Western Australia severe weather prediction: optimising forecasts using new data sources and improved high-resolution models. WA suffers unusually high exposure to severe tropical and extra-tropical weather, from its size and geographical location. This project will develop enhanced data assimilation and modelling techniques, using emerging high-resolution satellite and other data to improve the timeliness, accuracy and reliability of weather forecasts for WA. Outcomes include: improved forecas ....Western Australia severe weather prediction: optimising forecasts using new data sources and improved high-resolution models. WA suffers unusually high exposure to severe tropical and extra-tropical weather, from its size and geographical location. This project will develop enhanced data assimilation and modelling techniques, using emerging high-resolution satellite and other data to improve the timeliness, accuracy and reliability of weather forecasts for WA. Outcomes include: improved forecast systems for predicting severe weather affecting WA (and consequently Australia), and ensemble forecast systems that provide valuable probabilistic information, such as confidence limits in the forecasts. Better forecasts issued earlier for severe weather events will allow appropriate planning and management measures, thereby reducing their present high social and economic cost.Read moreRead less
Small vertebrates from the Albian-Cenomanian of Queensland - testing hypotheses of provincialism among Australia's mid-Cretaceous dinosaur faunas. This project will add to our knowledge of Australian dinosaurs and the world they inhabited. Dinosaurs are often the means through which many people, especially children, are introduced to science. This project has the potential to greatly enhance this attraction to science, using the results of research on Australian dinosaurs. It has direct links wi ....Small vertebrates from the Albian-Cenomanian of Queensland - testing hypotheses of provincialism among Australia's mid-Cretaceous dinosaur faunas. This project will add to our knowledge of Australian dinosaurs and the world they inhabited. Dinosaurs are often the means through which many people, especially children, are introduced to science. This project has the potential to greatly enhance this attraction to science, using the results of research on Australian dinosaurs. It has direct links with a number of national and international museum exhibitions, and in western Queensland the results will be incorporated into a newly developed regional interpretive centre in Isisford. The enormous social and economic benefits linked to this initiative will open up numerous opportunities for local businesses, and increase the appreciation for science and exploration in outback areas.Read moreRead less
Three dimensional computational models of geological basin and hinterland evolution incorporating lithospheric mantle and surface processes. Petroleum exploration in deepwater areas offshore Australia is becoming increasingly important as more accessible, shallow water oil reserves near exhaustion. Geological simulation is an important tool for understanding deep water basins where geophysical imaging techniques are less effective. This project will develop 3D computational models relevant to un ....Three dimensional computational models of geological basin and hinterland evolution incorporating lithospheric mantle and surface processes. Petroleum exploration in deepwater areas offshore Australia is becoming increasingly important as more accessible, shallow water oil reserves near exhaustion. Geological simulation is an important tool for understanding deep water basins where geophysical imaging techniques are less effective. This project will develop 3D computational models relevant to understanding the development and evolution of geological basins and the sediments that fill them. The models will be integrated with available offshore data for potentially prospective Australian basins in the Northwest Shelf and the Southern Australian margin.Read moreRead less
Cretaceous marine reptiles from the Eromanga Sea - a research project focussing on the fossils of Outback Queensland. The Eromanga Sea covered large tracts of north and central Australia between 140 and 95 million years ago. Major faunal components of this inland-sea were marine reptiles, such as plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs and sea turtles. North Qld has extensive marine fossil deposits remaining to be systematically explored. Many world-significant specimens from these strata are housed in the Au ....Cretaceous marine reptiles from the Eromanga Sea - a research project focussing on the fossils of Outback Queensland. The Eromanga Sea covered large tracts of north and central Australia between 140 and 95 million years ago. Major faunal components of this inland-sea were marine reptiles, such as plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs and sea turtles. North Qld has extensive marine fossil deposits remaining to be systematically explored. Many world-significant specimens from these strata are housed in the Australian, Queensland and Richmond Marine Fossil museums. This project intends to resolve fundamental questions concerning the evolution, environment, lifestyle and distribution of Cretaceous marine reptiles by improving their fossil record and analysing newly discovered Australian specimens, including the world's first plesiosaur embryo.Read moreRead less
An integrated approach to modelling granular materials in a pavement system. The Australian transportation system consists of some 900,000 km of paved roads valued in excess of 300 billion dollars. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent each year on maintenance. About 90% of these paved roads are constructed with granular base and sub-base materials. This project will develop an accurate constitutive model for granular materials and a numerical method that are essential in predicting the life ....An integrated approach to modelling granular materials in a pavement system. The Australian transportation system consists of some 900,000 km of paved roads valued in excess of 300 billion dollars. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent each year on maintenance. About 90% of these paved roads are constructed with granular base and sub-base materials. This project will develop an accurate constitutive model for granular materials and a numerical method that are essential in predicting the life-long performance of pavements. The project will lead to improved pavement design procedures, which, together with the research training offered through the conduct of the work, will result in cost-effective and highly reliable pavement designs.Read moreRead less
Enhanced Analysis and Structural Design of Pavements - Virtual Laboratory for Advanced Pavement Design. The proposed research will lead to improved pavement engineering procedures, which will reduce the maintenance costs for future pavement projects, and will result in cost-effective and more reliable design of new pavements.
