australia at the forefront of research into complex systems.
The mission of the Centre is to stimulate research in mathematical and statistical modelling of complex systems and to encourage cross-fertilisation of ideas and techniques. The specific objectives are
- to formulate and ana ....Centre for Mathematical and Statistical Modelling of Complex Systems. This Centre, formed by a group of high-profile researchers, brings expertise from linked but hitherto disparate areas together. It will place Australia at the forefront of research into complex systems.
The mission of the Centre is to stimulate research in mathematical and statistical modelling of complex systems and to encourage cross-fertilisation of ideas and techniques. The specific objectives are
- to formulate and analyse mathematical and statistical models for natural and artificial complex systems,
- to use these models to develop an understanding of the behaviour of these systems
- to incorporate this understanding into strategies for management and control.Read moreRead less
Reaction transition states of halide-cluster complexes via velocity-map imaging of photoelectrons. This study will investigate the transition point between the reactants and products of a chemical reaction using a novel photoelectron imaging technique, velocity-map imaging. It is this region of chemical reactions that is the least understood. By combining the use of weakly bound negatively charged clusters and laser photodetachment of these clusters, information can be gleaned about these transi ....Reaction transition states of halide-cluster complexes via velocity-map imaging of photoelectrons. This study will investigate the transition point between the reactants and products of a chemical reaction using a novel photoelectron imaging technique, velocity-map imaging. It is this region of chemical reactions that is the least understood. By combining the use of weakly bound negatively charged clusters and laser photodetachment of these clusters, information can be gleaned about these transition states. The technique will be applied to an important class of halide-cluster complexes that form a set of prototypical reactions. These species also play important roles ranging from ozone depletion through to industrial chemistry.Read moreRead less
Imaging chemical reaction dynamics from the transition state to reaction products. Chemical reactions play a key role in many atmospheric, environmental and industrial processes. An understanding of reactions at the molecular level will lead to significant economic benefits, through more efficient reaction control, and through the identification of the key environmental factors which influence why particular reactions proceed. Our study of chemical reaction dynamics has been driven by technolo ....Imaging chemical reaction dynamics from the transition state to reaction products. Chemical reactions play a key role in many atmospheric, environmental and industrial processes. An understanding of reactions at the molecular level will lead to significant economic benefits, through more efficient reaction control, and through the identification of the key environmental factors which influence why particular reactions proceed. Our study of chemical reaction dynamics has been driven by technological advances which enable key stages of a reaction to be imaged and studied at the molecular level. Read moreRead less
Isotopic fractionation in planetary atmospheres. Ongoing changes in the Earth's atmosphere, such as ozone depletion, demonstrate the need to understand atmospheric photochemical processes. Isotopic fractionation is one vehicle for obtaining
detailed insight into these processes. The proposed research will
increase our understanding of fundamental molecular processes and use these new results to improve our knowledge of isotopic fractionation in planetary atmospheres. The resulting models wil ....Isotopic fractionation in planetary atmospheres. Ongoing changes in the Earth's atmosphere, such as ozone depletion, demonstrate the need to understand atmospheric photochemical processes. Isotopic fractionation is one vehicle for obtaining
detailed insight into these processes. The proposed research will
increase our understanding of fundamental molecular processes and use these new results to improve our knowledge of isotopic fractionation in planetary atmospheres. The resulting models will lead to new insight into the Earth's ozone chemistry and the recent evolution of Titan's and Venus' atmospheres, including how much water may have been present on Venus in the recent past. The research program also enables Australian participation in three international spacecraft
missions.
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Sulfuric acid formation from atmospheric sulfur trioxide and disulfur oxide: is one water molecule enough? Sulfate aerosols significantly affect the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth, influencing the nett energy balance, and mitigating the greenhouse effect. A major source of these aerosols is sulfuric acid. Understanding the sources and formation rates of sulfuric acid production is of considerable importance for global climate models. This project will provide significant insight in ....Sulfuric acid formation from atmospheric sulfur trioxide and disulfur oxide: is one water molecule enough? Sulfate aerosols significantly affect the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth, influencing the nett energy balance, and mitigating the greenhouse effect. A major source of these aerosols is sulfuric acid. Understanding the sources and formation rates of sulfuric acid production is of considerable importance for global climate models. This project will provide significant insight into the sulfur oxides and their water clusters, relevant to sulfuric acid formation, providing data applicable to the modelling of planetary atmospheres, especially timely for the Venus Express mission, and more importantly, the building of comprehensive climate models.Read moreRead less
Quantum Mechanics and Planetary Atmospheres. The project will increase the visibility and status of Australian research, by the participation of researchers and students in a wide international collaboration, covering experiments, theory, and computation, which will solve a fundamental research problem that has previously defied understanding. The resulting nitrogen model will be relevant to the important fields of global and planetary atmospheric change, and will find immediate application in t ....Quantum Mechanics and Planetary Atmospheres. The project will increase the visibility and status of Australian research, by the participation of researchers and students in a wide international collaboration, covering experiments, theory, and computation, which will solve a fundamental research problem that has previously defied understanding. The resulting nitrogen model will be relevant to the important fields of global and planetary atmospheric change, and will find immediate application in the analysis of results from the NASA missions, Voyager, Cassini, and (later) New Horizons. In the experimental part of the project, an Australian-first extreme-ultraviolet laser facility will be developed which will provide research opportunities complementary to the Australian Synchrotron.Read moreRead less
Current-free double layers applied to astrophysical objects and space propulsion. The collaboration between the ANU research group and European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) ASTRIUM, the largest European aerospace company, is a unique opportunity for Australia to capitalize on the new discovery of the Helicon Double Layer Thruster made at the ANU. This will allow the Australian space community to stay abreast of international developments in space propulsion and to be with the fore ....Current-free double layers applied to astrophysical objects and space propulsion. The collaboration between the ANU research group and European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) ASTRIUM, the largest European aerospace company, is a unique opportunity for Australia to capitalize on the new discovery of the Helicon Double Layer Thruster made at the ANU. This will allow the Australian space community to stay abreast of international developments in space propulsion and to be with the forerunners of this new technology. ANU will have direct access to EADS-ASTRIUM via the relationships developed in this project putting Australia in the enviable position of being an insider in future space developments concerning plasma thrusters and space technology in general.Read moreRead less