Ensemble modelling of space-weather drivers. This project aims to develop methods for forecasting the evolution of magnetic fields on the Sun's surface, and to use the results to drive an ensemble of numerical simulations of the evolution of the magnetic field in the overlying atmosphere. The project expects to create a new framework for forecasting the evolution of solar active regions, applying, for the first time, methods established in Numerical Weather Prediction. The expected outcomes are ....Ensemble modelling of space-weather drivers. This project aims to develop methods for forecasting the evolution of magnetic fields on the Sun's surface, and to use the results to drive an ensemble of numerical simulations of the evolution of the magnetic field in the overlying atmosphere. The project expects to create a new framework for forecasting the evolution of solar active regions, applying, for the first time, methods established in Numerical Weather Prediction. The expected outcomes are physics-based prediction of solar atmospheric magnetic field evolution, including explosive eruptions. The results should have significant benefit in improving prediction of extreme space weather events, which pose an increasing threat to our technologically-dependent society.Read moreRead less
Prediction of coronal mass ejections and their radio emissions. This project aims to explain in detail the motion and properties of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) leaving the sun, the radio emissions they generate, and space weather triggers for the sun and other stars. The project expects to create new knowledge in the fields of space, plasma, and astro-physics and space weather research. Expected outcomes include capabilities to accurately predict CMEs and space weather triggers from the sun to ....Prediction of coronal mass ejections and their radio emissions. This project aims to explain in detail the motion and properties of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) leaving the sun, the radio emissions they generate, and space weather triggers for the sun and other stars. The project expects to create new knowledge in the fields of space, plasma, and astro-physics and space weather research. Expected outcomes include capabilities to accurately predict CMEs and space weather triggers from the sun to Earth and theories for type II and IV solar radio bursts. Benefits include high-level training and enhanced human capital and scientific prominence for Australia.Read moreRead less
Understanding the sources of the slow solar wind. This project aims to reveal the origins of the slow solar wind, a continuous stream of plasma emanating from the Sun that fills the solar system and impacts the Earth. This project expects to enhance our understanding of how this solar wind is accelerated and structured using a suite of state-of-the-art computational simulations. In doing this, the project expects to provide critical physical understanding to allow interpretation of data from NA ....Understanding the sources of the slow solar wind. This project aims to reveal the origins of the slow solar wind, a continuous stream of plasma emanating from the Sun that fills the solar system and impacts the Earth. This project expects to enhance our understanding of how this solar wind is accelerated and structured using a suite of state-of-the-art computational simulations. In doing this, the project expects to provide critical physical understanding to allow interpretation of data from NASA and ESA's flagship space missions Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter. Benefits should include enhanced physical understanding that will contribute to the international effort to develop reliable space-weather forecasting systems, critical for space exploration and space-based technology.Read moreRead less
Closing the Solar Cycle. This project aims to decisively settle the debate about the mechanism driving magnetic activity on the surface of the Sun. By drawing on extensive, big-data analysis of solar observations the project intends to use the technique of helioseismology to reveal differences in the statistical evolution of magnetic regions. Expected outcomes of this project will powerfully refine our models of the interaction between convective flows and magnetic fields in the Sun, resulting i ....Closing the Solar Cycle. This project aims to decisively settle the debate about the mechanism driving magnetic activity on the surface of the Sun. By drawing on extensive, big-data analysis of solar observations the project intends to use the technique of helioseismology to reveal differences in the statistical evolution of magnetic regions. Expected outcomes of this project will powerfully refine our models of the interaction between convective flows and magnetic fields in the Sun, resulting in a leap forward in solar dynamo theory, one of the fundamental problems in astrophysics. The anticipated benefits include moving from nowcasting to forecasting space weather, mitigating the billion dollar economic effects of geomagnetic storms.Read moreRead less
A Stress-relax Model for Stellar Flares. This project aims to improve our ability to predict solar and stellar flares by developing a theoretical model for the build-up and release of magnetic stress in stellar atmospheres. Solar flares are the most energetic events in the solar system, and together with associated coronal mass ejections can create hazardous conditions in our local space environment. Stellar flares are thousands of times more energetic and produce dangerous space weather for exo ....A Stress-relax Model for Stellar Flares. This project aims to improve our ability to predict solar and stellar flares by developing a theoretical model for the build-up and release of magnetic stress in stellar atmospheres. Solar flares are the most energetic events in the solar system, and together with associated coronal mass ejections can create hazardous conditions in our local space environment. Stellar flares are thousands of times more energetic and produce dangerous space weather for exoplanets orbiting flare stars. Expected outcomes include insight into the flare mechanism, and new approaches to flare prediction. The major potential benefit is improved solar and stellar space weather forecasting to protect human safety and infrastructure.Read moreRead less
Revival of silicon solar cells for space applications. Development of very thin silicon solar cells for space applications. These space cells will include many of the significant improvements in silicon cells of the last 20 years, which have allowed close to the maximum possible efficiencies and the order of magnitude decrease in cost of terrestrial solar cells. Space cells require good radiation resistance to give good end of life performance. This project will use photovoltaic architectures, p ....Revival of silicon solar cells for space applications. Development of very thin silicon solar cells for space applications. These space cells will include many of the significant improvements in silicon cells of the last 20 years, which have allowed close to the maximum possible efficiencies and the order of magnitude decrease in cost of terrestrial solar cells. Space cells require good radiation resistance to give good end of life performance. This project will use photovoltaic architectures, proven to give high performance for terrestrial cells, to develop ultrathin silicon cells with extreme light trapping and improved radiation tolerance to give high beginning and end of life efficiencies. These cells will be less than 5% of the cost of multijunction cells currently used in space.Read moreRead less
Space RAdiation Monitoring System (SRAMS) for safe space missions. The goal of the project is to develop a comprehensive space radiation monitoring system (SRAMS) that can evaluate: i) the radiation related hazards for astronauts, ii) the radiation damage in electronics during space missions and iii) the ground radiation facility environment used in radiation hardness assurance tests. SRAMS will also address important issue in space by minimizing manned or satellite space mission aborts due to s ....Space RAdiation Monitoring System (SRAMS) for safe space missions. The goal of the project is to develop a comprehensive space radiation monitoring system (SRAMS) that can evaluate: i) the radiation related hazards for astronauts, ii) the radiation damage in electronics during space missions and iii) the ground radiation facility environment used in radiation hardness assurance tests. SRAMS will also address important issue in space by minimizing manned or satellite space mission aborts due to space radiation adverse effects on astronaut’s health and electronics failure, and translates into an enormous economic value proposition. SRAMS will be paramount for leveraging the quantifiable standards of the space-radiation qualification facilities that are important for boosting the Australian Space industry. 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
Measuring critical background in the Australian search for dark matter. This project aims to develop ultra-sensitive detector technology essential for SABRE, a world-wide experiment with detectors in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres which are operated together to directly detect the dark matter halo of our Milky Way galaxy. Dark matter makes up nearly five times more mass in the universe than everything we can see, yet it has never been detected in the laboratory. SABRE South will be i ....Measuring critical background in the Australian search for dark matter. This project aims to develop ultra-sensitive detector technology essential for SABRE, a world-wide experiment with detectors in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres which are operated together to directly detect the dark matter halo of our Milky Way galaxy. Dark matter makes up nearly five times more mass in the universe than everything we can see, yet it has never been detected in the laboratory. SABRE South will be installed in the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory in a goldmine in Victoria, Australia. Dark matter is not the only thing SABRE can detect. The project will measure all possible types of naturally occurring radiation, from space, the surrounding rock, and the detectors themselves, that can blind SABRE to dark matter.Read moreRead less