DYNAMICS OF EARTH'S RADIATION BELTS. Space weather is produced by rapid variations in wave fields and particle populations in near-Earth space, and has many effects. These include damage to spacecraft (causing operational anomalies and loss of service), degrading the performance of GPS, space-ground, HF radio and cable-based networks, and affecting surveillance radars. The core aim of this project is to improve knowledge of the waves and particles causing these effects. While being important to ....DYNAMICS OF EARTH'S RADIATION BELTS. Space weather is produced by rapid variations in wave fields and particle populations in near-Earth space, and has many effects. These include damage to spacecraft (causing operational anomalies and loss of service), degrading the performance of GPS, space-ground, HF radio and cable-based networks, and affecting surveillance radars. The core aim of this project is to improve knowledge of the waves and particles causing these effects. While being important to aerospace engineers, this work also consolidates Australia's international space profile and provides excellent training in this field. Since space weather causes significant radiation exposure to aircraft crew and passengers this work also has broader ramifications.Read moreRead less
Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves and Magnetosphere Plasma Dynamics. Space weather, manifest as magnetic storms in the Earth's magnetosphere, can severely disrupt and damage advanced technological systems operating in space and on the ground. Spacecraft may experience operational anomalies, pipeline corrosion may eventuate in the long term, and the performance of GPS navigation systems, HF communication systems, mobile phone networks, and surveillance radars, may be degraded. Knowledge of the ....Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves and Magnetosphere Plasma Dynamics. Space weather, manifest as magnetic storms in the Earth's magnetosphere, can severely disrupt and damage advanced technological systems operating in space and on the ground. Spacecraft may experience operational anomalies, pipeline corrosion may eventuate in the long term, and the performance of GPS navigation systems, HF communication systems, mobile phone networks, and surveillance radars, may be degraded. Knowledge of the near-Earth space environment under which these problems occur is extremely important. This project identifies relevant mechanisms. The research consolidates Australia's international space profile, provides excellent postgraduate training in the field, and contributes to Australia's future technological development.Read moreRead less
New frontiers for Australian exoplanetary science. There can be few questions more fundamental for a scientist's research to address than 'Is our home here on Earth unique? Or ubiquitous?' This project will undertake world-leading observations using revolutionary new Australian facilities, to enable breakthrough results that bear on this question.
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
The morphological evolution of galaxies over cosmic time. Present-day galaxies look either red and round or blue and disc-like; this project will study galaxies that existed when the universe was one quarter its present age to understand how these different structures came about. To do this, the project will use a new high resolution near-infrared camera built at The Australian National University.
Before Planets: The Mineralogy and Chemistry of Pre-Planetary Disks. Planets form within the circumstellar disks around young stars. Samples of the solid material composing our own primitive disk are found in meteorites and interplanetary dust particles. Using the powerful technique of astronomical mid-infrared spectropolarimetry, we will ascertain the composition of the material existing within the disks around young stars. By studying a range of disk ages we will determine how the composition ....Before Planets: The Mineralogy and Chemistry of Pre-Planetary Disks. Planets form within the circumstellar disks around young stars. Samples of the solid material composing our own primitive disk are found in meteorites and interplanetary dust particles. Using the powerful technique of astronomical mid-infrared spectropolarimetry, we will ascertain the composition of the material existing within the disks around young stars. By studying a range of disk ages we will determine how the composition evolves with time, and what physical processes affect it, in order to better understand how our own solar system formed. Further, we will image these disks in mm-wave molecular emission and constrain their chemistry and rotational properties.Read moreRead less
Habitable planets and stellar oscillations with the NASA Kepler mission. This project will ensure Australia's participation in a large space mission, which will detect habitable planets, like our own, around stars. We will build strong links to leading international institutions, supply high-level training for students in information processing skills, and develop new techniques for data analysis that are directly relevant to future space missions. This will position Australia in space explorati ....Habitable planets and stellar oscillations with the NASA Kepler mission. This project will ensure Australia's participation in a large space mission, which will detect habitable planets, like our own, around stars. We will build strong links to leading international institutions, supply high-level training for students in information processing skills, and develop new techniques for data analysis that are directly relevant to future space missions. This will position Australia in space exploration, with potential spin-offs for Australian industry. The science of this project will lead to a breakthrough in our understanding of the structure and evolution of stars and their planets, which will enhance Australia's reputation in these two fields of research.Read moreRead less
How many bright stars of the night sky harbour planets? The search for planets around stars is one of the grand endeavours that defines the modern era of astronomy. This project will develop two innovative technologies that will lead this field into new observational terrain: high-contrast aperture masking interferometry at large telescopes, and very narrow angle astrometry at the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer. These new instruments will enable the search for planets around the bright ....How many bright stars of the night sky harbour planets? The search for planets around stars is one of the grand endeavours that defines the modern era of astronomy. This project will develop two innovative technologies that will lead this field into new observational terrain: high-contrast aperture masking interferometry at large telescopes, and very narrow angle astrometry at the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer. These new instruments will enable the search for planets around the bright intermediate-mass stars of our southern sky, and will target the critical orbital scales of planets at solar-system scale separations. This encompasses the habitable zone where conditions could support life, and the sample will have immediate impact on fundamental questions of planetary formation.Read moreRead less
The First Deep Infrared Study of the Nearby Galaxy Population. We will conduct two major near-infrared (IR) surveys: The Southern Galactic Cap near-IR survey, and the Local Sphere of Influence survey. These surveys will capitalise on the innovative and award winning Australian IRIS2 facility. The two surveys push the observational frontier by orders of magnitude. They will be used to explore the close connection between the near-IR global properties of a galaxy and its underlying physics and pro ....The First Deep Infrared Study of the Nearby Galaxy Population. We will conduct two major near-infrared (IR) surveys: The Southern Galactic Cap near-IR survey, and the Local Sphere of Influence survey. These surveys will capitalise on the innovative and award winning Australian IRIS2 facility. The two surveys push the observational frontier by orders of magnitude. They will be used to explore the close connection between the near-IR global properties of a galaxy and its underlying physics and provide a generic local reference for the upcoming next generation infrared space-telescope missions.
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Stellar oscillations from the ground and space. We are participating in the Danish-led satellite mission MONS. The main instrument is a 32-cm telescope that is being designed and built by an Australian company. It will measure tiny brightness fluctuations in stars that reveal exquisite details about their internal structures. We propose to develop sophisticated processing algorithms that will allow MONS to measure the brightness fluctuations with unprecedented precision. We will also exploit ....Stellar oscillations from the ground and space. We are participating in the Danish-led satellite mission MONS. The main instrument is a 32-cm telescope that is being designed and built by an Australian company. It will measure tiny brightness fluctuations in stars that reveal exquisite details about their internal structures. We propose to develop sophisticated processing algorithms that will allow MONS to measure the brightness fluctuations with unprecedented precision. We will also exploit our new method for detecting oscillations in the brightest stars from the ground using the world's largest telescopes.Read moreRead less