Risk Assessment of Pesticide Contamination of Surface Water and Groundwater - Trigger Mechanisms for Fast Transport. Pesticide and herbicide transport to groundwater and surface water poses a risk to the environment and humans alike. A new event-based risk assessment approach of pesticide movement to surface water and groundwater will be developed. With the use of rainfall simulation partitioning between surface runoff and infiltration will be quantified in an agricultural catchment. Pesticide c ....Risk Assessment of Pesticide Contamination of Surface Water and Groundwater - Trigger Mechanisms for Fast Transport. Pesticide and herbicide transport to groundwater and surface water poses a risk to the environment and humans alike. A new event-based risk assessment approach of pesticide movement to surface water and groundwater will be developed. With the use of rainfall simulation partitioning between surface runoff and infiltration will be quantified in an agricultural catchment. Pesticide contamination events will be identified from climatic data such high intensity rainfalls and soil properties controlling runoff and preferential flow. Results will be used to develop management strategies to reduce offsite movement of pesticides.Read moreRead less
Model Studies of the Wettability of Reservoir and Seal Rocks as Recovered and After Treatments to Alter Surface Properties. Key contributions will be made to the science that underpins petroleum recovery. The combination of diverse expertise in interfacial physics and chemistry, petroleum geology and petrophysics provides a large innovative potential for the industry. Two graduate students will be educated in a rich multi-disciplinary research environment with a strong emphasis on both academic ....Model Studies of the Wettability of Reservoir and Seal Rocks as Recovered and After Treatments to Alter Surface Properties. Key contributions will be made to the science that underpins petroleum recovery. The combination of diverse expertise in interfacial physics and chemistry, petroleum geology and petrophysics provides a large innovative potential for the industry. Two graduate students will be educated in a rich multi-disciplinary research environment with a strong emphasis on both academic and industrial aspects of the problems. The research conducted will enable the industrial partners to improve existing technologies for predicting where oil and gas is trapped and for petroleum recovery.
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3D seismic velocity structure for geothermal exploration: a novel approach combining ambient and passive seismic methods. Australia hosts many geological locations that have the potential for geothermal energy production. This is a sustainable power resource and employs diverse technological approaches depending on local conditions. We aim to pilot a new seismic imaging method, which could become a standard in geothermal exploration around the world, to investigate natural heat sources buried ....3D seismic velocity structure for geothermal exploration: a novel approach combining ambient and passive seismic methods. Australia hosts many geological locations that have the potential for geothermal energy production. This is a sustainable power resource and employs diverse technological approaches depending on local conditions. We aim to pilot a new seismic imaging method, which could become a standard in geothermal exploration around the world, to investigate natural heat sources buried in the crust. Tasmania is an ideal pilot location with active geothermal exploration tenements held by a locally-based company.Read moreRead less
Predicting Space Weather Using Solar Radio Bursts. Australia's scientific standing and expertise will be enhanced in the fields of space weather, space physics, plasma physics, and complex systems by the new prediction methods and scientific discoveries expected. Better predictions will increase the utility of Ionospheric Prediction Service reports to customers in defence (better communications) and satellite operations (improved survivability), industry (reduced infrastructure damage), and els ....Predicting Space Weather Using Solar Radio Bursts. Australia's scientific standing and expertise will be enhanced in the fields of space weather, space physics, plasma physics, and complex systems by the new prediction methods and scientific discoveries expected. Better predictions will increase the utility of Ionospheric Prediction Service reports to customers in defence (better communications) and satellite operations (improved survivability), industry (reduced infrastructure damage), and elsewhere. Australia's research base will be strengthened by high-level training of Research Associates and students, while its scientific infrastructure and role in international space efforts will be enhanced.Read moreRead less